Put together as part of a larger energy efficiency article in Fine Homebuilding magazine, the graphic highlights the points where air leakage occurs and describes solutions to control it before moving ahead with sheet rock or other repairs.

If you are a homeowner or commercial building owner cleaning up after a flood, we want to gently remind you that while your walls are open, there is no better time to invest in air-sealing and insulation upgrades. You will make your building more efficient, affordable and comfortable, and it is so much easier to do this work while the basement is empty and the walls are open.

Once your walls are dry, we are happy to send folks to work with you to strategize improvements that will meet your budget.

Here are some links that might be helpful for flood clean-up:

• Cleaning Up After A Flood

• Hurricanes and Flood Recovery

But know that we are happy to talk to you about your home, and help you figure out the right steps for your individual situation. Just give us a call at 888-583-7110.

Attic insulation

Just read this post on Green Building Advisor about what level of insulation is needed in Southern states, like New Orleans. It’s a very interesting discussion, not least because so much of what makes us comfortable (or uncomfortable) is about the level of moisture in the air.

So – I guess that means the old line is true – it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!

Vermont summer evening

It’s getting hot here in Vermont! It could get cold again any minute, but in the meantime, we are enjoying the few short weeks of summer. And the heat!

Our friends at Seventh Generation posted some great tips about keeping cool without air conditioning – well worth a read. This is my favorite method:

We also use portable fans. Sometimes we’ll freeze a few water bottles and set them between us and a fan to create a little low-impact air conditioning. It works better than you’d think. So does spritzing skin with water from a spray bottle.

Remember that one of the important benefits of proper air-sealing and insulation is that your house can actually be cooler in the summer – insulation blocks heat gain as well as heat loss. So if your home is just too toasty warm for comfort this July, think about calling EnergySmart!

Last night our General Manager Paul Zabriskie was on WCAX-TV’s The 30 with Kristen Carlson, talking about ways to clean up from flood damage and improve energy efficiency while you’re at it.

Watch the video here: Paul Zabriskie on The 30

You can watch the Button Up video on CCTV

Button Up Vermont

Wet drywalls and insulation can't be dried - they must be removed!

Well, we can’t fix your washed-out driveway or your wayward stream, but we can help you make the best of your situation. Take a look at our flood recovery tips below, and share your own.

1. Take everything out of the space

You need to remove everything that got wet – and even things that didn’t get wet – in the parts of your home that are affected. Wet items will begin to mold and mildew, and mold and mildew spread quickly. They are difficult to eliminate.

2. Dry it out or cut it out

We can’t stress this enough – if you don’t get your walls and floors dry, they will continue to cause problems after the flood is long forgotten.

Wet building materials need to be removed. Sheetrock and insulation can’t work when they’re wet – and they don’t dry out! It will mold – and you want to avoid mold at all costs. There are negative health affects from mold.

Remove as much wet material as you can. You can find some simple steps on removing wet drywall here.

It’s important to get air circulating to dry the wood. Keep those fans going!

3. Air-seal in the basement

When your basement is empty and dry, you have an opportunity to air-seal the space. This is a great opportunity to find the penetrations (from cable wires, water pipes, etc.) and seal them with spray foam.

The other area to address in your basement is the rim joists. Looking at the tops of the basement walls, you can see many areas that can be sealed. There is a hands-on guide to air-sealing your basement at EnergyStar.gov

A flood is never welcome. But if you can take a few simple measures, you can make your home a little more energy-efficient after the storm. And if the air-sealing and insulating turns out to be more work than you can handle, just contact us.

Primroses in May

But it’s probably a good idea to plan ahead, and start thinking about what you can do to make your home more comfortable while using less fuel (of course, we’re happy to think about that with you). Because fuel prices appear to be headed upwards.

The Vermont Department of Public Service publishes a fuel price report each month. Worth reading!

Heating fuel is trending upwards.

Fluffy doesn't smell like Spring!

It’s Spring! And even though it’s still threatening to snow here in Vermont, it’s time to turn the heat down and get ready for warm weather.

But are you finding that your house doesn’t smell like spring? Getting a whiff of kitty litter or musty cellar?

This is a great lesson in understanding air flow. The temperature difference between inside and outside air creates a pressure difference, which makes air move inside your home.  When it’s warm inside and colder outside (as in winter), the air moves and the air at home smells fresh.

When inside and outside temperatures are almost the same (like in the “shoulder seasons” of spring and fall), there is less air movement. If it’s too chilly to open the window and let in a breeze, odors build up and the air smells stale.

Nature can’t do all the ventilation all year-round… and the result is you smell Fluffy instead of Spring!
?

You can learn more about the legislation at Rep. Welch’s site.