Most homes are spending a lot of money on their electric bills when they can actually do something to minimize their energy consumption. Not many people are aware that they are actually wasting energy every single day due to inefficient or old appliances, and even poor house insulation.   For those who want to save on their monthly energy bill by 15-30%, here are some ways:

1. Replace or do not use very old appliances. Instead of using inefficient appliances, it is better to purchase a new one that is more energy- efficient. This allows you to save money in the long run.
2. Purchase a programmable or remote control thermostat. Programmable thermostat is most recommended to those who often forget turning off their heating/cooling system at home before going to work. With a programmable thermostat, your heating/air-conditioning system will turn off or on by itself at times you need or not need it. Another way to reduce your energy consumption is the use of remote control thermostat. With a remote control thermostat, adjusting or turning your heating or air-conditioning system off is easier. So no more waking up from sleep just to adjust your home temperature.
3. Use energy efficient bulbs. Instead of using ultra bright bulbs, use energy-efficient bulbs that do not consume a lot of energy.
4. Lower heating or cooling temperatures.  Doing so will reduce your energy consumption on heating or cooling by 10-15% each year.
5. Use natural options. Another good way to reduce your energy bill is to use natural heating or cooling. For instance, in the summer, trees can offer shade or keep your home cooler. With a tree or two around your house, you sure can minimize the use of your air-conditioning unit most especially in the morning, late afternoon and evening. Also in the winter, having evergreen trees around will benefit you in terms of energy consumption as these trees can provide a wind break, making your home warmer during this period.
6. Insulate your home. This is also advised by the government. Insulating your home the right way will definitely help you reduce your energy consumption without having to sacrifice by minimizing the use of your appliances just to save money.  And one of the best insulation techniques these days is spray insulation. Spray insulation is used to seal cracks on your walls or ceiling so that home temperature during the winter or summer months is controlled. Your heating or air-conditioning units won’t have to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature for you.

While there are many insulation materials available these days, the beauty of using spray foam is that it is liquid. Unlike other materials like fiberglass, spray foam is able to get into those little holes or cracks on walls or ceiling to prevent energy loss. Spray foam insulation is also best for attic, which is the part of the house that easily gets cool in the winter and hot in the summer mainly because it is close to the roof.

If you are living in New Orleans, Louisiana and want to minimize your home energy consumption through spray foam insulation, one of the companies that you can trust is www. ecostarfoam.com. For inquiries. call 504-383-3261

Also called spray polyurethane foam or SPF, spray foam insulation is the process of insulating walls, ceilings, attics, cavities, holes, cracks, and the like. This is often used by residential and commercial establishments for a variety of purposes, from more effective roofing to increasing the structural integrity of various establishments, to sealing pipes, coolers, and freezers. The primary purpose of a spray polyurethane insulation, however, is to keep the heat inside during the cold season and the hot air outside during the warm season.

Spray foam insulation can provide you the convenience and comfort you need inside your home during extreme weather conditions. And while this may be the greatest benefit you will get from having your home spray foam insulated, here are some other huge benefits that you’re sure to realize once you have considered house insulation, particularly spray foam.

What can be the biggest benefit of having your home spray foam insulated is that you’re guaranteed huge savings on your monthly electric bills. This type of insulation is, in fact, the most cost-effective way of increasing energy efficiency at home while saving a lot on utility bills. Because this type of insulation seals wall cracks, cavities, and holes, air from inside your home won’t be able to escape, allowing you to save more energy. A lot of those who have insulated their homes with spray polyurethane have realized huge savings in a relatively short period of time. Moreover, because it is a liquid spray, it is able to seep and get into the tiniest holes, gaps, and cracks a lot easier and neater than other types of insulation, such as the fiberglass type of insulation.

Another advantage of spray foam insulation is that it is a lot safer than other types of insulation, both for human health and for the environment. This liquid spray is non-allergic and does not contain harmful chemicals, such as formaldehyde which could endanger the ozone layer. Moreover, this liquid spray is generally composed of renewable energy resources, making it non-toxic and adequate for indoor and outdoor use. Most importantly, through this liquid spray, you are guaranteed a safer, cleaner, and healthier indoor environment. Because your home is well insulated, dust, pollen, and other air pollutants are not able to get in.

The cost for insulation, particularly spray foam insulation, could range from $1 to $2 per square foot. Although there are also do-it-yourself spray polyurethane insulation kits offered in the market, asking help from professionals won’t really be a bad idea and is, in fact, recommended especially if you are not familiar with house insulation. Moreover, asking help from professionals, especially good and reputable ones, means that you are guaranteed excellent service. Professionals can suggest the type of polyurethane foams that best suit your home. Upon examination and evaluation of your home, they can offer you open or closed cell spray foam insulation, or probably green fiber cellulose, and other types of services. Visit: www.ecostarfoam.com or call us now at 504-383-3261 to talk to one of our professionals.

Fact is that each season brings in humidity of varying levels, temperature of varying degrees and thus, different insulation needs. Weatherization is important to protect your home from the outside elements like wind, precipitation and sunlight. The aim of weatherproofing is to reduce the energy consumption by optimizing your home’s energy use. Installing storm doors is one of the most commonly practiced ways of maximizing your home’s energy consumption.

What are Storm Doors
By definition, storm doors are additional protection from bad weather. There are different types of storm doors depending on the season. There are storm doors that come with self storing pockets where glass can be inserted during the summer and then replaced with screens during the winter. There are also those with full length screens that slide sideways for ventilation while others are a combination of screen and glass.

The best storm doors for the purpose of weatherization are those that are made of aluminum, fiberglass and steel. These doors are more durable and require less maintenance than the wooden storm doors.

How to Install Storm Doors
After choosing a type of storm doors, it’s time to roll up your sleeves for installing them.

1. Measure the door opening to be sure that you have the right size of storm doors. You also have to make sure that the door jamb and surrounding trim are solid and even. Since storm doors can be opened from left to right, you may position your door jamb either way.
2. The hinge frame should be 1/8 less than the total length of the door frame opening. Cut your storm doors accordingly.
3. Attach the hinge frame and the hinges by bolting them with screws
4. The latch side of the frame should be 1/8 less than the total length of the door frame. Make the necessary changes.
5. Add the rubber sweeps for easy sliding and to strengthen your doors for the process of weatherization.
6. Install the doorknob, the striker plate, stop washer and the closer unit

Dos and Dont’s in Installation
Since you need storm doors for fulfill your goal of weatherization, you need to make sure that you install them correctly.

1. Do not add glass storm doors if you know that they will get extreme sun exposure most of the day because heat cracks glass.
2. If you live in a region where moisture is a constant, make sure that if you choose to install wooden storm doors treat the wood well. Moisture makes wood warp and swell.
3. Aluminum storm doors are known conductors of heat so during the summer, don’t forget to add foam strips or vinyl to your doors’ frames.

Installing storm doors is easy. The difficult part comes in their maintenance and choosing the best doors for your house. Since storm doors are at the forefront of the battle against the weather elements; make sure that you buy storm doors of the highest possible quality. Each door material comes with pros and cons so choose wisely.

For more information about weatherization or use of storm doors, call 504-383-3261.

Despite the availability of tax incentives and rebates passed by the legislation as means to control the skyrocketing costs of energy consumption, over 40% of the nation’s energy consumption is still spent controlling the temperature inside buildings. Of this, 30% is wasted due to poor insulation. But the availability of the Aerogel, the best insulating material developed by NASA, to homes and other establishments may just be the solution to the current energy crisis. As such, several groups are pushing for the use of aerogel as one of the recommendations given after an energy audit.

What is Aerogel
Aerogel is more commonly known as frozen smoke. It is a dry and rigid material with strong insulation properties. It is made from gas and thus, is known to reverse heat transfers. Other than that, they are good inhibitors in the sense that air cannot penetrate through its lattice. As such, it has the ability to sustain dryness in a well-sealed container.

Types of Aerogel
There are three types of aerogel based on its active ingredient: silica, carbon and alumina. Each of these types of aerogel has different uses. For instance, alumina is used in NASA’s experiments involving particles travelling in hypervelocity while the carbon aerogel is commonly used in the manufacture of composite paper. Meanwhile, the silica aerogel which absorbs infrared radiation is used in house insulation. It allows light to enter any infrastructure but traps heat for solar heating. At present, the silica aerogel holds fifteen entries in the Guinness Book of World Records, including lowest density solid and the best insulator.

To reinforce the insulating properties of the silica aerogel, Thermablock developed a material that can be bent or compressed with the help of a unique fiber. The resulting product is a cost-efficient house insulation material that can potentially increase the wall’s insulation factor by up to 40%. A strip of only 6.25mm x 38mm is said to be enough to achieve such level of insulation.

Benefits of the Bettered Silica Aerogel for Insulation
Aerogel technology has been used by NASA on their space transportations for several years. This is a good enough proof of the materials resilience when it comes to trapping solar heat. Creating an aerogel model for home use will potentially revolutionize energy conservation in the future. Other benefits associated with this product include:

1. It is environmental friendly. The Thermablock, the patented silica aerogel for house insulation, helps reduce the carbon footprint of any establishment. It is made of about 30% recycled material and is completely recyclable.
2. It is economical because it only takes a thin sheet of about 6.25mm x 38mm to stop the wasting of energy. And the great thing about this residential silica aerogel is that it defies the natural wear and tear associated with age. The secret behind this fact is its hydrophobic nature, which means that it is unaffected by water.
3. Lastly, it is light weight and easy to apply through its stick-on-back for a hassle-free local application.

The introduction of the residential version of the silica aerogel could be the answer to the country’s current energy crisis. Home energy audit services will be much more time worthy if their recommendations are heeded but with the silica aerogel around, there is no reason why homeowners and business owners would still be wasting energy.

For the best home energy audit firm in Louisiana that provides reasonable energy recommendations, call us at 504-383-3261.

A nonprofit group in Gainesville, Georgia is spreading awareness of a program aiming to reduce the heating utility expenses of low-income households by introducing weatherization treatments.

Ninth District Opportunity Inc. is providing low-income families with home weatherization, which saves energy consumption by barring cold air from leaking into the house during winter.

The Black and Cooley Drive Community Advisory Council reached out to its community and inform them about weatherization by conducting a town-hall style gathering on Athens St. in Gainesville. The council answered queries o how fixed-income households can also avail of the program.

By providing small household renovations that enable energy efficiency, the program is lauded by Diane Tanksley, coordinator for Ninth District opportunity. The program can bring insulation and repair services to residents, but does not cover plumbing and electricity needs.

Weatherization is a home improvement measure that protects buildings and homes from the elements. By protecting the house form precipitation, sunlight, and cold wind, the treatment reduces energy consumption and increase efficiency.

Tanksley added that the residents gain more from the process because it lowers their utility bills. The Ninth District Opportunity will also launch another program that will help residents audit their energy bills.

The organization has been given federal funding to support its weatherization campaign. The program has reached out to 13-counties including Forsyth, Lumpkin, Hall, and Dawson, but according Tanksley those who need the service are not always informed about it.

A resident in the Black and Cooley Drive Community, Johnny Varner is making sure his neighbors are informed about the program and take advantage of it. Many members of the community advisory like Varner are pushing to publicize the information campaigns and assist the residents with their paperwork.

In a similar effort in San Antonio, Texas, the city government coordinated with CPS Energy to provide weatherization to about 160 households. The program, funded by a stimulus, received a total of 17.3 million and is projected to weatherize about 3,500 homes by next year.

The program also include renovations for low-income residents, such as floor, wall and attic insulation, energy-saving lighting and solar panels, as well as services that reduces the risk of mold and mildew and carbon monoxide poisoning.

A number of homes also received weather stripping and caulking on windows and installed with wall heaters. Residents look forward to a 25 percent reduction in utility bills, as calculated by CPS.

Two years ago, San Antonio was initially given $12.4 million to weatherize about 1,400 homes as part of the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state of Texas received $327 million to improve households and save cost and energy while also creating job opportunities. San Antonio collaborated with CPS which enlisted the work of local companies.

The Texas department of Housing and Community Affairs was busy gathering additional staff while managing the intricacies of federal rules. They then became involved in training the cities, most of which, like San Antonio, had never before been involved in a weatherization program.

If you want to know more about the benefits of weatherization and how to get it for your own home, visit: http://www.ecostarfoam.com/.

When the winter season arrives, it is important to have proper insulation in your home to ensure that you can stay warm inside. Attic or roof insulation in your house or commercial building is ideal to make it a cozy space. After all, insulation is a basic requirement for constructing buildings nowadays.

The key to an effective insulation process is the use of the right materials and installation procedure. If you can take care of both aspects, you can expect your home’s insulation to last for a long time. Sadly though, this is not always the case. Some homeowners might have to call in insulation removal services due to any of the following reasons: wiring complications, health and safety risks, damaged insulation, inefficient installation of the insulation system, and the need to perform renovation or upgrades.

The insulation systems that are installed in the basement or attic of your house are the ones more susceptible to damage. This is because of the leaks coming into these systems that can cause it to become easily damaged. In addition, insects such as mice or bats can also contribute to damaging the attic insulation due to contamination from their constant nibbling into the material. It is important to have the insulation removed because it may not only cause damage to the material or to your house but also puts your health at risk.

Over-insulation is another common reason behind having your roof insulation removed. This is a common mistake done by property owners who place too much insulation on the roof to a point that it can limit the natural ventilation indoors. The use of bulk materials can produce unnecessary air pockets, which defies the purpose of insulating in the first place. But the more important reason why you need to have it removed is the potential risk to causing fire in your home.

Removing insulation in your home or commercial building is more than just designed to protect your own safety and the ability to provide proper ventilation indoors. It can also be beneficial in your claim for insurance. Insurance companies will not honor damages to your property, especially when your insulation system is proven inefficient because it means neglect on your part. It is therefore important to assess your insulation system and determine if it needs to be upgraded. The cost of insulation removal is relatively cheaper than having to shoulder the expenses of the damages it will cost to your home and family down the road.

Insulation removal is, however, not necessary if your home insulation is properly done and is done by experts. When you hire a professional to insulate your home, you are assured of long-lasting and efficient insulation.

To those who are living in New Orleans or know someone who is looking into an insulation removal service, check http://www.ecostarfoam.com/. You can call us at 504-383-3261 to set an appointment so you can discuss the process of insulation removal in a more in-depth manner. The company’s goal is to make your home as comfortable for you as possible.

U.S. homeowners who made inexpensive renovations have better gains than those who invested in bigger projects. Home improvement treatments such as weatherization and spray foam insulation that allow households to save on energy and utility cost has never been more timely.

According to the Cost versus Value survey conduced by Remodeling Magazine, the homeowners who renovated their homes in 2011 only got back 58 cents in home equity for every dollar spent. The figure is lower compared to 2005 when a renovation would pick up 76 percent of the cost of remodeling.

Roof replacement, wall and door repairs earn 64 percent back in resale value. The average of gain after remodeling cost is 57 percent.

The statistic shows that prices of services, tools, and materials have become important factors, according to Remodeling Magazine’s editorial director, Sal Alfano. Homeowners are now more keen on investing in projects that would give them as much price value back, and home treatment services that provide long term cost-saving measures such as spray foam insulation and energy auditing.

In 2011, the average home renovation cost $44,734, a slight drop from last year’s 45,593. Resale value however dipped significantly, with a 3 percent loss in cost-value ration.

Homeowners should welcome the prospect of contractors slashing their prices to stay competitive in the current real estate plateau.  Remodeling projects have become more affordable as a result. Alfano added the scarcity of commercial construction projects being done, making way for more remodeling projects. The cost of materials, however, remains the same.

Alfano thinks the lull in home renovation is temporary and projects will start to pick up before the end of 2012. By 2013, Alfano expects a bigger growth rate.

Projects that are less costly have become more popular, such as window repairs and garage door replacements, and installing energy-saving treatments like spray foam insulation. Another popular project is those that add and maximize space without increasing house size.

According to the survey, mid-range replacement of the front door has the highest cost-to-ration value, which costs an average of $1,238 and increase the house sales price by $903–73 percent of the initial cost. However, those who opted for the high-end fiberglass door replacement, which cost $3,536, increased the house’s sale value by 56.3 percent.

But families usually forgo renovation when trying to sell the house. When think about a major remodeling project, homeowners shouldn’t considering the resale value as a deciding factor, said Alfano.

Homeowners should think of how long they intend to remain in the house and whether the project will be beneficial to them in the long run, if will bring convenience and allow for savings. To add a family room, an average of $83,118 is needed, which has a resell value of 60.2 percent or 50,004. They will spend $33,114 that they will not recover once the project is done. If, say, they family will stay in the house for a decade, they should consider if the $3,311 price tag on extra space per year is a smart and affordable choice.

If you are interested in spray foam insulation and other cost-effective home improvement projects that help reduce your utility bills, visit: www.ecostarfoam.com or call 504-383-3261.

Before the 1970′s, insulation was not included in the standard building code for the construction of homes. This is true not just for residential buildings but also for commercial buildings. In the modern day though, providing proper insulation is a must. This is why the government has opted to require proper insulation for all modern buildings.

The need for attic and roof insulation has prompted the development of new technology for insulation. The attic of your home basically serves as a heat collector where all of the heat that comes from the roof is stored. Most of the earlier insulation materials such as fiberglass or cellulose insulation were fluffy that it cannot fight back the heat coming from the outside. Instead, the heat is collected and is radiated down into your home.

Today, that traditional form of attic insulation has been revised with new technology for insulation. It is now made to provide cover on the roof’s surface, which is commonly made out of polyurethane foam. With this layer of foam acting as insulator onto your building, the final roofing is then installed into your home. The goal of the foam is to prevent heat from the outside to get inside the structure or building. On the other hand, it should be able to maintain enough heat energy inside your home to keep you warm during winter time.

However, insulation is not just applied in home or buildings though, despite the fact that this is where they experience maximum application. One other breakthrough in the insulation industry when it comes to the technology provided is evident in household refrigerators. This type of technology is called Pascal technology. It combines the use of polyurethane insulation with an appliance case filling, which is capable of delivering higher energy efficiency for consumers, particularly with their use of household refrigerators. This is therefore a beneficial kind of technology for companies that are looking to improve their energy efficiency. With a more efficient refrigerator, it will become the preferred choice for homeowners with its improvement for residential energy audit.

Experts predict that trends in the arrival of new technology for insulation will continue for the next few years. There are two main components wherein these new technologies will be incorporated: the materials and the processes. In terms of materials, mica is expected to remain as the top choice for at least the next decade in terms of high voltage insulation. The need for materials with higher thermal stability is becoming more and more important to provide improved thermal conductivity as well. Meanwhile, the material for your home’s insulation system must be able to resist high electrical stress so you need to take note of the level of voltage to which the insulation material will be exposed to.

As for the processes, roof or attic insulation now involves a great deal of automization which is expected to reduce the handicrafts involved. This is designed to boost manufacturing speed when handling insulating materials.

If you are from New Orleans and you want an energy efficiency audit of your property or you want to improve your insulation system, visit: http://EcoStarfoam.com. Take time to educate yourself about the benefits of proper insulation, as well as its entailing cost. It is time you do something to optimize your use of energy.

The insulation is a rapidly growing industry not only in the U.S. but also in the U.K. and other parts of the world. The Green Deal, which was part of the Annual Energy Statement to Parliament, will bring in around £14 billion worth of investment from the private sector and create jobs in the British construction and spray foam insulation contractor industry.

In an effort to respond to climate change and the energy crisis, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Chris Huhne presented a statement to the British parliament that seeks to provide households with energy auditing treatment at a defrayed.

Part of Green Deal’s vision is to equip homes not only with proper insulation technology but also  slash its energy consumption and utility bills. Huhne calls the policy “revolutionary” as it will keep households efficient and more comfortable especially during cold seasons.

The British economy can also benefit from the projected multi-billion investment. Huhne has emphatically stated that homeowners also need to be insulated from the rising fossil fuel cost in the world market.

Once the Green Deal is passed, homes and business establishments will be treated with energy auditing and insulation systems such as spray foam at no upfront cost. Home and business owners can then pay for the services overtime through savings they made after installation.

Energy companies will be asked to provide £1.3 billion a year to guarantee that everyone, no matter of income, will benefit from the policy. Homes that are harder to insulate will also receive subsidy.

The Green Deal is projected to support around 65,000 construction and insulation jobs by 2015. The British government is already committed to implementing of the policy by 2012 and will provide incentives to attract business and homes. Green Deal is a poised to attract opportunity for large and small-scale businesses and boost the ailing economy. According to Secretary Huhne, consumers are the ones getting the most of the deal with the amount of money and energy they will save per year.

Scotland has also pushed a similar policy that brought home energy audit services to  thousands of households.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stated that the government is aiming for a low-carbon Scotland with lesser utility bills, helping to achieve the country’s climate change reforms.

Households will be assessed and offered free energy auditing services to determine an insulation system. Homes already with insulation system in place but does not pass government standards will be likewise given free energy audits.

Most homes need a proper insulation system, such as the energy-saving spray foam, to protect from moisture and airborne noise traveling from roofs and walls.

The amount of heat lost in homes that are not properly insulated racks up the heating and air-conditioning bills. Uninsulated establishments lose a third of its heat through the wall, while a quarter is lost through the roof.

Spray foam insulation is a cost-efficient and greener alternative to most insulation treatments such as fiberglass. This treatment protects homes from moisture and mildew and help control temperature. Because of its huge energy-saving potential, governments in the U.S. and U.K. have supported industries such as spray foam insulation contractors.

If you are interested in hearing more energy-saving measure from spray foam contractors in New Orleans, visit:  www.ecostarfoam.com or call 504-383-3261.

If a homeowner wants to make his home more energy efficient, he will often change out a large part of his HVAC system, such as replacing window air with central air or replacing a boiler. However, these

changes can result in thousands of dollars for the unit alone. Homeowners can expect to pay twice the price of the unit after the unit is installed. After the new unit is installed, homeowners may not notice much of a difference in the comfort level of the home if air is escaping through holes in the building and the insulation. Homeowners may be able to make a more dramatic change in the home’s efficiency and comfort level by changing or adding insulation. This process is much more affordable than reconfiguring an HVAC system.

As many companies and homeowners strive to save money, they recognize the amount of money that they lose from energy waste. They also recognize the environmental impact of using fossil fuels and other nonrenewable resources to heat and cool their homes. These changes in the construction industry have made the R-value of a building a much more important factor to consider when constructing and remodeling a building.

When determining whether a homeowner needs new installation, the R-value of the existing insulation will be assessed. An R-value is a measure of the insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value of the insulation, the greater energy efficiency of the insulation possesses. If a house has a high R-value, the house likely does not need new insulation. However, if the R-value is low, this can indicate that the insulation is ineffective and needs to be changed.

A variety of factors affect the R-value. The type of insulation that is used, the thickness and the density can all impact the R-value. Some houses feature multiple layers of insulation and this requires adding the R-values of each layer of insulation together with the other layers.

When air flows around the installation and into studs and joists, the R-value is less. It is also less if the insulation is compressed. For these reasons, spray foam insulation is often preferable to other forms of insulation. Spray foam can expand and contract with the seasonal contraction of the home. It can also enter the crevices and fill small spots that thicker insulation cannot.

The optimal amount of insulation that you need depends on the location of the building, the typical climate, they type of HVAC system you have installed and the location of the area where you are installing the insulation. Before making any important changes to the insulation or HVAC system, a homeowner or building owner should have the building inspected by an HVAC specialist. This specialist can assess the R-value of the home and can offer specialized recommendations related to the need for insulation and other ways to increase the energy efficiency of the building. The R-value is an important factor to consider when evaluating the energy efficiency, but a specialist can help determine other problems and solve these efficiency problems.