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I originally posted this on my personal blog but thought some of you may find this interesting. Feedback and questions are always encourage and welcomed.

A homes Leakage-

Walls

35% of a homes leakage is through the walls

Solution for the existing home- Insulate walls with cellulose. This can be done by removing the piece of siding at the top of the walls to the entire perimeter of the home. The insulation itself is cost effective however in most cases the siding to the entire home will need to be painted. I have seen instances where builders have painted just the top portion or siding that was re installed but a perfect paint match in this case in not likely. Solution for the new home- Most builder will lean towards a foam insulation product. While I do enjoy the efficiency of foam insulation I tend to prefer the cellulose batts. This is not the same thing as fiber glass batts and is far superior in efficiency. Cellulose batts are more cost effective and when done right provide the same R Value as a foam insulation. The down side to cellulose batts is that all penetration need to be sealed prior to installation where as a foam will seal during insulation.

Roofs/Attics

25% through the roof

Solution for the new and existing home- Insulate the roof line with a foam insulation. Now the controversy begins! Some will tell you the existing ceiling insulation (most likley blown fiber glass) can remain in the attic. Others will say it can not. The argument that moisture can build up causing mold is not an intelligent battle. Heres why; If a roof line is being sealed (and the builder has a clue to what he is doing) than any wall attached to the roof that has an opposing side facing outdoors or into interior space will also need to be sealed or foamed rather. Once the entire area is foamed we have in fact created a space the has the potential to sweat due to condensation. To correct this issue (whether or not the ceiling insulation remains) we add fresh air from the outside properly from the HVAC system. This movement of air preventing the potential for mold growth by exchanging the attic space air with the rest of the home. This is not to say that improper techniques will not cause the opposite. It is only to suggest the ceiling insulation would not by itself cause mold problems simply because the roof line or attic was foamed. My suggesting to anyone foaming a roof line would be to go ahead and remove the existing ceiling insulation for one purpose; It tampers with the building envelope. Better stated, it creates two separate envelopes, one being the home itself (assuming the home is insulated) and the second being the attic. In short, once the attic is properly sealed, there is no need for the ceiling insulation.

Windows

Solution for the new and existing home- Weatherstripping those doors that can not be changed is a good start. The best option is to install an ENERGY STAR approved door. New homes can receive a bead of foam insulation around the perimeter or door jamb prior to installation of drywall and trims.

Windows

10% through the windows

Weatherstripping windows that can not be changed, again, is a good start. The best option is to install an ENERGY STAR approved windows. New homes can receive a bead of foam insulation around the perimeter or window jamb prior to installation of drywall and trims. ENERGY STARS specification table is listed in the following document-HERE

Base of a Structure

15% at the base of the home

This can easily be corrected by simply foaming the interior portion of the band for an unconditioned crawlspace. A conditioned basement would receive insulation to the foundation walls. While there are many tricks and techniques the above statements have been proven to work lessoning energy consumption and monthly utility. Some of these items do not require a builder however consulting a professional with experience prior to attempting any of these is always highly recommended.

Attention to Detail Bathrom Renovation

According to a survey I happened to stumble upon I found the following;

Behind-the-door behaviors

The survey shows that people are doing a lot of things inside their bathrooms besides the obvious.

• A full 88 percent use at least one electronic device in the bathroom.
• More than a third read their mail — both snail mail and e-mail,
• 43 percent get dressed;
• 20 percent sing;
• 19 percent listen to music via radio or iPod;
• 15 percent talk on the phone,
• and three percent watch TV.

Source:  http://plumberprotects.com/whats_new_habit_survey.htm

The fact that bathrooms and kitchens sell homes is diversely understood by most people. The thing most may not realize is why. These are the most intimate rooms in your home.

Bathrooms are not just for the obvious reasons they are for many things; getting ready to take your spouse out for a well deserved dinner, catching up on the stock market, teaching your children how to brush their teeth, etc. My four year old likes to read the comics!

The point is simple. Updating your bathroom to add a little more appeal may not be an awful idea. This is where we spend a significant amount of time and as funny as it may seam a lot of memories are kept in this room we call “the bathroom.”

Here are just a few concerns you may have aside form space, functionality, off gassing, lead paint, and so on;

1. Does your toilet flapper leak?   You could be wasting up to 300 gal of water in just one day.
2. And what about the faucet? Is it dripping? You could be wasting up to 50 gal of water in just one day.
3. Do you have a low flow shower head?  If not you could be wasting up to 45 gal of water a day.
4. Is you toilet low flow? A toilet alone can use as much as 27% of household water.
5. Does your bathfan work or is it sized properly? If not, mold is on the way!

A few facts and a few idea’s!

• To keep air conditioning costs down this summer, don’t place lamps, TV sets, or other heat producing appliances near your thermostat. The thermostat senses the heat causing the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
• Each degree you go below 78 increases your energy consumption by about 8 percent.
• Clean and replace the air conditioner filter frequently. This is especially important during the summer when dust and allergens circulate. If the filter becomes clogged, your system will have to work harder to supply the same amount of cool air.
• Air conditioners with proper shading can be more efficient. Air in shaded space is cooler than the surrounding air meaning the AC will have an easier time cooling the air, but keep plants, shrubs, and other landscaping about two to four feet away from your outdoor unit to ensure adequate airflow.
• When buying new air conditioners, refrigerators or windows, consider energy-efficient versions. They’re usually more expensive but thanks to federal tax credits and competitive prices, the prices are falling, and because they use less energy, you save in the long-run, too.

Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program

Do you know that the average American flushes 26% o

f their water down thetoilet? That accounts for more than 9,100 gallons of water per person each year, flushed away! Effective Janurary 1, 2008, the Department of Watershed Management (DWM) began offering a toilet retrofit rebate program to those who qualify.  Homes in Dekalb & Cobb County that were built prior to 1993 and are individually metered can retrofit up the three toilets per home. The rebate program provides two options, a $50.00 rebate for a 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) toilet or a $100.00 rebate for a 1.28 gpf toilet.

The participation for Dekalb residents in the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program has been tremendous thus far. According to information contained in the Toilet Retrofit Rebate Program applications, at least 5,681 toilets were replaced in DeKalb County. Approximately $428,594.00 in rebates was disbursed. This program continues to be one of the components of the Department’s long term water conservation efforts.

For more information about the program, including the guidelines, the applications, and the lists of approved toilets, please visit the website at http://www.dekalbwatershed.com. If you do not have internet access, please call 770-270-6243 and an application and information packet will be mailed to you.

Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Ordinance

On February 26, 2008, the Dekalb County Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance requiring owners of buildings/ structures constructed prior to 1993, to replace all inefficient plumbing fixtures with low-flow water effiicient plumbing fixtures upon resale. Dekalb County is the first County in the state of Georgia to adopt such legislation. We believe it is an essential component of our long term water conservation efforts, and will help to advance the preservation of our limited water resources. This ordinance went into effect on June 1, 2008 for residential properties and January 1, 2009 for commercial properties. For more information on the requirement, exemptions, and penalties, please visit the website at http://www.dekalbwatershed.com.

I had some friends over for a BBQ on Sunday. When everyone was on the deck, I noticed it felt like it was moving a little, some boards are loose and the stain has worn away – it was built with my house in the 1980’s. How do I know if I should replace it? Is this something I can do myself?

We have mildew growing on our bathroom ceiling! I noticed it a few wks ago – after we had some heavy rain. It’s in our guest bathroom is on the top floor. Is it our roof? Plumbing problem? Is this something we can fix ourselves? Thank you for any advice!

We moved into a home with glossy ceramic tile on the floor in the kids bathroom. It gets slippery when it’s wet. A friend said we should re-do the floor with something else not so slippery. What do you think? What’s safer, but inexpensive?

Creating your dream kitchen is not as hard as it seems. Do you need to update portions of your current kitchen? Or would you prefer to construct a new one with a better flow for your family’s cooking needs? Follow these simple steps and we’ll show you how.

Addressing your needs – Do you need space to cook large family meals? Are you a multi-tasker who needs to get from your stove-to your oven-to your wok burner with ease?
Would a second sink on your island help with traffic flow?
There new techonolgies out there to make your kitchen easier to manage, energy efficient and safer for the whole family. (see articles below) Would any of these items help your goals?

Creating the most visual impact – Do you just need some updating in order to keep up with the neighborhood? Cabinet doors styles & countertop colors will have the most impact on your new kitchen by making the strongest visual statement.

Starting the process – Getting kitchen remodel ideas is as easy as opening up a magazine. Just flip through some of the kitchen and bath magazines out there and start tearing out pictures of items you like.

These pictures will help you determine these next set of questions.

* What is your style?
* What sizes and shapes you prefer?
* What colors interest you?
* How much you want to spend?
* When you want it to be done?

Be sure to include these 6 basic design elements into your idea planning: 

1) Cabinets – painted or stained? antique faux finish? glass?

2) Appliances – New or the same as you already have? New technologies? Energy saving devices?

3) Countertops – There are many choices: granite, quartz, corian, glass, recycled glass, etc.

4) Sinks & faucets – what price range are you looking for?

5) Flooring – Look at these wonderful choices! Tile, wood, cork, bamboo (see below).

6) Architectural details- A picture is worth a thousand words. And a little detail is worth more value to your home!

To design:
Start with Appliances – where you put them will determine how cook-friendly your layout is.
Next, you’ll want to determine your budget this will help narrow yoru choices for your cabinets and countertops. Check out the tips page of our website for a job cost report to help you prepare a budget.
And finally, top your design off with plumbing fixtures, flooring, and architectural details.

Don’t worry about getting everything to match exactly. You can best give your kitchen a certain feel by making sure everything coordinates but still keeps its own character.

Need help? Our Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler can help lay out the design with the functionality you need. All within your price range!

Call us to get started today!

For those of our clients who want to go very green, here are a few ideas:
• Take a bucket of water (2 gallons or more) that you have caught when warming up your shower (see Easy Water Conservation Tips article above) and dump it into the bowl of your toilet the next time instead of flushing. The force of the added water will make the toilet flush completely by using water that you would have wasted.

• Install a cistern – a very large water tank that is normally submerged underground which catches rainwater runoff from the roofs of homes to irrigate your lawn & garden. With special filters, you can use the water for your shower supply or even as drinking water. (Ask Attention to Detail if you are interested in installing a cistern system for your house!)

• Replace your old toilet with a waterless composting toilet which uses no water. Take a look at this odd looking toilet!
o http://www.envirolet.com/enwatsel.html