Maintenance Reminder

When was the last time you cleaned behind and below your fridge and range?

This can be one of the dirtiest places in your home.

The dust, dirt and debris can also clog up the important cooling mechanism on the rear of the refrigerator.

Usually this can be as simple as pulling the appliances away from the wall, and getting back there to vacuum and wipe up the debris.

Attic Floor Insulation and Air Leakage

How much insulation do you have in your attic?

How well is the ceiling below your attic air sealed to prevent air leakage?

How much money could you save on energy costs if your attic insulation was sufficient, and your ceilings air sealed?

We are going to look at some numbers for a a typical home.

Assumptions?

1. 1,250 square foot attic floor.

2. Zone 5 home (A “4 season” climate)

   

3. Electricity cost: $0.14 per kWh

4. Cooling System Efficiency: 14 SEER

5. Heating (Natural Gas) Cost: $1.50 per Therm

6. Natural Gas Furnace Efficiency: 94%

7. Starting Attic Insulation: R19 (about 5” to 6” thickness of loose fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose insulation)

8. Starting Ceiling Air Gaps: 2 square feet (0.16% of 1,250 square feet)

How can we improve on the assumptions above?

1. Upgrade the insulation to R-49 (about 17” thickness of loose fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose insulation).

2. Seal the 2 square feet of openings.

What is the problem we are trying to solve?

1. The heat within your home tries to escape through your ceiling.

2. The hot air in your attic tries to move through your ceiling into your cool home.

3. Heat can also move through gaps in your ceiling such as around light fixtures.

How Much Energy Cost Will This Save?

How Much Would It Cost to Air Seal and Add Insulation?

For a 1,250 square foot attic floor, this work would likely cost between $3,700 and $5,000.

This would result in a 21 to 29 year payback period!

Now - You could probably DIY this project for about $1,200. A 7 year payback period. Better!

Additionally, this could be a home selling feature.

Luxury Home Feature

What if you could clean up your garage ceiling and have quieter garage overhead door opener?

A “Shaft Mount” overhead garage door opener can do both. It requires no hangers from the ceiling, and no track above your car to pull on the door.

Some brands who make these openers include LiftMaster, Chamberlin & Genie

The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Always perform your own due diligence before making any financial decisions. There are no sponsors of this newsletter.