GREEN BUILDING

Energy & Atmosphere

Material Conservation

Sustainable Building

Water Conservation

Indoor Air Quality

Third-Party Raters

Energy-Saving Retrofits for Existing Houses

Existing houses were usually not built with energy consumption in mind. To make the most of an existing house's structure, we need to look at the places where houses typically leak or are poorly insulated and seal them tightly. We can also retrofit existing houses with much more efficient equipment such as geothermal HVAC.

One of the best ways to seal an existing home is to retrofit foam insulation in the existing wall cavities and other leak-prone areas such as the bond around the house. The foam bonds to the wood members of a house and flows around wires and electrical boxes to create a tightly sealed cavity. While more expensive than other types of insulation, namely blown in cellulose or fiberglass, foam insulation has a higher R-value than other types of blown-in insulation and creates a tighter seal which keeps air infiltration to a minimum. Foam insulation can be blown in even if there is pre-existing, compromised insulation in the walls. Foam insulation lasts longer and doesn't settle in the cavities. The homeowner will notice the house is quieter when this type of insulation is installed, and energy bills will drop considerably.

While replacing windows strictly for energy savings will not yield a significant enough savings to warrant the high cost, spending extra for good quality windows that are expertly installed is well worth the cost if you are considering replacing windows anyway. Windows have made quantum leaps in efficiency and quality in recent years, and there are many companies producing good quality windows, some at remarkably low prices. Proper installation is key for protecting your investment in your house, as improperly installed windows can leak and cause mold growth within the walls of a house.

If you have old, leaky windows and are not considering replacing them, it is well worth the investment to install new, properly installed storm windows. Many varieties are easy to use, and are comparatively inexpensive relative to replacing windows.

When replacing mechanical equipment such as water heaters and furnaces, consider the payback period and energy savings you will gain when selecting the type of equipment you install. It may be worth the extra money to install a more expensive, more efficient mechanical devices. If you are planning to stay in your house for more than 10 years, or want a higher re-sale value for your house, it may be wise to consider a geothermal HVAC system. In our climate, a pressure balanced ventilating system such as an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) or Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) can save money on your energy bills while creating much healthier air quality within your home. A tightly-sealed home must have makeup air brought into the house, and these systems keep the energy where it belongs. HVAC systems are far more complicated than they appear.

Turn to Meadowlark Builders - our green building HVAC experts can look at your system as a whole and make recommendations that will save energy and create a healthier house.