What is a Vapor Retarder
Saturday, June 12th, 2010 | Uncategorized | 2 Comments
What is a Vapor Retarder?
Moisture in the air in the form of vapor is transferred along with heat. This is especially common in humid environments and in certain areas inside a home - such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms. When moisture vapor becomes trapped, mold and mildew growth can result. Vapor retarders keep the moisture in the air in your house from condensing in the insulated cavities.
Whether or not you need a vapor retarder depends on local building codes and your climate. Generally, in hot, humid areas using a vapor retarder is not recommended. In mixed climate areas, the vapor retarder is optional depending on the total design of a building. In cold climates, a vapor retarder is almost always needed.
The facing on faced insulation acts as a vapor retarder. If you need a vapor retarder and your insulation is unfaced, you must cover it with a polyethylene film.
Faced Insulation
This is insulation with a facing already attached to it. Facing acts as a vapor retarder and is commonly made from Kraft paper or foil, depending on the intended application. In addition to its thermal and acoustical properties, faced insulation is ideal for moisture control on exterior walls. The type of insulation you need depends on where the insulation will be installed, what R-values are needed, and your budget.
Unfaced Insulation
Unfaced insulation has no facing attached to it. This type of insulation is effective when controlling unwanted noise in internal walls and to assist with moisture control. Where vapor control is required, a separate vapor retarder can be used.
A Green Home Begins with Energy Star Blue
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 | Uncategorized | 2 Comments
Homebuilders and homebuyers across the country are increasingly interested in green building. But what exactly makes a home green?
Green building means improving the way that homes and homebuilding sites use energy, water, and materials to reduce impacts on human health and the environment. Building a green home means making environmentally-preferable and sustainable decisions Did you know that a typical home throughout the building process—decisions that will can cause twice the greenhouse minimize the environmental impact of the home gas emissions of the typical car? while it is being built and over the many years it will be lived in.
There are nearly 50 regional and national green home labeling programs around the country. While each program approaches green building a little differently, each incorporates important elements such as:
. • Energy-efficient construction techniques and products.
. • Improved indoor environments through environmentally-preferable materials and building practices.
. • Water-efficient products and processes.
. • Renewable energy options, when feasible.
. • Waste reduction and recycling during the construction process.
. • Smart growth and sustainable land development practices.
What should homebuyers look for first in a green home?
Energy efficiency is the place to start. That’s because the energy used in homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and risks of global climate change. So, the less energy used, the less air pollution generated. And the easy way to make sure a new home is energy efficient is to look for the blue ENERGY STAR mark, the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency.
ENERGY STAR qualified homes are independently verified to meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These homes save money on utility bills, provide a more comfortable living environment with better indoor air quality, and help protect the environment.
Typical features to look for in ENERGY STAR qualified homes include: Each ENERGY STAR qualified home can keep • An Efficient Home Envelope, with effective 4,500 lbs of greenhouse levels of wall, floor, and attic insulation properly gases out of our air each installed, comprehensive air barrier details, and year. And because homes high-performance windows; have such long life-spans, • Efficient Air Distribution, where ducts are this environmental benefit installed with minimum air leakage and lasts for many, many years. effectively insulated; • Efficient Equipment for heating, cooling, and water heating; • Efficient Lighting, including fixtures that earn the ENERGY STAR; and • Efficient Appliances, including ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes washers. These energy efficiency improvements save homeowners money—about $200 to $400 per year on utility bills. More importantly, monthly energy savings can easily exceed any additional mortgage cost for the energy efficiency improvements, resulting in a positive cash-flow from the first day of home ownership. As a result, the cost-effectiveness of ENERGY STAR improvements can help offset additional costs associated with other green home features. What comes after energy efficiency? Homebuyers can also look for the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package label—a new specification developed by EPA to address the indoor environment component of green building. Homes that achieve this level of excellence are first qualified as ENERGY STAR, and then also incorporate more than 60 additional home design and construction features to control moisture, chemical exposure, radon, pests, ventilation, and filtration. Together, these features help protect qualified homes and their residents from mold, chemicals, combustion gases, and other airborne pollutants. Completing the green home picture Through ENERGY STAR qualified homes and the ENERGY STAR Indoor Air Package, homebuyers can address two critical green home elements. Then, look to the wide variety of available green home programs to complete the picture with water-efficient products, renewable energy technologies, waste reduction, recycling, and sustainable land development practices.