Insulation Institute Blog

Insulation Installation: You Don’t Get What You Expect, You Get What You Inspect

One of the things that impressed me most as a first-time attendee of the RESNET conference in March of this year was the caliber of the speakers – they all seemed knowledgeable, credible and more often than not, entertaining.  I’m a big fan of soundbites, and I usually leave a meeting with a few good ones that I think capture the essence of those subjects most applicable to me. A good one from this year’s conference:  “You don’t get what you expect, you get what you inspect.” This is a good message generally, but this really resonated with me when it comes to installation of insulation.

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Insulation Installation: You Don’t Get What You Expect, You Get What You Inspect

What the “Google Era” Means for Energy Efficient Homes

Over the first half of 2016, The Insulation Institute conducted qualitative research[1] with builders exploring a few areas, including the changing dynamic between home builders and home buyers. The “Google Era” has changed the way homebuyers enter into the buying process and is reshaping their interactions with builders. They are researching more; more about homes, more about building products, just more in general. This leads to new opinions and new questions for builders, including about energy efficient homes. These opinions and questions can be a problem, if not responded to effectively. Our research found that builders can employ three effective techniques when faced with a buyer (or prospective buyer) who has ideas about energy efficient homes that may be a challenge if not properly addressed.

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What the “Google Era” Means for Energy Efficient Homes

There’s Insulating a Building. And Then There’s REALLY Insulating a Building.

For an insulation inspection during a building inspection, our handy guide – “25 Checkpoints for Inspecting Insulation Jobs” – covers all the bases, and then some. Intended to provide useful guidance on how to improve the quality of the installation of insulation products, the List has been created by our experts here at the Insulation Institute. It tells you what to look for when inspecting insulation in wall areas, as well as ceilings, floors and other areas.

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There’s Insulating a Building. And Then There’s REALLY Insulating a Building.

A breeze. A draft. A blast. A wind. A whiff. Who knew air could take so many forms in a building?

No matter what you call it, air flow and its management are vital to the performance, energy efficiency and comfort of a new or renovated home. Not only that: improper air flow can have severe effects on the health and safety of the people in the building by promoting mold growth, spreading pollutants, and possibly creating backdrafting of combustion appliances, increasing the possibility of carbon dioxide poisoning.

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A breeze. A draft. A blast. A wind. A whiff. Who knew air could take so many forms in a building?

Fast, Good and Cheap: Enemies of Quality Installation

In the past three years working within the insulation industry I’ve had a many conversations with builders, contractors and our manufacturer members about getting Grade 1 installation using fiber glass batt insulation. Three conversations in particular stick out in my mind as both insightful and accurate: two separate conversations with The Green Building Curmudgeon, Carl Seville, and one with Toler Insulating owner Wayne Toler. Each conversation left me with this: when it comes to quality installation of fiber glass batts, you can’t get fast, good and cheap. So, you have to pick two. Or do you?

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Fast, Good and Cheap: Enemies of Quality Installation

Want To Insulate Yourself From Customer Complaints About High Energy Costs? Establish a Good Thermal Boundary.

When it comes to energy costs, we all know the big numbers lie in heating and cooling the house. A large portion of this excessive energy use is due to air leakage as well as too little – or improperly installed – insulation. A good thermal boundary, which includes insulation, windows and doors, not only reduces energy waste, but also greatly increases an occupant’s comfort. Which brings us to heat flow. How heat flows, where it goes and how to control it is key to a whole-house systems approach that can create better homes for today’s homeowners.

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Want To Insulate Yourself From Customer Complaints About High Energy Costs? Establish a Good Thermal Boundary.

Acoustics Affect Productivity and Well Being

Sound is everywhere and it has the ability to affect your mood, productivity and wellbeing. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the workplace, yet, many times, controlling for sound within the work environment is ignored. Insulation Institute spoke recently with Jeremy Luscombe, Marketing Executive for UK-based Resonics, a leading acoustics solutions provider about the impact of sound in the workplace, its effects on people and what can be done about it. The following Q & A was the result of that conversation:

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Acoustics Affect Productivity and Well Being

Ever Seen a Home With a “Drinking Problem?”

Whether you’re building new construction or working on a renovation, you’ve got to think about preparing for and preventing the impact of water on the structure of the home. Because without your expertise, homes can easily have a drinking problem — and the water they absorb can be downright destructive.

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Ever Seen a Home With a “Drinking Problem?”

KB Homes’ Approach to Zero Energy Ready Building

KB Homes, a top 10 builder nationally, has firmly established itself as a leader in energy efficient building. In April of this year, it won its sixth consecutive Energy Star Partner of the Year Award.  Additionally, in 2013, 2014 and 2015 it received Department of Energy Housing Innovation Awards for its Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) construction. With this level of success it begs the question “what are they doing?”  DOE’s “Tour of Zero” website has detailed case studies on a number of homes (which we have written about before), including those from KB, but we will look specifically at the approach they took to insulation and air sealing in these homes, as well as the resulting ACH levels and HERS scores.

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KB Homes’ Approach to Zero Energy Ready Building