In his more than 30 years as a residential building contractor, Jim Iredale focused much of his career on constructing code-built custom homes. That changed in 2012 when he had the opportunity to work on a very high-end project that was designed to meet passive haus (house) standards, and a devotee was born.
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The Insulation Institute is committed to addressing and educating the market on quality installation, conducting training sessions and developing an extensive guide on how to get Grade I installation. Since we represent the insulation industry, we like to get out in the field from time-to-time and see how the products our members manufacture are installed.
So, when we had an opportunity to visit two Maryland homes currently under construction just after the insulation had been installed we jumped at the chance.
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Achieving an energy efficient, durable and comfortable home starts with framing and includes air sealing and insulation. Regardless of the type of insulation used, whole-home air sealing is a must to minimize air leakage and maximize thermal performance. It’s also an essential part of meeting new home airtightness requirements. As states adopt new, more stringent home energy efficiency codes, builders must redouble their efforts to ensure that new homes are properly air sealed. But where are the areas within the building that are leakier than others?
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Any time there are icicles dangling from gutters, it is a sign of a potentially costly and avoidable problem in a home – an ice dam. Ice dams form when the temperature in the attic is above freezing and there is snow on the roof. The snow melts on the roof and drips downward toward the edge and the gutter. If it’s cold enough, it re-freezes at the colder roof edge, which means the water does not drain. This frozen water forms a “dam” which prevents drainage and can cause water to leech back into the home, either into the ceiling/attic or down into the walls below. And that can be a very expensive problem to fix.
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With much of the country currently in the grips of a record-breaking cold snap, homeowners may be supplementing their heat sources with portable heating options that increase the risk of fire. Home sprinkler systems are a key defense against fire spread, but they won’t work if sprinkler system pipes are frozen and water damage from pipes may be just as costly as a house fire. One of the primary ways to reduce the risk of sprinkler system freezing is to properly install mineral fiber insulation. Although insulation alone may not prevent freezing when temperatures are cold enough for an extended period, properly installed insulation can significantly reduce the chance of sprinkler systems freezing.
During last month’s Insulation Contractors Association of America Convention, Burgess Construction Consultants reported the results of a recent survey it conducted with more than 100 of the nation’s top production builders. The company sought to identify ways that builders, HERS raters and insulation contractors could work more collaboratively to achieve superior home energy performance.
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Home builders are selling an emotional experience as much as a residence to buyers. A big part of that experience is the overall comfort of a home and insulation plays a major role in achieving comfort. But, poor quality installation can negatively impact the performance of the insulation. That’s why hiring the right insulation contractor is a must. Savvy builders know that product cost isn’t the only factor in the value equation, and while some contractors will check all the boxes and agree to meet all of the requirements for the job, there’s a level of detail involved in doing the best quality work. If the focus is on superior quality installation, builders should ask three questions of the insulation contractors who want to work for them.
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NAHB recently released the results of their monthly Housing Market Index survey which included a set of special questions. The data revealed top builder pain points in 2016, and how builders expect these pain points to change in 2017. The top problem continues to be cost and availability of labor, which builders see increasing in 2017. Interestingly, the problem which showed the greatest increase 2017 vs. 2016 is building material prices, which jumped 12 points (the next biggest change was 7 points). HERS Raters, in their consultative function for builders, can play a role in addressing this key pain point relating to insulation costs. Here are three specific ways raters can address builder cost concerns:
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We talk a lot about the importance of quality insulation installation, especially for batts. If the home is getting a HERS rating, Grade III installation means 5% of your insulated area is modeled as uninsulated. For those in California, failing to meet their definition of quality, a Quality Insulation Installation (QII), means wall cavity R-value is discounted 30% when modeled to determine energy code compliance. For Energy Star or DOE Zero Energy Ready homes it’s simple: get Grade I or you can’t be certified[1]. So, there appears to be market value for quality installation, but does that actually manifest itself in installer compensation? If so, how much is it worth?
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As fall approaches it’s time to consider options to weatherize your home. This means making improvements that can help improve comfort and lower energy bills, in the winter months and beyond. For homeowners trying to prioritize their home improvement dollars, and time, the question of what to focus on first often comes up. We’re going to make the case for attic insulation, as new data has come to light regarding its benefits.
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