Custom Insulation Blog

There are ways to spend money in order to save money and pellet stoves are a perfect example.

There are many advantages to heating your home with a pellet stove, other than the economy of pellets, the efficient heat and the decrease in your home heating bills, there is also ease of installation. You can put a pellet stove in any room with an outside wall, even if that room has no chimney. Any home or room can be compatible with a pellet stove.

Zone heating the areas of your home where you spend the most time can reduce your home heating bill by 20 to 40%. Installing an energy-efficient pellet stove is a great, appealing way to zone heat the rooms you use the most.

What's more, pellet heat is "greener." Spending money on a new pellet stove when it will add warmth and appeal to a room and save you money on heating bills.

Check out our pellet stoves at Custom Insulation, and save on your home heating bills this winter!

If you have not taken advantage of the energy tax credit, the time is now.  Several federal energy tax credits originally slated to end in 2010 were extended through December 31, 2011.

Here's how the energy tax credits work:

You may claim a credit for 10% of the total cost of various home energy-efficiency products for your existing primary residence, including: insulation and biomass stoves.

For biomass stoves, the maximum combined credit is $300 (10% credit for the purchase of a 75% efficient biomass stove, insert or fireplace).

For other qualifying products, the maximum combined credit is $500 (10% percent of $5,000 in total cost) for all allowable products purchased between 2006 and 2011.

Tax advantages are just one of many reasons to conserve energy. Besides helping to protect the environment and reduce your carbon footprint, you can also save a lot of money on home heating. According to the Department of Energy, you can reduce your heating and cooling bills about 10% per year by simply turning your thermostat back 10°-15° for eight hours. Supplementing you home heating with a wood or pellet stove can let you do this.

Other cost-saving ideas include:

Insulate your home. Up to 30% percent of heated or cooled air can be lost through leaks, so add weather stripping and caulking wherever air escapes.
 
Heating water is the third-largest home energy expense, after heating/air conditioning and electrical appliances, so try lowering your water heater temperature to 120º F or lower.

Install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system to your fireplace to re-circulate warmed air; and always close the damper when not in use.

Bottom line: Take advantage of financial incentives available to make your home more energy efficient, now before the winter's chill.

Contact Custom Insulation Co. for more information on making your home more energy efficient.

Excerpts from Huffington Post

There are many home owners who want a fire, but the hassle of stacking fire wood, lighting a fire, and then keeping is lit is too much for many. Fortunately for them, pellet stoves came along.  A pellet stove is very effective and practical, it is also the perfect addition when you want to cut down on your heating expenses.

Pellet stoves look like wood burning stoves. But that is where the commonalities end. Pellet stoves are far more efficient and secure so are becoming increasingly popular.

What sets pellet stoves apart from an ordinary fireplace is the fact that it uses convection technology to heat up living space.
 
Basically, it draws cool air from the room into the firebox. This helps make the fire even hotter and that heated air is sent out into the room. But the outside of a pellet stove never becomes hot, which is perfect for families with kids or pets.

Pellet stoves also have a thermostat which is perfect for use during the night. You can program the thermostat so that the pellet stove operates at the lowest speed. You will use minimal pellets, stay warm and the stove will operate at its most efficient.

Interested in a pellet stove for your home? Have questions? Contact Custom Insulation Company.

Did you know that for the 2011 and 2012 winter in Massachusetts  they are already predicting higher than normal snow fall? Do you remember last winter? Add a pellet stove to your home before the start of winter for many reasons but mainly…warmth!

Lennox pellet stoves are powerful, with fully automatic pellet heat, advanced technical features and customizable style options which all combine to create reliable warmth and timeless beauty.

The Winslow pellet stove delivers inviting and reliable heat in an attractive style that can be customized to complement any home. Convenient features, ease of use and service are designed right into the stove. And with Smart Heat technology, an ideal room temperature can be set for consistent comfort. Plus, with a large variety of design features, the Winslow pellet stove can be personalized to reflect every style and taste.

The Montage pellet stove is truly designed for modern times. With four distinct trim kits, this pellet stove can be customized to fit nearly any decor. Because the large hopper and automatic feed system erases the need for steady fire maintenance, using the pellet stove is easy, convenient and economical. In fact, the Montage effectively burns standard-grade fuel, saving expense while delivering dependable, low-maintenance heat. This stove is the ultimate in modern comfort— beauty, efficiency and above all performance.

Contact Custom Insulation Company for more information on the purchase and installation of Lennox Pellet Stoves.

All over Massachusetts, memories of last winter haunt us. Many homeowners are now looking for less expensive, greener ways to heat their homes. Obviously heating and cooling your home takes energy and traditionally, we have had to rely on fossil fuels; oil, gas, and coal.

However, there are alternatives to heating your home without compromising warmth, comfort and convenience. Pellet stoves are very efficient in keeping entire homes warm even on very cold days.

Pellet stoves are very clean burning, helping our environment, they are economical, which helps our wallets, and they are efficient.

Wood pellets are considered biomass and are made out of a byproduct that would otherwise end up in a land fill: sawdust. Pellet stoves give homeowners an economical alternative to heating because the process of making wood pellets and the process of making pellet stoves is inexpensive. By using wood pellet stoves, we can heat our homes, save money and protect the planet.

Contact Custom Insulation to find out how a pellet stove can heat your home this winter.

Many homeowners are making home improvements to save energy this winter. Right now, all over Massachusetts, people are feeling the cool breeze and are beginning to think about getting their homes ready for winter. At Custom Insulation we thought we would remind you of the tax credit and how you can take advantage of it.

To qualify for the energy tax credit, the improvements must be on an existing home and your principal residence.

Insulation: Adding adequate insulation is one of the most cost-effective home improvements that you can do.
The tax credit amount is 10% of the cost, up to $500.

Typical bulk insulation products can qualify, such as batts, rolls, blown-in, and spray foam insulation.
Insulation that air seals (reduces air leaks) qualify, as long as they come with a Manufacturers Certification Statement. Keep in mind that the tax credit doesn’t include installation costs.

Biomass stoves:  Pellet stoves burn biomass fuel, wood pellets, to heat a home.

The tax credit amount is $300 and the thermal efficiency rating of the pellet stove must be at least 75%.

If you are interested in learning more about the Energy Tax Credit, or how Custom Insulation can help you with energy efficient products, contact us.

Homeowners spend millions each year caulking, replacing windows & doors, and weather stripping to make their home more energy efficient. But, one of the biggest culprits of energy loss is the chimney.

When you have a fire in your fireplace, the chimney works great. It acts as a funnel and takes smoke and dangerous gasses away.

But, your chimneys work even when there is no fire. This is the easiest escape route for the warm air in your home. You can tell that air is escaping through your chimney if your chimney has cold air in it or if you feel powerful drafts from very small gaps in your windows or doors.

Cold air can't get in unless it is going out at the same speed.

How do you stop this?

1. Install a wood burning or pellet stove or fireplace insert. By installing a wood or pellet stove or insert you not only cut down on your energy bill by stopping the warm air from going up the chimney, but you also cut down on your energy bill in using  the new stove. Wood and pellet heat is a far more economical way to heat your home than oil, electricity or gas.
2. Insulate your chimney. By insulating your chimney you eliminate drafts. Stop the warm air from escaping the hole in your roof, and stop the cold air from coming in through other avenues when the air is no longer leaving your home. Boarding up your chimney makes your fireplace and eye sore, insulating your chimney is easy and efficient, and you fireplace still can look beautiful.

Contact Custom Insulation to see how we can help you make your home more efficient by stopping the warm air that leaves through your chimney.

Alternative heat is a great option for your home. Either supplementing the existing heating system or entirely heating your home with a wood or pellet burning stove, fireplace or insert can enable you to really cut down on your utility bills.

There's a reason why a large number of Massachusetts homeowners are wood stove loyalists. Wood stoves are timeless in their appeal, they provide efficient heating and they have a unique style.

The selection of Lennox Wood burning stoves from Custom Insulation offer distinctive sizes and designs that combine superior craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

Regardless of your décor or your heating needs there is a Lennox fireplace that will fit your home perfectly. From gas- and wood-burning to pellet fireplaces, you have many choices.

If your home has an existing masonry or metal fireplace, there are easy and attractive ways to spark new life into it. Pellet burning fireplace inserts fit into almost any traditional fireplace opening to instantly transform your room into a warm and entertaining space.

We are insulation specialists. We can ensure, when we install your stove, insert or fireplace that your chimney is draft free, and that you won’t be losing valuable heat through the chimney. Who better to install your new stove, fireplace or insert than Custom Insulation Co?

Pellet stoves offer an alternative means for heating your house. They are traditionally compared to the wood burning stove, because the heat they put out is similar, but there are those who believe pellet stoves offer some advantages over traditional wood stoves.

At the top of the list of advantages is the fact that pellet stoves are easy to load as compared to wood burning stoves. The pellets themselves are small and can be stored in a small space efficiently. Wood needs to be stacked and hauled, and needs a fairly large space to be stored. Pellets burn very hot so they burn very efficiently, because of this they create very little ash or waste.

The pellet stove hopper electronically feeds the pellets into the stove. The hopper can be programmed to evenly and consistently dispense the pellets, so in effect pellet stoves can be programmed to burn at an even rate and can remain at a consistent temperature over time. Many consider this the largest advantage because it allows pellet stoves to be very economical.

Overall pellet stoves can save people quite a bit of money in Massachusetts which is a region where heating costs are typically higher. If you are considering adding a pellet stove to your home, contact Custom Insulation.

Homeowners concerned about high energy bills have put energy conservation home improvements at the top of their must-do list this year. They are looking for green living upgrades that save money without sacrificing space or style.

Because heating costs are typically one of the highest and most variable home expenses, homeowners are considering energy-efficient zone heating options when embarking on home renovation projects.

Overall we have seen an increase in fireplace makeovers in the last few years. Finding and eliminating wasteful drafts and more efficient heating solutions has lead homeowners to install efficient pellet stoves and wood burning inserts that transform inefficient open fireplaces into high performing heating zones.

Wood burning fireplace inserts and pellet stoves are excellent zone heating options for those in the process of building or renovating a new home and who are looking to outfit their homes with advanced heating technology.

Buying an insert or stove is much like buying furniture, you will find a wide-choice of models that match every lifestyle and design. While evaluating the right size, heating capacity and look of your future stove or insert, also consider these three eco-wise tips:

1. Only evaluate pellet stoves that meet or exceed EPA standards and are currently tax credit qualified.
2. Look for an eco-friendly seal and a recycled ingredients label that lists the many ways that a manufacturer has gone the extra mile to produce the highest quality and most energy efficient wood stove, possible.

Today is a great time to invest in a wood stove so you can actually keep some green cash in your pocket. The Federal Bio-Mass Tax Credit extension provides a 10 percent tax credit up to $300 for the purchase of a new biomass heating appliance in 2011. This tax credit helps homeowners save on energy costs by utilizing renewable biomass fuels such as wood and wood pellets.

Original article on PR News Wire