Where is my house losing heat?
Rock Road Insights
Where is my house losing heat?
Your home is already telling you, we will show you where to start.
by Kate De Young on November 15th 2019
This is the best time of year to see just where your house is losing heat. Heat, otherwise known as MONEY MONEY MONEY! Straight out of your pocket and into the hands of the propane company or big gas and electric company. Why? Because you can't live in a house in Wisconsin without it!
We as homeowners know that when winter hits in Wisconsin, our budgets take a beating with the cost to keep our families warm and comfortable at home.
So what can you do about it? Here are a few ideas to fit any budget.
Simple solutions to solve these issues.
*Of course they all revolve around FOAM insulation because WE LOVE FOAM!*
Hold a match or candle near windows, exterior doors, outlets, can lights, and switches on exterior walls. If the candle moves or wiggles in a distinct pattern, you have air infiltration. If cold air is getting in, warm air is getting out.
For a complete you tube video tutorial on how to quickly and easily use foam sheets and can foam on these small but impactful areas click here ;and learn from our friends at Home Repair Tutor.
2) Use a Flir camera at night to see where the heat is escaping.
We at Rock Road Company use a Flir camera (YES! Just like the Ghost Hunters use to detect heat signatures from spirits, only we use it to see where your house bleeds energy… but we will let you know if we catch anything more than HEAT LOSS and then HIGH TAIL IT OUTA THERE!) to show you in broad spectrum color pictures where the heat is leaving your house.
We can take these pictures from the outside and or the inside. On the outside we show warm colors like red, yellow and orange in areas where the heat is escaping your house. On the inside we show cool colors as in white, blue purple and green where the cold air is coming in from the outside.
There is usually a charge for this service of $50.00. However at Rock Road Company, we credit that charge back when you choose us to solve your energy loss project issue with spray foam insulation.
3) Thank goodness for SNOW! Wisconsin knows it best, if we are going to suffer through -10 degree temps with a windchill of -40 below, there better be some snow to play in when the temps warm up a bit.
SO let's use it to our advantage in heat loss as well. About 12 hours after the snow stops walk outside your home and take a good photo of your roof. Get both sides of the peak. This (see picture above) will be a good indication of where your house is losing heat. As we all know, heat rises, if you do not have a sufficient amount of insulation in your attic to stop the heat at the livable levels of your home, it will rise to the roof and show in melted snow from the outside. These areas (crawl space attics and unused not converted to living space attics) can be a great place for the heat to leave your house.
So what can you do about it? In Wisconsin building code inspectors expect a home to be insulated to a minimum level of R-49. This code was set to be the “standard” for all homes in Wisconsin. This does not mean that by throwing down rolled pink fiberglass insulation that says “R-49” in your attic that it will stop the heat loss. It might slow it down for a bit, until the mice chew it,the squirrels nest in it, the bugs die in it, moisture collects in it creating mold, and the air gaps begin and infiltration gains speed. HEAT LOSS, MONEY GONE.
It doesn't happen overnight, but when it does, it looks like our friends in the picture above.
Spray Foam insulation will outlast traditional insulations by lifetimes, not years. It retains it shape and density. It is waterproof, mold proof, pest proof and a permanent solution. When you apply 2 inches of spray foam it will still be 2 inches of spray foam in 25 years. It does not sag or compress, crack or peel. It seals from stud to stud so there is no place for air to seep in or heat to seep out.
The initial investment is worth the bill each month from the power company. When your LP tank consumption is cut down to 3 fills a winter instead of 5 or the electric bill is cut down by 40% and you see a savings of $70.00 or more. You know what we know... the power of FOAM.
THIS WEEK’S
TOP STORIES
by Kate De Young on November 15th 2019