Videos

Why Cellulose Insulation is Better than Fiberglass Insulation

 

On episode 50 of the ‘On The Job’ web series, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, demonstrates how different types of insulation materials perform when exposed to fire.

In Episode 51, he continues to compare insulation materials, by showing the differences in performance of two types of materials commonly used in attic and wall cavity insulation: fiberglass and cellulose.

Fiberglass insulation is frequently used in the United States, but as this video will show, cellulose insulation outperforms fiberglass in the vast majority of applications.

Cellulose insulation is entirely made of recycled paper: old newspapers, phone books, and paper stock. To make that shredded paper suitable as an insulation material, the cellulose is treated with environmentally-friendly chemicals. In its original state, cellulose is very attractive to insects and known to support mold growth. Boric acid, a harmless chemical used for decades in many household applications as an antiseptic and insect repellent, is used to deter pests and prevent mold growth.

Also since paper is highly flammable, cellulose insulation is treated with a fire-retardant material, making it outperform most types of insulation materials, including fiberglass, in terms of fire resistance.

Using a little display built to compare cellulose and fiberglass, Larry shows how quickly and easily heat passes through a layer of fiberglass insulation when compared to a layer of cellulose insulation. Cellulose is denser than fiberglass and that gives the material a better R-value and makes it better at preventing heat transfer.

That kind of performance makes all the difference during hot summer months when you are trying to keep the scorching heat from the attic from getting into your living space, or during cold days when you are trying to keep the heat from the conditioned area from being transferred to the freezing cold attic.

Another added benefit of cellulose demonstrated in this video is the material’s ability to muffle sounds from the street and from one room to another, making your home much quieter.

At Dr. Energy Saver, we use cellulose to insulate a variety of spaces. We dense-pack it into wall cavities, cantilevers, floors over the garage, and we blow it over attic floors. Our customers are always satisfied with the results in terms of added comfort and energy savings.

Our dealers work with most types of insulation and we believe that there is no blanket solution to home insulation, since each material has its own application. We also know that when it comes to energy efficiency, insulation is just one part of the puzzle.
When you call your local Dr. Energy Saver dealer for a home energy audit, the experts will evaluate your whole house and offer you the solutions and materials that will always give you the best results for each dollar you invest.

To contact a Dr. Energy Saver dealer in your area, call us or visit our website!

Fire Testing Insulation Materials

In this 50th episode of the ‘On The Job’ web series, Larry Janesky does something a little different. Rather than walking us through a recent project, he takes us to Dr. Energy Saver’s National Energy Conservation Center – a 40,000 sq. ft. training facility at the company’s headquarters in Seymour CT – to demonstrate how different types of insulation materials will behave in case of a house fire.

Fire rating of insulation materials is something often overlooked not only in energy-efficient upgrades, but also in new construction. There are some code-mandated guidelines for using different types of insulation in different areas of the house, but at Dr. Energy Saver, we believe that the fire safety of homes and buildings can be greatly improved with the right choice of materials.

This is not a scientific test. The purpose of this video is to demonstrate the significant differences in the way different insulation materials behave when exposed to fire.

Using a propane torch, Larry put all the most common types of insulation to the test, including fiberglass (faced and unfaced), open-cell foam, closed-cell foam, open-cell foam with FSK paper, polyisocyanurate foam, fire resistant open-cell foam, expanded polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, fire block foam, denim insulation, AirKrete injection foam, cellulose and Rockwool insulation.

According to this demonstration, the best performing materials by far were AirKrete injection foam, cellulose and Rockwool, but Larry explains that this should not constitute grounds for avoiding the use any of the other materials, because each different material has its specific application. When it comes to green building and remodeling, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Smart energy-efficient retrofitting is about evaluating each home’s features, energy consumption patterns and finding the best materials and techniques to achieve the most energy savings while making homes more comfortable, healthier and safer.

Dr. Energy Saver dealers nationwide have improved the homes and lives of many homeowners across the United States and we’d love to help you too! Call us or visit our website to locate a dealer near you!

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Insulating Exterior Walls with AirKrete (Short Version)

 

Dr. Energy Saver recently performed a number of energy-saving improvements in this ranch-style home to help lower energy bills and increase overall interior comfort.

In this ‘On The Job’ episode, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, demonstrates how they air sealed and increased the R-Value of existing walls using a new injection foam product called AirKrete.

A lot of energy was being lost through the walls of this home, because the walls were insulated with fiberglass batts, which do not stop air flow. There was no tar paper or Tyvec liner on the exterior of the walls to act as a wind breaker so the air was flowing right through them.

AirKrete foam insulation was injected in the existing walls, through small holes drilled on the outside, to access the wall cavities. AirKrete is a 100% inorganic and environmentally-friendly foam insulation product that has an excellent R-4 value per inch significantly increasing the insulating performance of the existing walls. Its consistency is similar to that of shaving cream, which allows the foam to completely fill the wall cavity and any existing gaps; air sealing and insulating the wall at the same time.

AirKrete is free of harsh, volatile chemicals and does not produce smelly or toxic fumes before, during or after application. In fact you can’t smell AirKrete at all.

Perhaps one of the most beneficial characteristics of AirKrete is its fire rating, especially when compared to fiberglass. To see a demonstration of the material’s impressive fire resistance, watch the complete version of the AirKrete video.

At Dr. Energy Saver we are always looking for new materials, technologies and techniques to make your home more comfortable, safe, healthy and affordable to own. If you have rooms in your home that are too cold or too hot, or if you would like to lower your energy bills, we can help! Visit our website to schedule your home energy evaluation and insulation estimate with a local home energy company. For more information and ways to save energy at home, watch the other episodes of ‘On The Job,’ on our website or YouTube channel!

Air Sealing and Insulating Can Lights

 

Can lights (or recessed lights) became so popular in recent years that many new homes these days are built with them, so they are already installed when the homeowners move in.

Compared to other common overhead features, can lights are easier to clean and maintain, and the light output helps divide the space, define task areas, and highlight artwork and architectural features. They are also especially valuable in low ceiling areas.

For all the reasons above, new and newly remodeled homes tend to have this type of feature in at least some of the rooms. Some have them all through the house.

There is only one problem concerning can lights: they can be a huge source of energy loss year round!

Older fixtures — especially those installed before 2004 — were built with little to no regard to energy efficiency, and have plenty of holes and gaps to allow conditioned air from the living space to escape into the attic.

How much energy can you lose? Using high-tech home energy diagnostic equipment and procedures, such as a blower door test and thermal imaging camera, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, demonstrates just how much energy is lost through the gaps left in and around can lights.

He also demonstrates how to simply and quickly stop air leakages through can lights using covers specifically designed for this purpose. There are many different types of can light covers, and in some cases, an energy conservation expert can even build a custom cover, using fire-retardant materials. In this particular home, a rockwool cover was used, and spray foam insulation was applied to seal air leakages and secure it in place.

If you suspect energy waste through canned lights or any other area or fixture of your home, call Dr. Energy Saver for a complete home energy evaluation and let us help create an energy-efficient home that is at the same time comfortable and affordable to own.

For more tips on how to save money and energy at home, visit our website or watch other episodes of Dr. Energy Saver’s ‘On The Job’ videos!

Insulating Exterior Walls with AirKrete (Complete Version)

 

Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver was recently on the job to help the owner of this ranch style home lower his energy bills and make the house more comfortable. This particular property was wasting a lot of energy and they had rooms that were drafty and cold. The attic was under insulated; a huge portion of the air that they were paying to cool and heat was leaking out due to poor air sealing, and the walls themselves were poorly insulated with fiberglass batts.

In this episode of ‘On The Job,’ Larry will show us how AirKrete, a brand new type of injection foam insulation material, was used to both increase the R-value (resistance to heat flow) and eliminate air leakages through the existing fiberglass insulated walls.

Fiberglass batts are a popular insulation material, frequently used to insulate wall cavities, but they have a major problem: they don’t stop air flow. The walls in this ranch were sided with wood clapboard, and there was no tar paper, Tyvek or similar material to act as a wind breaker, so the air was flowing right through the fiberglass.

To solve that problem, Dr. Energy Saver removed a few pieces of clapboard to be able to access the wall cavities from the outside in order to drill holes in the walls. A tube was inserted through these holes to inject AirKrete into the walls.

Dr. Energy Saver offers all types of foam insulation for just about any residential and commercial application. For this particular job they selected AirKrete, because the foam insulation offers many advantages over other types, especially in this particular application.

AirKrete is made with 100% inorganic and environmentally-safe compounds, and is free from volatile chemicals that produce strong and/or harmful fumes during the application. In fact, you can’t smell AirKrete at all, not even during the mixing and application process.

The shaving cream-like consistency allows it to expand and completely fill every wall cavity and any small gaps in the wall, providing added R-value (R- 4 per inch) while air sealing the walls at the same time.

The most impressive feature of AirKrete is perhaps its fire safety rating. Back at the Dr. Energy Saver headquarters, Larry demonstrates just how fire resistant it is compared to fiberglass insulation. He uses a propane torch to burn a piece of fiberglass batt and AirKrete. While the torch burns a hole right through the fiberglass, Larry is able to melt a copper penny on top of AirKrete while the material remains intact and smoke-free.

Larry then demonstrates the material’s great R-Value by melting another penny over a piece of AirKrete, which he was able to hold in his hand without burning his fingers.

Dr. Energy Saver is always researching and incorporating new materials, processes, and technologies, in order to honor our commitment to provide the most efficient energy-saving solutions, lower your energy bills and make your home more comfortable. To learn more about our products and services visit our website or YouTube channel to watch other episodes of the ‘On The Job’ series! Contact us to find an insulation contractor in your area and to schedule a home energy evaluation and estimate!

Sealing and Insulating a Stone Foundation Wall with Spray Foam

 

The typical basement is fairly easy to heat during the winter. A large portion of it is buried in the ground, and the ground temperature is quite constant year-round.
Why then are most basements so cold and uncomfortable during the winter time? Why are they such a huge source of energy loss?

There are three major reasons. The first is the humidity. Ground moisture seeps through the walls and evaporates into the basement, increasing the relative humidity levels. Moist air is very hard to cool and heat.

The other two major sources of heat loss can be found in the portion of the basement that protrudes from the ground. This area includes the exposed basement walls and the rim joists and when under-insulated and improperly air sealed, the space loses heat due to air leakage and conductive heat transfer.

The air inside a house has a tendency to travel upward and can leak of the home through the roof and upper levels of the building. This air movement generates negative pressure on the lower levels of the building, causing a lot of outside air to be sucked in through any holes and gaps in the rim joist and the exposed portion of the basement wall.

That exposed part of the basement wall is also made out of very conductive material, and without a layer of insulation, heat is constantly being transferred and lost to the outside.
Due to the moisture present in the basement walls, the best insulation materials are those that are both inorganic and impervious to water. Although fiberglass is often used for this application, this doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. For block and poured concrete walls, rigid foam board is usually the recommended material, because the walls are regular enough to have boards attached to them.

With stone walls, however, things are much different. In this episode of ‘On The Job,’ Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, shows us the process of insulating stone wall basements using two-part polyurethane spray foam.

Closed-cell spray foam is an excellent choice for this type of application because of its high insulation R-value (R-7 per inch!), as well as its ability to expand to fill every gap and cavity in the basement wall, air sealing in one step. Closed-cell spray foam also acts as a vapor barrier, keeping ground moisture from evaporating into the basement.

Two-part spray foam application in such a large project requires massive power, and heavy equipment, tons of material, and experienced technicians in full protective gear. Home occupants and their pets need to leave the premises for a few hours, due to the fumes produced during the application.

When spray foam in used to insulate basement walls, it also needs to receive a special coating that acts as a thermal barrier. With only a couple of inches of two-part polyurethane spray foam, these basement walls have now an R-14 insulation value and the homeowner can enjoy added comfort and energy savings.

If you are paying too much for your heating and cooling bills, or have rooms in your house that are too cold or too hot, Dr. Energy Saver can help. Contact us to schedule an estimate with a dealer in your area.

For more videos and tips to save money and energy at home, watch our ‘On The Job’ video series and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest updates.

Sealing and Insulating the Rim Joist

 

The rim joist, for those who are not familiar with building terms, is the edge of the wood floor framing system. It sits on top of the foundation walls, secured to the sill plate.
In a typical home, the rim joist area is a huge source of energy loss. It often lacks proper air sealing, so outside air is consistently leaking in through the wood joints, corner, gaps and openings drilled in the rim joist for electric wires, plumbing and ducts.

When the rim joists are insulated, it is often with pieces of fiberglass batt, which is not the best choice for this type of application. Fiberglass doesn’t stop air flow, so the air still leaks in. Also, fiberglass loses R-value when it is damp. Basements tend to be naturally-damp environments due to ground water evaporating into the space and condensation issues.

The results of poor rim joist air sealing and insulation can be felt throughout the house in the form of cold floors, drafty rooms and high energy bills.

The best materials for rim joist insulation are those impervious to water. When the rim joists are easily accessible, pieces of rigid foam board can be cut to snuggly fit on top of the rim joist, between the floor joists and then air sealed with spray foam.

In this particular job, however, Dr. Energy Saver chose another great option to insulate rim joists on top of stone basement walls: two-part polyurethane spray foam.

Two-part polyurethane spray foam not only provides superior R-value (R-7 per inch), but is also expands to fill gaps and holes in the rim joist, stopping air leakages in one simple step.

In most homes, even new constructions, there is always an area that can use some improvement in terms of energy efficiency. It can be the rim joist, or your attic that need better insulation. It can be doors and windows that are leaky or air ducts that need to be cleaned, sealed, balanced or insulated. There is often an opportunity to save money and energy. Your local Dr. Energy Saver dealer can help you discover ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency, while making your home more comfortable and affordable to own.

For more tips on how to save energy at home, watch our ‘On The Job’ video series and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest updates.

The Stack Effect

 

If you’ve been watching videos or reading articles about home energy efficiency, you most likely heard or saw the term ‘stack effect’ used several times. Building scientists are always very concerned with the stack effect and how it impacts energy consumption and comfort.

The “stack effect” is a physics phenomenon that occurs in every single building, every house — including yours.
It causes the warm air inside any closed structure to rise and escape through the higher portions of the building. As a result, a negative pressure area is created at the lower levels of the building, causing a lot of unconditioned air from the outside to be sucked in through areas like crawl spaces and basements.
If you are running a heating or air conditioning system in your home, all the air that you are paying for is not staying in the living space. Instead, it is constantly leaking out from the top of your house. Unconditioned air is then being sucked in to make up for the air that is leaking out, and your HVAC system is working harder than ever to keep up with all the loss and intake.

While the concept is not hard to grasp, it is hard to imagine exactly how much it impacts your comfort and energy bills until you can actually see it in action.
And this is exactly what Larry Janesky will demonstrate in this episode of the On the Job video series. Using a diagnostic device called a digital micromanometer, Larry will demonstrate the enormous impact the stack effect has in terms of energy efficiency by measuring the differences in pressure between different areas of the house, and the outside.
After that demonstration, Larry uses a smoke pen to demonstrate how the air leaks in and out of the building.
Building science is continuously evolving, and at Dr. Energy Saver all our technicians are trained to keep up with the latest advances in diagnostic and problem solving technologies, to always provide you with the best and most cost effective energy saving services.

Experience the Dr. Energy Saver difference. Call or visit our website to locate a certified dealer near you.
For more on building science and energy saving solutions, watch our other On the Job videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest updates.

Ducts in an Attic

 

In episode 66 of the On the Job video series, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, is back to once again talk about the energy waste problem created by HVAC ducts that run through an unconditioned attic.

The energy penalties in these cases are so significant that Larry had previously dedicated an entire episode to discuss this problem — the ‘Problems with Ducts in the Attic’ video available on Dr. Energy Saver YouTube Channel — and is now back to the subject.

This time, with the help of thermal imaging equipment, Larry walks us through a recent inspection performed by his company, demonstrating exactly how much heat can be gained or lost year round through ducts that run through unconditioned attics.

In this particular home, the inspection performed in mid-May found an unconditioned attic with temperatures reaching scorching 115 degrees, housing long lines of air ducts and an air handler — all of which were also very leaky contributing for an even higher rate of energy loss.

The running air conditioning system was consuming energy to cool the air down to approximately 55 degrees while the air ran through a handler with a metal case that was just as hot as the attic itself. With long lines of uninsulated ducts, it kept gaining heat on the way to the rooms it was supposed to cool.

In the master bedroom — closest to the handler — the air coming out of the vents was only 2 degrees below the target temperature. That means that the air conditioner would have to work longer and harder just to make that room comfortable.

In another room, further from the handler, the air gained so much heat while running through the long, uninsulated duct that it was coming out of the vents 10 degrees hotter than the target temperature. That room simply couldn’t be made comfortable until late at night.

If you consider that an average of 40% of all the energy consumed by the typical home in the US goes towards heating and cooling, you can imagine how much energy and money this homeowner had been wasting year-round. Over the course of many years, just because the uninsulated and leaky air ducts run through an attic that is scorching hot during the summer and freezing cold during the winter, the homeowner was literally throwing money away.

At Dr. Energy Saver, we are passionate about finding and fixing problems like this one. . Subscribe to our channel for the latest videos on how we can make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Or call us to locate a dealer in your area and schedule your free estimate!

Mold in the Attic

Welcome to the 70th episode of “On the Job”! In this episode, Larry Janesky, owner and founder of Dr. Energy Saver, takes us to the attic of a colonial home in Newtown, CT to speak about mold in the attic. Mold problems are quite prevalent in many conventionally insulated, unconditioned attics in the northeast – and in virtually any area of the country where winters are cold and houses are heated.

In this particular home in Newtown, the problem is so widespread that it is possible to see the dark mold stains all over the wooden surfaces. Such a wide infestation may eventually cause wood decay and compromise the structural integrity of the roof, but it also raises serious health concerns for the family living in that home.

What causes mold problems in the attic? As Larry will show, the problem begins with lack of proper air sealing. Heated air – the air that you pay to heat your home – rises and leaks into the unconditioned attic through all types of gaps, such as holes around pipes and wires, canned lights, unsealed attic hatches, and bathroom fans that vent into the attic instead of the outside. During the winter, an unconditioned attic is usually just as cold as the outside, and so are the roof and wooden structures. When heated, humid air infiltrates the freezing cold attic, it will cool down and  per each degree it is cooled, relative humidity rises 2.2%, often bringing the RH levels in the attic up to 100%, at which point condensation occurs all over the cold surfaces.The wood will soak the moisture and create the perfect conditions for mold to develop.

In this particular attic, the condensation problem is so significant that the nails used to secure the roof shingles began to rust and drip all over the attic.  The only effective way to stop mold from developing in the attic is to properly seal all the gaps and holes. This will help to keep heated air in the conditioned areas from escaping into the cold attic.

As it happened in this home, most builders and the typical insulation contact or will not air seal the attic before installing the insulation. That is malpractice because even if R-values are up to recommendations, common attic insulation materials such as fiberglass bats, blown fiberglass or blown cellulose, will only prevent heat from the ceiling from transferring to the attic. It will not stop air flow. Air will leak right through the insulation.

An energy efficient attic is the most important component of an energy efficient home. If your home has mold in the attic or if your heating and cooling bills are too high or even if you worry that your attic is not properly insulated visit our website or give us a call to schedule a free evaluation and estimate.

How to Install an Airtight Hatch Cover

 

Welcome to episode 65 of the On the Job Series! In this segment, Tanner Janesky from Dr. Energy Saver makes his video debut by walking us through the 8 steps necessary to successfully install an airtight David Lewis attic hatch cover.

As discussed in previous On the Job videos, the average home in the U.S. wastes a lot of energy through the attic. As the heated air in the conditioned space rises, it seeks to escape through any gaps on the upper levels of the building — especially the unconditioned attic. This is why it is very important to air seal any gaps between the living space and the attic, and the attic hatch is usually a major source of air leakage.

There are three main criteria that define a properly installed hatch cover. First, it needs to stop air flow from the living space into the attic. Second, it is important to keep in mind that the attic will eventually need to be accessed by the homeowner, especially if it houses ducts and other appliances or if the space is used for storage. The hatch cover needs to be easy to remove and replace as well. Finally, it needs to look nice and neat, since the homeowner will be using it periodically.

The following are the eight steps necessary to successfully install a David Lewis hatch cover, as shown in the video:
1. Assemble the hatch cover
2. Air seal the hatch cover
3. Install weather stripping at the bottom of the hatch cover
4. Position it over the opening downstairs.
5. Check for gaps on the bottom of the hatch cover
6. Make the necessary adjustments to level the super deck so that there are no gaps between it and the hatch cover.
7. Install furring strip guides over the super deck, so that the cover can be easily lifted and returned to its proper place.
8. Air seal any additional gaps around the hatch cover and on the super deck, to prevent air flow from the conditioned area into the attic.

As an additional step, bungee cords can be installed on the hatch cover and attached to the super deck to help secure it in place, pressing the weather stripping against the surface of the super deck to create a tighter seal.

For more videos on how to make your attic and home more energy efficient, watch other On the Job Videos and subscribe to our YouTube Channel for the latest updates!