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Home Blown-in Insulation & Gutter Solutions
22 June 2012
It has been hot in Worcester this week, and summer has only just begun. If you are concerned about your air conditioning bills or if your AC has been running all day, but when you go upstairs it is still hot, you may want to consider adding insulation to your attic and crawl spaces.
The insulation in older homes can be less efficient than the insulation that we use today. It can “shrink” so it no longer fits between the beams, or it could be of a lesser R-value than you really need.
Older homes actually may not be insulated at all, or may have large sections of the home that are missing insulation.
With cellulose insulation and spray foam insulation, it is easier than ever to add insulation to a home that is already built with minimal disruption. Do throw money out the windows this summer on air conditioning. Contact Custom Insulation for information on how to make your home more energy efficient.
13 June 2012
Often homeowners spend weeks agonizing over which color and style shingle is best for their new roof. Then, after going to all this effort, they let the roofing company to install any old piece-of-junk gutters.
Since rain gutters and downspouts can be even more conspicuous than the roof itself, you should choose new ones with at least as much care as you chose the shingles. But before you do, make sure you actually need replacement gutters. Too often, you don't.
In the course of bidding on a roofing job, many a roofing contractor will say, “As long as we're at it, this would be the time to replace your gutters.”
Installing new gutters in conjunction with roof replacement is simply a way for roofer to make a little extra money, and freeing their workers from having to protect the existing gutters from damage during the job.
Worse, the quality of most replacement gutters and downspouts supplied by roofers is typically worse than that of original gutters in sound condition. So, homeowners who agree to lump in gutter replacement with their new roof often wind up with a flimsier, less attractive and quite unnecessary “improvement.”
The rules of thumb regarding gutter replacement are simple:
1. If your original gutters are straight, solid and don't leak, they don't need replacement.
2. If they do leak, there's a fair chance they can be repaired. In the case of steel or copper gutters, contact your local sheet metal shop.
3. If you do decide on replacement gutters, demand gutters that are at least equal to the originals in quality. Have gutter replacement specialists, not the roofer, recommend the best gutters for your home. Consider copper gutters as well.
4. Put at least as much thought into choosing the gutters as you do into choosing the roofing material. Don't let the contractor make this choice for you. Many will simply fall back on the style of gutter that's the least trouble to install.
To find out if your gutters need to be replaced, or for help choosing and installing new gutters, contact Custom Insulation Company.
MySA
8 June 2012
With all the rain, thunderstorms, wind storms and potential upcoming hail you probably now know the benefits of having the right gutter system on your home.30 May 2012
Home Insulation is a crucial element for all new home or new home additions and for green building projects. Insulation is also imperative in Massachusetts to keep your home warm in winter and cool in the summer. Proper home insulation is imperative in keep home heating and cooling bills low.
Insulation blocks heat transfer, and in some cases, sound transfer.
The R-value is used to measure the insulation's resistance to heat flow. Therefore, the higher the R-value, the better the insulation is at blocking heat transfer.
Insulation can improve a home's energy efficiency by either keeping heat in or out, depending on the season.
For the best in energy efficiency in any season, the Department of Energy recommends insulating attic spaces, ducts in unconditioned spaces, cathedral ceilings, exterior walls, floors above unheated garages, and foundations.
To improve the energy efficiency in your home, or if you are building a new home or home addition, contact Custom Insulation.
22 May 2012
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
16 May 2012
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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8 May 2012
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.
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.
1 May 2012
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.
24 April 2012
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.
20 April 2012
Now that you have turned off the heat in your home in Worcester, and before you turn on the AC, think about how to fix up your home to save on the next round of home energy bills. Many homeowners are looking for ways to save money. One way to do that with new or pre-existing homes is by making sure it has some solid insulation. Injection foam insulation is good for the planet AND our pocketbooks.
Foam insulation is efficient and gives you bang for your buck. Spray foam insulation is great for insulating preexisting homes or open frame new homes. Fiberglass insulation is most common in existing homes, while effective, it lets more heat out or into your home. Heat loss and air infiltration is the main culprit for wasting energy.
For a preexisting home, spray foam insulation is perfect. Perfect for re-insulating a wall system, spray foam insulation can fill cavities easily.
To start saving energy and money this spring, contact Custom Insulation.
16 Jacques Street - Rear
Worcester, MA 01603
Phone: 508-755-2315
Fax: 508-756-1941
E-mail: info@custominsulation.com
