Posts Tagged ‘Insulation’
The Benefits Of Cellular Blinds
December 22nd, 2011 | 
Author: For more than thirty years, cellular blinds were used in most houses around the world. At the present, these kinds of blinds are gaining back their once booming popularity. Its rebirth is due to one simple reason – cellular blinds are very beneficial to the house owner.
Before going to the advantages of these blinds, let us first discuss what these cellular blinds really are. Cellular blinds are also sometimes referred to as honeycomb shades. These kinds of blinds are made of cloth often glued or sewn to form a cell with diamond shape. These blinds are better than other blinds because of the reasons below.
Cellular blinds are great in insulation. Their design allows trapping of air in its “honeycomb” cells. The air that is trapped helps in insulating the home and decreasing the heat the windows emit. With this capability, your house will have supply of heat during winter and will stay cool during summer. Because of this, you will be able to use less energy and save money from the cooling and heating expenses.
Blinds come in different colors, sizes, and designs and these attributes are what make cellular blinds, and all other blinds for that matter, more interesting. Since these blinds are available in many colors, you can surely find the blind that can go with your interior without the need to remodel or re-decorate it.
Installation of other kinds of blinds is difficult. However, cellular blinds are easy to install. They are created with the “do-it-yourself” installing concept. There are also a lot of videos online that can give step-by-step instructions on how these blinds can be installed. In installing cellular blinds, you will only need screwdriver, measuring tape, marking pencil and a drill.
Whatever your reason in searching for blinds is, whether it is due to having a new house, home improvement or redecorating, cellular blinds are the wisest and the attractive choice. By buying these, you can save money and time while making your house more charming and appealing.
The author also frequently blogs on subjects such as the French door shades and bamboo window shades.
Posted in Save Energy | 
Tags: cellular shades, curtains, decorations, energy saving, furniture, heat, Insulation, interior decorating, Save Energy, weather, window blinds, window shades, window treatment, windows | 
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Get An Insulated Attic With Liquid Or Sheet Insulation
When choosing insulation you will find 4 different kinds. Your choice depends on the area to be insulated, amount needed and cost. I will cover these points so you will know what type to use.
Spray foam is one type to consider when choosing insulation. The insulation comes in easy to use bottles. It’s sprayed into the area to be insulated. It expands as its sprayed filling all the cracks, giving a better coverage. The initial cost is more, but unlike the others you do not need to winterize later. You will find it in insulated attics and finished walls. It’s the best to use in tight enclosed places.
The next to consider when choosing insulation is Spray on foam. This type of insulation is sprayed inside of finished walls and often found in Insulated attics. As it dries it expands to fill the entire area. This insulation has the highest initial cost. Once you consider you do not need to winterize or tear out material the money is about the same.
The third to consider when choosing insulation is foam board. It’s made from fiberglass, polystyrene or polyurethane. This insulation is used in edges of concrete blocks, borders, insulated attics and basement walls. The R factor is a little higher than the other it’s R4-R8 per square inch.
The last one is the batt and blanket. It is made from processed fiberglass or rock wool, It comes in 8 ft’ sheets or rolls. This type of insulation is the cheapest but caution is needed when installing otherwise you may not get desired results. You can find this in insulated attics, unfinished walls and floors.
One thing to consider when choosing insulation is flame resistant’s Fiberglass insulation, spray on foam, batt and blanket are flame resist. Cellulose and foam boards are not. In fact foam boards require flame resistant covering like panel or dry wall.
The entire group I mentioned is ecological friendly. Fiberglass and cellulose is made from recycled material. Foam board decomposes in moisture, and Spray on foam doesn’t contain harsh chemicals. So which ever you decide when choosing insulation you will help the environment.
The four groups batt and blanket, loose fill, Spray on foam and foam board. Each one insulates, but the loose fill and spray on foam covers the cracks and crevices better. Cellulose is a type of loose foam but it is not flame resistant. Foam board is also not flame resistant and requires covering. All are ecological friendly. Most can be found in insulated attics, walls and ceilings.
Utilizing Do It Your Self Sash Window Draught Proofing Methods
Sometimes heating costs can get out of hand in older homes. These are the homes that still have sash windows in which the seals have become hard and no longer effective. One can sit next to one of these windows and literally feel a breeze. By using do it your self sash window draught proofing it is easy to see results in the first month of utility bill.
Sash windows are made up of wood frames with a single or multiple panes of glass which are separated by wood bars. The original windows had putty that held them in place and acted like a seal. Over time the putty gets hard and the seal begins to break into sections leaving them vulnerable to wind and high utility bills.
It is not necessary to replace windows in a home with sash windows but some work is required. Remove the old putty around the glass panes. New putty can now be added to seal the pane of glass around the glass making it much more efficient.
Wood tends to swell and retract when temperatures change. This sometimes allows it to warp or bend in some spots leaving gaps between frame and track. If this happens, it usually takes a little more work than putty will fix but can still be corrected.
Interior trim leakage can be easily fixed by attaching brush seals to each side of the window track. It requires trim around each window to be removed so that the track is easily accessible. Attach the seals at the top and at the bottom of each window track. The trim may be put back in place at this time to make the windows seal better.
If the trim around the window is where heat is escaping, remove it and replace it with new. Before putting the new in place, caulk the back of each trim piece so it creates a seal behind it. Tack it into place and allow it to dry completely before painting.
In the event windows are still not energy efficient, a plastic shrink cover can be purchased to place over the windows. These come complete with the plastic, strips of thin cardboard and tacks to attach it to the trim. Once the plastic is securely in place, use a hair dryer to add heat and allow the plastic to shrink to the size needed for each window. There are several tips to do it your self sash window draught proofing that are very effective in reducing heating costs.
Does your windows have the right insulation? Well, if there not, you can get with the sash window company. You will see that the sash window draught proofing can really help keep the windows insulated and ready for any winter.
Posted in Save Energy |
Tags: carbon foot print, carbon footprint, construction, diy, energy saving, environment, home, house, Insulation, office, property, sash windows, Save Energy |
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Why Reflective Insulation Is The Best DIY Attic Insulation Solution
What is reflective insulation? It is a type of thermal insulation that uses the idea that heat loss can be reduced substantially by using highly reflective materials such as aluminium. For example, heat from the sun can be reflected back out so it does not heat up your home during the summer months when you are using air conditioning to cool the house.
For that reason, it is ideal to use reflective insulation on the roof and attic. Most energy transfer from home to environment and vice versa occurs through those spaces. Thermal insulation reduces the heat transfer from a building and its environment. When there is a difference in temperature between two bodies, heat flows naturally from the warmer body to the cooler one. To maintain a comfortable temperature within the home, we turn our heating systems on in the winter and use air conditioning during the summer.
Most of the energy we use in the home goes towards heating and cooling. Using reflective insulation for your roof and attic reduces this huge waste of energy by decreasing the heat transfer so you require less energy to either heat or cool your home.
A well insulated building allows little movement of the air so reducing the amount of heat that can be transferred from one body to the next. This will mean that you use less power to warm up or cool your home, therefore lowering your cost of maintenance. This is also in line with our aim to generally reduce the rate at which we are using fossil fuels and conserve energy so the method is very environmentally friendly.
There are a few varieties of thermal insulation using reflective materials on offer that can be quite easily installed by professionals. Insulating the roof and attic using reflective insulation is a very effective method as it works on the area where the energy transfer and wastage is the greatest.
AtticInsulationGuide.com is the premier resource for attic insulation on the Net, with information on subjects such attic ventilation, as well as on where to buy materials, and how to install them – click the links above to find out more!
Easy Attic Insulation With DIY Foam Insulation
Thinking about insulating your attic? Do you know what insulation is best for you? These are things that you need to know before you start with your attic insulation. Picking the right insulation is very simple to do, and installing it is not complicated either.
Foam insulation is one of the most effective forms of insulation, a bit more expensive than the rest, but also one of the longest lasting and higher in R-value than the other insulation methods. It is recommended that foam insulation must be installed by a professional, as the procedure can be quite difficult for someone new to this procedure.
Foam insulation comes in two types. The first is open celled foam, foam that is less compressed and holds a lot of air bubbles, because of this it can be removed very simply removed. The second is closed cell foams, foam that is very dense and compressed and hardly holds any air at all, this foam is a lot harder and is higher in R value and can’t be removed easily.
Installing foam insulation is not a do it yourself type of job and must be completed by a professional in this area of work. The procedure is finished quickly and consists of mixing the foam, placing it into a specialized machine and spraying it into the holes around the uneven spaces in the attic, once it has been sprayed into the holes, the foam will extend through the walls and floor and harden. If done correctly, there will be no gaps or holes.
It is recommended and necessary to take the necessary precautions when insulating an attic, even if you are only observing. Your body must be completely covered in a protective cloth, using a breathing mask and safety goggles to protect your eyes, as the foam can highly irritate your skin.
AtticInsulationGuide.com gives you all the tips and info on attic insulation. Are you ready to cut your heating bills? Make sure that you know all there is to know about topics such as foam insulation by following the links above.