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Custom Insulation Boston Worcester Blog

Add Insulation to Older Homes

14 December 2012

If you own an older home, you are probably looking for ways to reduce your heating costs. Adding insulation to your home helps you save money right now. It is also a great way to protect against energy cost increases in the future. As well, a well-insulated energy-efficient home reduces the need for cooling in the warm months. A well-insulated energy-efficient home also reduces the need for cooling in the warm months.

By far the best time to upgrade your home's insulation is when you are doing other renovation work. If you want to replace the siding of your home, it makes more economic sense to indulate while you are upgrading the siding. Fortunately, there are many different options to achieve different levels of energy performance in typical older homes by adding attic insulation, and adding insulation to the walls and foundation and reducing air leakage.

For more information on adding  insulation to your home, contact Custom Insulation.

Melodika.net

Eco-Friendly Insulation Options

4 December 2012

What are some eco-friendly options for insulating an unheated room of my home?

Enclosing a rarely used 3 season room is a great way to add year-round useable square footage to your home. Adding insulation lets you comfortably connect the room to the rest of your home. Foam installation is an effective solution because it's fire-resistant and provides a strong temperature barrier in tight spaces.

Knauf EcoBatt® Insulation doesn’t look like any insulation you’ve ever seen, but that’s because its natural brown color represents a level of sustainability we've never before achieved. EcoBatt Insulation combines sand, post-consumer recycled bottle glass and ECOSE Technology to create the next generation of sustainable insulation.

Another eco-friendly insulation option is cellulose insulation, which is a plant fiber that is typically made from recycled newspapers and contains 855 recycled content. Cellulose spray is considered one of the most environmentally-friendly insulation products available, and it effectively seals against air infiltration and blocks water vapor while containing no formaldehyde, asbestos, mineral fiber, or fiber glass. Cellulose also takes 10 times less energy to produce than fiberglass and does not support mold or fungus growth.

Eco-friendly insulation allows you to rest assured knowing your home is performing at its peak efficiency while becoming a healthier dwelling for you and your family. Consider all environmental aspects of foam and cellulose before investing in insulation.

For more information on eco-friendly insulation options, contact Custom Insulation.

Daily Camera

Save on Winter Heating Bills

27 November 2012

It is snowing in Worcester today, and winter is right around the corner. Are you looking for a few ways to save on winter heating bills? Here are a few suggestions from Custom Insulation.

Proper insulation - This is probably the most important way to keep you home warm this winter. Make sure you have proper insulation in both your attic and between the inside walls. Heat losses can add close to 30 percent to your energy bill too.

Fireplaces and pellet stoves - This is a great source of heat and can warm a room quickly. But, a fireplace damper left open when not in use can let warm air escape and cold air to come in. Close after each use and more importantly, open before using your fireplace.

Energy audits - Your electric company will help you determine a pattern of usage to help you find ways of improving how you use energy.

Air leaks - Drafty windows, doors, and attics will allow air to come in and heat to sneak out. Check the weather stripping around your windows and doors and replace if worn. Next check any unfinished attic space. By sealing air leaks, you can see about 30 percent in energy savings.
 
todaysthv.com

Better and Easier than a Wood Stove

20 November 2012

Now that Thanksgiving is here, there is no denying that it is winter. It is time to consider a better way to heat your Worcester home.

Every homeowner loves a roaring fire in the fireplace. But there is a better, easier, more efficient way to have that fire. With pellet stoves. Wood fires are great, but the hassle of stacking fire wood, lighting a fire, and keeping it stoked is too much after a long day of work. A pellet stove is effective and practical and easy. It is the perfect substitute for an open fire and the right way to cut down on your heating bills.

Pellet stoves are as stylish as wood burning stoves but they far more efficient and much easier to use.

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

Insulate and Save

13 November 2012

We may have had some warm weather over the weekend, but now winter is here to stay, which means it’s time to prepare your home for the cold. It may cost some time and money, but winterizing will be worth it in the long run.

If you can keep the heat in your house, it’s going to keep the money in your pocket.

According to the Department of Energy, winterizing can save homeowners as much as 25% on heating costs. In Worcester, it costs quite a bit to heat a house all winter, so 25% can really add up. Ensuring your home has the  proper insulation is well worth the time and money.

Checking attic and crawl spaces for adequate insulation is key. Most heat loss results from heat leaving your home out of the attic and roof.

For help insulating your home, contact Custom Insulation.

Excerpts WHOTV

More Homes are Using Wood Stoves and Pellet Stoves

6 November 2012

Winter officially may officially start on Dec. 21, but those of us in Worcester know that winter weather is already here. For many of us, the cold weather not only marks the unofficial start to the holiday season, it also means high home heating bills are on the way.

It is expected that household expenditures for heating oil will increase 19% this year. If that estimate turns out to be accurate, it will mean households that burn heating oil will face expenditures higher than any previous winter on record.

Part of this increase is due to weather. The actual price increases of heating fuels are also a factor.

This year, the number of households nationwide that heat with wood is expected to reach more than 2.6 million, a 3% increase over last year.

There is a steady increase in the number of homes that use wood burning stoves and inserts as their primary heating source.

Storms and power outages caused by weather have a significant impact on the number of households exploring the use of wood or wood pellet stoves as their primary heating source, along with more people who want to take serious action to reduce their use of fossil fuels.

Wood pellets are easy and safe to store, and neither wood nor wood pellets are impacted by downed power lines or other short-term fuel delivery problems.

Of course, price will always be a factor in driving more use of wood and pellet heat. For information on decreasing your heating bills this winter through wood or pellet stoves, contact Custom Insulation.

Biomass Magazine

Winterize Homes - Fall is the Best Time

30 October 2012

Now is the time to winterize your home and protect your home against freezing pipes.

It is important to make preparations to prevent water damage from frozen and burst pipes before temperatures plunge. The winter can pose many challenges to a homeowner, but one of the biggest and most costly is the risk of frozen pipes. Frozen pipes occur in areas of the home that are not insulated or that are poorly insulated. When ice expands inside pipes, it can crack and burst the pipe, leaving homeowners with a costly plumber bill, and thousands of dollars in damages from water leaking inside the house.

Winterizing is just as important in new homes as it is in older homes where insulation is often poorly done or not done correctly. Older home construction will sometimes include pipes in unprotected locations without insulation, including crawl spaces, and these can be particularly at risk.

Luckily, these problems are preventable by evaluating areas of vulnerability throughout the home. Implementing the following winterization tips now can help avoid headaches later:

  • Search your house for under insulated pipes or non-insulated pipes, especially in unheated areas. Consider wrapping pipes with electric heating tape, but follow manufacturers' instructions carefully to avoid a fire hazard.
  • Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations, especially where cable TV or phone lines enter the house, with caulking to keep cold winds away from pipes
  • Consider wrapping your water heater in an insulation blanket. While not really at danger for freezing, this can lower your heating bills.

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

Daily Finance

How to Save Money on Heating this Winter

23 October 2012

Heating your home in Worcester this winter doesn’t have to be a big hit on your wallet, there are some simple things you can do to save.

As the weather and leaves start to turn, more people are beginning to think about getting ready for the winter.
National Grid is suggesting a number of things that homeowners can do to keep energy costs down.

Take these measures now while the weather is pleasant instead of waiting for the cold to really arrive.

Weather stripping can be applied around your doors and windows as well as clear films that can go over big doorways or sliding glass doors.

There is also insulation for your pipes as well as an insulation blanket for your hot water tank.

One way to eliminate the loss of heat through the attic is to install fiberglass insulation.

National Grid also advises to change furnace filters every month.

There are a number of things you can do to keep the warm air inside your home during the cold weather months, from weather-stripping to insulation, also if you’ve got a gap or opening near a door or window, you can also spray in some foam right from a can.

For spaces under a door, door sweeps installed at the bottom of a door can keep the drafts out and the warm air in.

If your air conditioners are permanently installed in your windows, cover them up during the cold months.

National Grid also suggests lowering your thermostat to 65 during the day and lowering them more during the night.

For information on all of your insulation needs, contact Custom Insulation.

ABC-WGGB

Better than a Wood Stove

16 October 2012

This winter is predicted to be very cold. Many homeowners have heard of the virtues of adding a fireplace insert or wood stove to their home. But, many homeowners don’t want to deal with wood burning fires. There is a solution.

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 look like wood burning stoves. As well as being efficient and using renewable energy, this is where the similarities end. Pellet stoves are actually far more efficient than wood burning stoves. As a result their popularity is increasing.  

Forget about stacking and hauling wood. 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.

For more information on  an exceptionally effective and practical way to heat your home with a pellet stove, contact Custom Insulation.

Fireplace Inserts Add Value to Your Home

12 October 2012

If you are remodeling or building a home in the Worcester area, add a fireplace insert. Homebuyers love a working fireplace and they also love efficient heating solutions. A fireplace insert is considered a plus to home buyers, thus increasing the value of your home.

Gas or wood burning fireplaces inserts bring many advantages to your home. Wood inserts is considered a renewable energy source and is a very economical way to heat your home.

Gas fireplace inserts are generally easier to use with less mess and effort. But, whichever fuel source you choose to run your fireplace insert, one thing is certain; working fireplaces add atmosphere and ambiance to any home.

New home buyers love the idea of a working hearth and they make your home more enticing. If you are remodeling for your own enjoyment, a room with a burning fire adds a whole new dimension to entertaining. Contact Custom Insulation for more information.

Insulation helps keep your house cool in the summer!