Custom Insulation Blog

We always get questions about heating and cooling when the seasons change. We have had some high temperatures, and many homeowners are inquiring about how to keep their cooling bills lower. Others are interested in how to keep homes a more even temperature so the AC can work less.

Q: I need advice on summer cooling of the second floor of my home. The finished basement is cold, (all vents closed) the rooms on the main floor are chilly (most vents closed) and the upstairs is warm with all vents open. Is there a reasonably priced option that you would recommend?

A: Fact, hot air rises. The upper floors will always be warmer, especially in the summer. To make the second floor more comfortable you should start by bringing your attic insulation up to at least R-49 and making sure the attic is adequately and properly vented. You will immediately notice a difference in comfort and more even temperature of your home. The investment will be well worth it because immediately you will begin to save money on both cooling and heating costs.

By increasing your attic insulation, you allow less cooled air out of your home, allowing your second floor to stay cooler and allows the other floors to have a more even temperature.

Are you interested in saving money on your cooling bill while keeping your home more evenly cooled this summer? Contact Custom Insulation.

Observer & Eccentric

Homeowners are always looking for ways to make their homes more beautiful with less maintenance. If this is accomplished while increasing the resale value of the home, all the better.

Copper Gutters are a great way to do this. Copper gutters last longer and stand the test of time much better than other types of gutters, including aluminum gutters. Additionally, they require very little maintenance and are beautiful additions to the outside of your home.
 
Of course every home needs a gutter system, and traditionally, the choice has been aluminum gutters. But more and more homeowners today are discovering copper. Some are choosing copper gutters purely for beauty, but regardless of the initial reason for reviewing copper gutters, the benefits pay for themselves.
A greener alternative, copper gutters today are almost entirely made from recycled copper.

They are very low maintenance, with no rust or rot, you won’t have to replace them for the life of your home.
Copper gutters are very sturdy and durable, rarely is there a storm where you will find your gutters hanging off when you use copper.

Copper gutters can give your home a better resale value because of both utility and aesthetics.

Copper gutters are especially right for those homeowners who want to maintain the architectural beauty of their home, but copper gutters complement any style home beautifully. Copper gutters are fast becoming the preferred choice for the homeowner. For information on the cost and installation of copper gutters for your home, contact Custom Insulation
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Most homeowners want the temperature of their home to be comfortable while decreasing their energy bills at the same time. This sounds like a conflict right? You can achieve both by improving home insulation. Contact Custom Insulation and we can take a look at your insulation and makes some recommendations for you. We will take a look at the insulation panels, check for air leaks, and check the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling ducts. They will then recommend changes that will improve the insulation of your home.

If your home has any of the following, that may be a sign of poor insulation.

• Damp or musty smells
• Drafts of cold air
• Peeling wall paint
• Some rooms being colder than the others
• Cold floors
• Frequent running of the HVAC unit

Depending on the cause of the poor insulation, we may recommend Insulating the attic and/or crawl spaces.

When you install better home insulation you will be able to see a substantial reduction in your energy bill for years. New insulation can also be used as a selling point when you decide to move. Most importantly, your home will have uniform temperature in every season.

Custom Insulation offers The WaterFall Gutter Guard System as a way to protect your seamless gutters from debris and the need to clean your gutters. If your home does not have this gutter guard system, it's that time of year when a second gutter cleaning is almost always needed. New leaf debris and recent high winds can cause leaves, pine needles and debris to clog your gutter causing potential rainwater overflow. In turn, this can cause landscape erosion and water damage to your home.

There are a many gutter cleaning tips that can bring sanity and safety to this springtime job. Here are some of the basics:

Ladders: Always let someone know you will be using a ladder to work on your gutters. Use a safe and sturdy ladder, with a small shelf strong enough to hold a five-gallon bucket to collect the debris from the gutter.

A four-legged step ladder for a single story home or an extension ladder for a two-story home is recommended.

Hose nozzles: Use a garden hose with a pistol-grip trigger spray nozzle. This type of spray nozzle allows you to adjust the water pressure with one hand. This style of hose nozzle allows it to be easily hung over the front edge of the gutter while you move the ladder.

Wear Gloves: Gloves can help protect hands against dirty, rotting leaf debris that are often ridden with bacteria from wild life.

Rake the Roof: From the ground, rake all branches and leaves off the roof first. Otherwise, the next rain will wash all the debris down into the clean gutter, clogging it up again.

Tired of cleaning gutters, or hiring others to do it for you? We don’t blame you; contact Custom Insulation for information on our Aluminum Gutter Guard System.

Spring is the perfect time to make some adjustments to save on your energy costs. Most homeowners think about their heating bills in the fall and winter. But many should consider electricity bills as the weather warms up too. Electricity is at a premium in the warmer months. By making your home more efficient you can save as much or more when it’s hot outside.
 
Good insulation in your home is important in the warm weather in Worcester too while you are trying to cool your homes. When attic and ceiling fans are combined with the right insulation and ventilation, you will save money in the summer and protect your roof and shingles in the winter.

Good insulation will help prevent heat transfer into the house in the summer,  while a cold attic in the winter reduces the likelihood of ice dams.

Increase the comfort of your home with the right insulation. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates a homeowner can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs by sealing and insulating around the home.

For information on better insulating your home, contact Custom Insulation.

If you are thinking of building a new home or renovating the home you have, you know that green building materials are all the rage. But this is a trend that does not seem to be going away. Architects, builders and homeowners are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, which shows in the increasing use of environmentally friendly materials. This means that more and  more homeowners are turning to copper gutters as green materials and for aesthetics.

Copper is a perfect choice for gutters. Copper is one of a handful of materials that are considered to be fully sustainable. It is estimated that 55% of all the architectural copper in use is recycled.

Copper gutters have a lifespan of at least 100 years. So copper gutters last as long as your home and look beautiful for all those years too. You won’t need to replace copper gutters. Copper is also a fungicide which makes it maintenance free. So while moss is the main problem with traditional cutters, copper gutters fight moss all on their own.

Are you thinking about price? When comparing price and durability, cast iron, aluminum and PVC gutters can’t beat copper. Based on price, durability, appearance or environmental factors, copper gutters are the clear choice for your new home or your newly remodeled home. Contact Custom Insulation for more information.

In your home wall colors, floor coverings and furnishings often change over time. Routine maintenance is also necessary. If your home was built before 1980, when it comes to the comfort and value of your home, insulation plays a key role.

According to the US Department of Energy, only 20% of houses built before 1980 are considered well insulated. In fact, many of these homes have no insulation at all.

Heat is a form of energy - it always seeks a cooler area - flowing outward in winter and inward in summer. By reducing heat flow in a properly insulated home, less energy is used to heat and cool the home.

Insulation works all year long to provide a barrier that slows down the natural transfer of heat. Insulation keeps temperatures consistent in all areas of the house.

When you spend money on things to make your home look better, new siding or new furniture, you know that none of these things will pay you back. Foam Insulation is permanent. It never needs to be done again and you will enjoy the benefits of greater comfort all year long. Plus, you will see savings on your monthly energy bills. Insulation doesn't take long to pay you back.
 
Spray foam insulation is a safe, easy and clean way to insulate your home. In most cases it's injected from the exterior of your home like ‘shaving cream' and hardens after several minutes. It provides a sealed thermal envelope that locks out moisture to prevent mold, mildew and bacteria growth. It contributes to the overall comfort and health of your home.

When you insulate your home correctly, it's one of the lowest cost options for improving both comfort and energy efficiency. On average, newly insulated home thermostats can adjusted between 3-4 degrees (down in the winter, up in the summer) while enjoying a more comfortable and consistent temperature throughout.

According to the DOE, when it comes to maximizing energy efficiency, inadequate insulation is a leading cause of home energy waste because it forces even the most efficient heating and cooling systems to work harder and consume more energy. The savings from improving your home's insulation will add up all year long since the DOE estimates that between 50%-70% of the energy used in an average US home is consumed by heating and cooling systems.

Want more information on spray foam insulation? Contact Custom Insulation Company in Worcester.

NWI Times

Don’t forget as you do your taxes that the IRS is offering home owners a Federal Tax Credit for qualified home energy improvements. If you recently added new insulation to your home, you may qualify.

Here are the details of the tax credit for putting new insulation in your home.

The Non-business Energy Property Credit Homeowners who install energy-efficient home improvements may qualify for this credit. The 2011 credit is 10% of the cost of qualified energy-efficient improvements, up to $500. Qualifying improvements include adding insulation, energy-efficient exterior windows and doors and certain roofs. The cost of installing these items does not count. You can also claim a credit including installation costs, for certain high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters and stoves that burn biomass fuel. The credit has a lifetime limit of $500. Qualifying improvements must have been placed into service in the taxpayer’s principal residence located in the US before Jan. 1, 2012.

Homeowners spend a lot of time and money making their homes comfortable. But you need to put some of that effort into what's behind the walls, or you’ll miss out on all the comfort and savings.

Proper insulation decreases the heat flow and helps you keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Good insulation can improve indoor air quality, protect your home from winter damage, and save you money.

• Indoor air quality - Moisture can build up in your walls, causing the interior to slowly rot. Not all insulation can prevent mold, however. Spray foam insulation forms an air barrier, which protects your walls against moisture.          
• Protection from ice dams in winter - In winter, as warm air from your home comes in contact with the inside edge of your roof, snow melts on that section. As it slowly trickles down, it refreezes, causing ice to build up. Water can then leak into your home, causing damage.
• Saving money - Air leakage can run up your energy bills significantly. Making sure you close air leaks with weather stripping, caulking and insulation helps reduce your heating and cooling bills. The U.S. Department of Energy says that floors, walls and ceilings account for 31% of the air leakage in most homes.

Market Watch

Winter is just about over, and you have started your "spring home repair list". This year, add copper gutters to the list. Copper gutters are really gaining in popularity, and you need a gutter system anyway.

Besides aesthetics, copper gutters are a great home investment. They don’t rust or rot and they need very little maintenance.  Copper gutters are an excellent addition and investment for the exterior of any home and they also add value to your home.

Copper gutters have an exclusive look that will set your home apart from the other homes in Western Massachusetts, but you will be getting a product that lasts longer and is easier to maintain. Add a distinctive style and flare to your house which is different than your standard gutters with copper. This style of visual appeal can only be accomplished with copper gutters. Contact Custom Insulation for more information.