Discussing Different Types of Insulation

No home is complete without the right insulation. Though insulation is not a very visible part of the home, it is impossible to build a modern home without it. The right insulation in your home can go a long way toward increasing your family’s comfort, saving you significant energy costs, and preserving our environment.
Different types of insulation work toward some of these goals better than others. Some insulation that is better for the environment is not as effective at temperature control. Your insulation needs will vary depending on the climate and temperature range where you live.

What kind of home insulation types are available out there? Which one is best for your needs? Which ones are the most cost effective? This guide to the different types of insulation will answer those questions and more. It will start by outlining the most common materials used to insulate a home. It will also discuss the pros and cons of these insulation types, based on climate and expense. This guide covers three traditional materials for home insulation and introduces the wide variety of green materials available to reduce the carbon footprint of traditional home insulation materials.

Asbestos
Asbestos is highly recognized but no longer used. Asbestos is a good, fireproof thermal insulator, but it causes cancers. Asbestos was banned in 1989 for its carcinogenic qualities. Most uses of asbestos are prohibited, unless performed under strict regulations.

Urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI)
UFFI is another culprit in the green movement. In the 1970s, UFFI caused high formaldehyde emissions levels in over ten thousand homes. UFFI is generally considered one of the unhealthier insulations, especially if improperly applied.

Fiber glass
Fiber glass is a cheap and effective insulating and weatherproofing material. Fiber glass is made from glass heated to high tempretures and treated with boron and a phenol formaldehyde binder for fireproofing and texture. The glass is then spun into a wool-like blanket material, typically pink or yellow in color.

Fiber glass insulation is readily available and is easy to cut and install. It is important to remember, when working with fiber glass, to wear protective gear, including gloves and clothes that cover all of your skin. Also, fiber glass must not be moistened or compressed. To ensure proper insulation, all ends should be butted together flush and firm. Fiber glass has its share of problems, too. If it gets wet it can transform into a breeding ground for microorganisms. Fiber glass can cause severe skin allergies. Also the phenol formaldehyde binder may release offensive ammonia-like or dead-fish odors.

The federal government has made strides ensuring fiber glass be more ecologically responsible. The US Environmental Protection Agency requires all large fiber glass manufacturers to use at least 20% recycled glass in the production process. This brings up another important sustainability fact about fiber glass. The boron used to make debris glass flame retardant and more flexible is a relatively rare element. Almost all boron comes from only two large deposits in the whole world, so it should not be over used.

Mineral Wool, Including Rock Wool
Mineral wool and rock wool are the once common predecessors to fiber glass. Rather than heating, treating and spinning glass into insulating fiberous mats, manufacturers use iron ore slag or natural volcanic rock. Because of the source material for mineral wools, they automatically contain an average of 75% recycled industrial content. Mineral wools are excellent insulators of heat and are very fire resistant.

Cellulose
Cellulose is a strong contender in the green home improvement world. Recycled cellulose is getting a lot of attention as an effective insulating material. Cellulose insulation for homes is made up of 4/5 post-consumer newspaper. The remaining 20% of cellulose insulation is made of fire retardant chemicals and sometimes acrylic binders. In the long term, the biggest disadvantage of cellulose insulation is its susceptibility to moisture. If cellulose insulation gets wet, the water can leech out the fire retardant borates, weakening the insulation’s fireproofing ability.

Textile
Textile insulation is made from mill scraps of cotton and polyester. This fiber mixture is then fluffed up with shredded plastic for volume and treated again with borates to prevent pest infestations and retard fire. Cotton and textile insulation is more expensive than traditional fiberglass, but better for human health and the environment.

Straw
Some green builders are drawing from history and using bales of straw for insulating exterior walls. Straw is actually quite effective, but it requires special precautions to prevent moisture and insect infestations.

Foam insulations
There are many types of foam insulation compounds, including polyisocyanurate, polyurethane, and polystrene. Foam insulations can cause irritation of the nose, eyes, and respiratory system. Some foams used to be blown with chlorofluorocarbons (CFC), but have gradually been replaced by hydrochloro-fluorocarbons (HCFC). HCFC are not quite as damaging to the Earth’s ozone layer. Some foam insulation is not blown, and therefore does not need CFCs and HCFCs for application. An example of this kind of foam is expanded polystrene, or EPS. EPS is foam insulation in board stock form laid into wall cavities, rather than sprayed into them.

It’s clear that most insulation comes with some risk to the environment. As time and technology move on, more ecologically sound and effective insulation choices are sure to become available. Since building without insulation is impossible, a homeowner’s best bet is to get educated and demand insulation solutions and materials that will suit the consumer and help the environment.

Need More Space? Clean Out The Attic For Some Much Needed Room!

Remodeling the attic is a resourceful and imaginative way to increase the usable space of a home without building additions or making significant structural changes to the house. The first step of any attic remodeling project is a thorough assessment. If your attic has enough room for you to stand up in without bonking your head on a rafter, that is a good start. Read this attic renovation primer to learn some basic inspections you will need to do before planning to remodel your attic.

Inspecting your attic includes making sure there is enough clearance to create a livable space up there. Inspect the ceiling joists and framing to make sure they are structurally sound. The ceiling joists are the wooden beams you have to stand on when you go up into your attic. These will become the support for any flooring you install in the attic. The ceiling joists must be a minimum of 2″ by 6″. If the joists are any smaller, they will not support the weight of the remodeled attic and it will crash down onto the rest of the home.

Make sure there is enough space to renovate the attic. Eight feet of clearance from the joists to the roof is a minimum standard. Also, depending on the pitch of the roof, the roof itself needs to be a certain width to justify the renovation. If the pitch of the roof is 1/2, then the roof needs to be at least 40 feet wide. If the pitch is 2/3, the roof needs to be 32 feet across. A 5/6 pitch requires a roof at least 24 feet wide for a satisfactory attic renovation.

Next, have an electrician inspect your home’s wiring to establish if your current electrical system can handle the load of an additional livable room, accounting for all the lighting and appliances you will add to the renovated attic.

Also, look for any leaks or damage in the roof that will need to be fixed during the renovation. Once finished with the initial inspection, it will be time to formulate a plan.

Once you have preformed the initial assessment on your attic, you will be able to decide for sure if you are going to renovate. If your attic is a good candidate for remodeling, your renovation plan needs to include some essential points. These essential points are: access, HVAC, flooring, and light.

Access
Most attics are accessed through a fold down lumber stairway or a ladder through a trap door. At best, the attic is reached by a cramped staircase that does not allow for normal foot traffic. Your renovation plan must make allowance, both spatially and economically, for a standard staircase from the living space in your home up to the proposed living space in your attic. Study your local building codes concerning egress in living spaces. For example, your renovated attic will need to have at least one window installed that will act as a fire escape.

HVAC
HVAC is an industry acronym that stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Attics are typically heavily insulated for the sake of the entire home’s energy conservation. This mean attics are very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Your renovation plan must account for these unique temperature ranges in the new attic. Your homes HVAC system will need to be expanded to accommodate and appropriately ventilate your remodeled attic.

Flooring
Since the majority of attics do not have a real floor, one will have to be installed. The “floor” of most unrenovated attics consists of nothing but the tops of the ceiling joists of the room below, usually with insulation laid down between the joists. If your attic is being used for storage, you likely have random boards laid across the joists for places to step and keep boxes of Christmas decorations and whatnot. Think about what kind of flooring you will use in your new attic. Make sure flooring is both glued down and thoroughly secured with fastening hardware to prevent squeaking down the line. Carpet is a good flooring option for attics, because it insulates and dampens sound. But carpet must be reinforced with high quality carpet padding and a secure base flooring.

Light
Attics are dark places. When renovating your attic draw up plans for adequate lighting. Electrical lighting is not your only option. If you install a skylight or dormers, the attic will be flooded with beautiful quantities of natural light during the day. Since the space is small relative to the rest of the home, paint the walls a light color to reflect illumination and help the natural light fill the room more effectively.

In the end, an attic renovation can be a wonderful thing. What matters most before beginning an attic renovation plan is adequate preparation. Find a reputable contractor that is willing to answer your questions. Inspect your attic for basic structural integrity and minimum clearance. Then work with a contractor and a design team to draw up a sound attic remodeling plan. Before you know it, you’ll be playing billiards in your new attic hobby room. Good luck!

Year-Round Home Maintenance Guide

Home maintenance  is a necessary and year round process for prolonging the life of your home.  Regular
home maintenance  keeps a home clean, valuable and comfortable.  Home maintenance covers a wide array of concerns from pest control, to weatherstripping, to gutter cleaning and beyond.  Concientious preventative maintenance is more cost effective than repairing a problem that gets out of hand.  This brief guide breaks up
home maintenance into two general categories, interior and exterior.  You will find that many of these tasks you can take care of yourself.  For others, it is a good idea to call a local handyman.  A professional handyman will have the tools, time and experience to help you maximize the life of your home.  A good handyman can perform routine inspections in the spring and fall, while taking care of minor repairs year round.

Exterior
Roofs, gutters, and downspouts.  Roofing needs to be inspected while the weather is nice.  Look for damaged or missing shingles, bubbles, blisters or areas where the gravel has eroded.  Tree branches that touch the roof need to be pruned back.  Gutters need to be cleaned and checked for leaks and blockage.  Look for spots that need re-securing due to rust or other erosion.  Check the seams of downspouts for any splits.  A downspout with a split is usually blocked with debris.  Inspect eaves, soffits and fascia, for peeling paint, rot or vermin damage.

Walls, foundation walls, and siding.  Check all walls for signs of the house settling.  Inspect stone walls and foundation walls for any brick and mortar deterioration.  With wooden walls, look for rot, damaged boards and areas of contact between wood and soil, which will accelerate deterioration.  For stucco, look for cracks and separating.  If any surfaces are painted, and the paint is blistering or bubbling, it can mean that moisture is seeping out of or into the house.  Examine the siding of the home for any loose or missing parts.  Trim back trees, vines, and other plant life.  Vines especially will work their way into the smallest gaps in siding and spread them open.

Doors, windows, porches and decks.  Replace any damaged window panes.  Check frames and window sills for deteriorated paint.  Repaint as needed.  Make sure the caulk and weatherstripping are intact and functional.  Clean out window wells.  All wooden parts of porches and decks need periodic inspection.  Make sure railings and steps are secure.  Look for rot or evidence of insect infestation.  Re-stain the wood as needed.

Outdoor wiring.  Make sure exterior outlets have proper covers and ground fault circuit interrupters.  Wires leading away from the house or out to buildings like the garage need to be inspected for any loose wiring or frays.

Interior

Walls, ceilings and doors.  Look in dead air corners and nooks for evidence of mildew or condensation.  Inspect for cracks or signs of water damage on interior finish.  This can be evidence of high humidity in the house, which leads to rot.  Look for bulges in ceilings and walls.  Examine door frames, looking for any that are out of square.  A door frame that becomes out of square within six months is considered fast movement in structural terms, and may indicate a larger structural problem.  Make careful notation of movement or changes to be able to compare it in the future.

Main electrical panel and indoor wiring.  This maintenance should be done by a qualified electrician at least once per year, for the safety of the home and the homeowner.  Check the main electrical panel for any signs of moisture penetration.  Test all breakers to make sure none have stuck.  Label the circuits.  Look for burnt wires.  Tighten fuses and aluminum wire connections.  Test the ground fault circuit interruptors.  For indoor wiring, replace any frayed or damaged wiring, including appliance cords and extension cords.  Tighten loose switches and electrical outlets.

Water heaters and plumbing.  Use the test lever on the water heater’s pressure relief valve to make sure that the valve is not stuck.  Depending on the region, sludge may gather at the bottom of the hot water tank.  Drain a small amount of water from the tank to make sure there is no sludge.  If there is, regular draining will be in order.  Grab a bucket if the hot water heater does not discharge near a drain.

HVAC systems.  This includes all heating and air conditioning in the home.  Check all filters monthly.  Clean or replace filters as needed.  Listen for noisy blowers and note them to a technician.  Lubricate circulation pumps and drain expansion tanks.  Whether an oil, gas, or electric system, have a technician inspect furnaces and boilers to make sure they are working properly and all connections are snug.  Examine exhaust pipes for corrosion or loose sections.  For cooling systems, recharge as necessary.  Check the condensate drain line for leaks during the cooling season.  Check the outdoor unit, to make sure it is level and running properly.  Listen for any fan noise that may indicate a failed bearing or poor alignment.  Inspect refrigerant lines for any problematic insulation.  Clean up debris and trim plants away from the outdoor unit.

Attics.  Inspect the attic once or twice a year.  Look for water stains, rot, mildew, or fungus.  These are clues the attic has high humidity.  Make sure insulation is dry and that attic vents are unobstructed.  Look for any bird nests or evidence of pests in the attic.  If so, call an exterminator.

This guide is meant to get a home owner started thinking proactively about preventative home maintenance.  Preventing problems is a lot cheaper fixing them.  Recruit a handyman and develop a yearly or twice-yearly maintenance inspection schedule.  The extended life and comfort of your home will be well worth the trouble of periodic home maintenance.

Bathroom Remodeling – Aiming For Proper Accessibility

The bathroom can both be a relaxing and dangerous place for anyone at home, especially when we deal with the elders. Bathrooms can be dangerous for those older people who cannot already be up steady on their feet. Hence, it could help a lot that in your bathroom Remodeling plans, you remove anything that would put them in much danger. And instead, apply some other accessories that would make that portion of the house much safer.

In your bathroom Remodeling, you can choose to install walk in bathtubs. These prevent the idea of getting out of the tub and slipping accidentally on wet floor, no matter what your age may be. These walk in bathtubs come in a wide variety of models, shapes and sizes which of course serves as your regular bathtub. Some of them even come with powered bath seats and watertight doors to limit the dangers of tripping.

You can also decide to install transfer benches which help the user slide into the tub without any danger. In shopping for this, what’s important that your choice of a transfer bench can be able to support the weight of anyone. The average transfer bench can only handle about 250 pounds and below. If you are something that can handle more than that, then seek to know more about the bariatric models.

The grab bars can be seen as useful too not only for the older people. It can be installed in numerous locations all around the bathroom and not just in the shower or tub. You can be sure that it won’t ruin the aesthetics of your bathroom’s total look for in the market today, grab bars already come in various finishes and colors too.

If you have an elderly with you in your Nashville area home, then you must consider to include in your bathroom remodeling plans to widen up the bathroom door just a little bit more. Even if they are not yet using the wheelchair to get around in any place, you might want to expect that happening soon enough as well. So consider addressing all the possible concerns you might encounter so you can steer away from always giving your bathroom another luxurious Remodeling. In fact, you might want to decide having a sliding glass door for easier access to your bathroom.

You can choose to do the bathroom Remodeling on your own but it can help you a lot better if you would seek the help of a bathroom Remodeling contractor.