Attic

Your attic must be well-ventilated for consistent fresh airflow, so it’s one of the most important areas to properly insulate. Add fiberglass bats or loose-fill insulation over the entire floor of your attic and seal air leaks to cut down on thermal exchange with the living areas below.

Exterior Walls

Exterior walls are the first major barrier between your home and the elements outdoors. You should insulate exterior walls by:

• Having dense-pack insulation blown into empty cavities.
• Adding protective sheathing before adding new siding.
• Adding spray foam during major home renovations that open up the wall cavity.

Spray foam and blown-in insulation should both be installed by an insulation professional to prevent damage caused by overfilling and to ensure the best possible thermal barrier.

Foundation

If you’re building a new home, insulating the foundation will head off a lot of potential problems. It’s easier to heat and cool a home with an insulated foundation, which also provides a barrier between your home and the ground.

This barrier can help reduce moisture, prevent radon infiltration and keep pests out. For existing homes, talk to an insulation contractor about the options and benefits of insulating basements and crawlspaces.

Floors

Floors are frequently the most overlooked areas when it comes to insulation, but they can exchange a lot of heat. If your floor is always cold, especially if it’s over an unheated garage or unfinished space, then it’s time to add some insulation.

For more information on how to insulate and enhance uniform comfort throughout your home, contact Aladdin Heating & Cooling. We offer comprehensive HVAC services to Farmington Hills, Oak Park, Lake Orion and the surrounding areas.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Alexander-Raths/Shutterstock”

There are three basic common items used to insulate a home: fiberglass, cellulose and spray foam. Fiberglass looks strikingly like cotton candy and is typically sold in pre-cut rolls; its optimal placement is in dry locations. Cellulose is mainly recycled newsprint. Cellulose is environmentally friendly, is best suited for cold environments, and is typically sprayed onto gaps that need sealing. Lastly, spray foam is a great option for sealing irregular areas and preventing leaks.

Now that you know what materials you will be working with, the next step is sealing your home. One important spot to check is your ductwork. These typically run through the attic, crawlspace or basement. Spray foam or metal-backed tape is the recommended item to use on the holes you find. By sealing up your heating and cooling ducts, you can save up to 20 percent on energy costs.

Next you want to seek out and seal any drafty spots that may be lurking in your home. These draft hot-spots can be found around windows and doors, plumbing, and baseboards. If you see dirty spots on your insulation material, this could indicate a leak. Spray foam or caulking will do a fine job of sealing these gaps once you find them.

Locating all the leaks in your home can be overwhelming. It is always important to obtain professional advice and assistance if you feel you need more insulation. For more expert advice regarding insulation in your home and other issues related to home comfort, contact us at Aladdin Heating and Cooling. We’ve been serving the Southwest Michigan area since 1945, from Farmington to Westchester Hills.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Warren, Michigan about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Credit/Copyright Attribution: “John Kasawa/Shutterstock”

Just like a refrigerator is always on to keep perishables cold, a water heater is always on to keep stored water hot. All water heaters lose heat through the sides, top and bottom. When enough heat is lost, the burner, or heating element, powers on to bring the water back to temperature.

Since water heating accounts for up to 18 percent of total utility costs, and standby heat loss can account for half of water heating costs, it quickly makes sense to curb standby heat loss. The most efficient and simplest method to curb standby heat loss (by up to 45 percent) is to insulate the storage tank with jacket or blanket insulation.

Insulating an electric water heater is straight-forward. Slide the form-fitted jacket insulation over the tank, covering everything except the drain valve. Carefully use a utility knife to make cutouts for the thermostat covers. Blanket insulation wraps around the storage tank. Tape the seams without compressing the insulation, or it loses heat resistance.

Gas- or oil-heated storage tanks require extreme caution when insulating. Do not cover the bottom combustion compartment, the drain valve or the flue at the top. You’ll still need cutouts for the thermostat covers. If you decide you’d rather have an HVAC professional install the insulation, go ahead and request preventive maintenance, too. Regular maintenance improves water heating, reduces costs and helps the storage tank last years longer.

One final place to add insulation is around accessible hot water pipes, including inlet and outlet water pipes on the water heater tank. Insulating pipes increases hot water temperature up to four degrees, and delivers hot water faster.

For more water heater tips, contact us at Aladdin Heating & Cooling today. We’ve served homeowners in Warren, Birmingham and throughout all of Metro-Detroit since 1945.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about water heater insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.

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Fiberglass — Fiberglass may look like flimsy cotton candy but it is a popular insulating material  because it is stable, non-flammable and resistant to damage caused by insects or microorganisms. It is excellent for use in dry locations but due to its high level of moisture absorption, it is not recommended for wet or damp locations. It is often used in ceilings, walls and around air ducts and pipes. Fiberglass is often sold in pre-cut rolls, blankets or batts, making it easy to install. It has an R-Value of 3.2 for every inch.

Cellulose — Cellulose is composed mostly of recycled newsprint. It has been used for many years and remains the preferred insulation type for people who want an environmentally friendly option. It is densely packed and performs quite well in low temperatures. It is a loose-fill material that is combined with a binder and sprayed onto areas that should be sealed, such as framing studs. It is also treated in order to make it fire retardant. Cellulose has the same R-Value as fiberglass and is generally cheaper.

Spray Foam — Foam insulation also comes in spray form, making it ideal for sealing tight corners, unfinished attic floors and enclosed walls. It works for irregularly shaped and sized areas and on obstructions. It is very effective in sealing an area, preventing leaks and in strengthening the structure because it hardens once applied. It can have an R-Value of as much as 6.5 for every inch.

To increase your home’s efficiency and improve your indoor comfort, give us a call at Aladdin Heating & Cooling. We have been serving satisfied clients in Southeast Michigan since 1945. We can assist you in finding the best home improvement solutions that are effective, efficient and offer great value.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.

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Benefits of ventilation and insulation

In the summer, a well-ventilated attic helps to exhaust hot air and moisture, while proper insulation prevents heat from transferring into the house. During the winter, outdoor air enters and cools the attic, which helps prevent snow from melting and ice dams from forming and damaging the roof. Meanwhile, attic insulation keeps your winter heating from rising through the ceiling.

Using an attic fan

An attic fan can be a great choice for improving ventilation, but only under the right conditions. If your attic vents are blocked or if your attic isn’t properly sealed, an attic fan can draw conditioned air out of your home and into the attic. This results in your HVAC system having to work harder to provide cooling and heating, which translates to higher energy bills. The best way to prevent this is through proper attic ventilation and insulation.

Adequate insulation

Unfortunately, many homes today still don’t have a sufficient amount of properly-installed insulation. This can account for your upstairs rooms being too hot, as the heat in your attic can turn your ceiling into a giant heat generator. In our area, Energy Star recommends attics be insulated with a minimum R-value (thermal resistance) of 49.

It’s equally important that your attic ductwork is properly insulated. If the many joints found on the ducts aren’t properly sealed and insulated, the ductwork will actually be the same temperature as the attic and will create conditions opposite from the intended effect.

If you have questions regarding your attic ventilation and insulation, contact us today! Aladdin Heating and Cooling serves Ferndale, Rochester and the Metro-Detroit area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy efficiency and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston.

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How do frozen/burst pipes occur?

Water is a unique substance because unlike other substances, when it gets colder and freezes, it actually expands.  This can be disastrous for plumbing systems because water is trapped inside the fixed space of the plumbing tubing (often made of copper).  As the temperature in a house drops and the water inside of plumbing pipes begins to freeze,  this ice formation begins to expand and put pressure on the inner walls of the pipe itself which can cause them to burst. In most cases, the ice formation redirects pressure through the pipe to an end-use, like the main water supply.  This is why pipes generally don’t burst where ice has formed.  Instead, they burst somewhere else down the line.

What can you do about it?

Since it’s the ice that causes problems, it’s best to focus your attention on preventing conditions that allow ice to form in the first place. We’re not suggesting you can influence Mother Nature, but you can influence the temperature within your home:

• Make sure your home’s heating and cooling system is properly maintained, especially before leaving for extended periods of time during the winter.  Dirty flame sensors, hot surface igniters, and other electrical parts within a furnace can work one minute and fail the next.  So it’s important to have them checked for reliability at least once per year to ensure they’re safe for the upcoming heating or cooling season.
• Consider upgrading your thermostat to an internet enabled model.  Here at Aladdin Heating & Cooling, we strongly recommend the use of internet enabled thermostats for homes that are frequently vacant during extreme weather conditions because these thermostats are able to alert you via text messages and e-mails if your home is in the danger zone of freezing.  It’s completely automated and doesn’t require a person to physically visit the home.  Sensors can even be installed to monitor the presence of water on basement floors and alert you in the event of a water leak.  These thermostats can be installed for roughly $500-900 (including the cost of the thermostat) and can save you tens of thousands of dollars in water damage, plumbing repairs, and furniture replacement costs.
• Insulate. Applying insulation around your plumbing pipes will keep warmth inside of them. You can apply heat tape, thermostatically-controlled cables or insulation around the pipes to maintain temperatures. This is a particularly important step for pipes that are located in areas of your home that don’t receive heat, like a basement.
• Insulate again. Upgrading the insulation throughout your home will keep more heat inside — no matter what the outside temperature is.
• Seal air leaks. Air leaks that occur through your home’s exterior walls allow cold air to infiltrate the space. Sealing them keeps cold air out, and warm air in.

Homeowners who proactively take the steps to prevent frozen pipes are much less likely to experience problems. For all your home heating and cooling concerns, contact the leading furnace and boiler experts of Oakland Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Shelby Twp. at Aladdin Heating & Cooling. Serving Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties since 1945.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about preventing frozen pipes  and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladdin Heating services Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Southfield, Oak Park, Ferndale, Beverly Hills, Berkley, Royal Oak, Birmingham, Bloomfield Twp., Bloomfield Hills, West Bloomfield, Madison Heights, Clawson, Sterling Heights, Warren, Troy, St. Clair Shores, Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park, Detroit, Utica, Shelby Twp., Rochester, Rochester Hills, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and Clarkston. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!     

Freezing pipes image via Shutterstock

Turn down the heat
Setting your furnace to 68 degrees saves energy and reduces heating bills. Within a range of 60-70 degrees, every degree you reduce temperature settings saves about five percent on heating costs.

Insulate
Insulate your water heater and hot water pipes. Apply window treatments that keep out cold air. Add insulation in your attic, basement, walls and ceiling if needed. Insulate the furnace’s ductwork to prevent energy loss. Add weatherstripping around doors and windows to block cold air drafts.

Use natural heat
Open the curtains to let in sunshine, a plentiful source of free natural heating.

Control air flow
Close fireplace dampers where air can escape. Make sure heating vents and registers are clear of blockages so warm air can get from your furnace into your house.

Reduce hot water use
Take shorter showers and lower the temperature on your water heater. The 120-degree setting provides water hot enough for most home needs. Install low-flow shower heads that give you plenty of water for bathing while reducing hot water usage by up to 50 percent.

Change furnace filters
Change the filters in your furnace monthly during the winter. Clean filters improve furnace efficiency and effectiveness. Dirty filters can cause furnace breakdowns, so frequent filter changes are an easy and inexpensive way to head off bigger repair expenses.

Hit the “off” switch
Turn off unneeded lights or appliances. Shut down computers and other electronics when not in use, or unplug them completely. Turn off kitchen and bathroom ventilating fans when they’re not needed; unattended ventilation fans can pull a lot of heated air out of your house.

Since 1945, Aladdin Heating & Cooling has provided trusted residential, commercial and industrial HVAC sales and services to customers in the Detroit area, including Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties. Contact us today for more information on easy and economical ways to lower your heating bills.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about heating costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

Air leaks

Unsealed cracks and openings are one of the leading causes of energy loss in the average home. Use the following tips to inspect your home for leaks:

• Try using a stick of incense to locate leaks. Hold it up to windows, doors and seams between building materials. When you come across an air leak, the movement of the air will cause the smoke to waver.
• Common problem areas that you should check include the areas around windows, doors, electrical outlets, attic access openings, baseboards, dryer vents, and plumbing pipes and fixtures.
• Seal any openings with caulk, expanding spray foam or weather stripping.

Insulation

• Check insulation levels in your attic, basement, walls, floors and ceilings to make sure you home is adequately insulated.
• Check to see if your ductwork is insulated where it runs through unheated areas such as your basement, garage or attic.

Depending upon your findings, you may be able to add extra insulation yourself, or you may need to hire a professional to do it for you.

Heating and cooling system

• Check the air filters on your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner to make sure they are clean. If not, replace them with new filters.
• Schedule an annual service visit for your HVAC system. The cost of the visit can often pay for itself through energy savings, and will allow you to spot any potential problems before they become major repairs.
• Consider upgrading outdated equipment with new, Energy Star-qualified models.

Taking the time to conduct your own energy evaluation can wind up saving you a great deal of money in the long run. If you live in southeast Michigan and would like to schedule an annual service visit for your HVAC system, or if you want to learn more about upgrading outdated equipment, contact us at Aladdin Heating & Cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about air leaks and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!

What Are the 2011 Tax Incentives?
The federal energy tax credits give homeowners who make a variety of energy-saving improvements to their existing, primary residences by the end of 2011 a credit on their 2011 tax return of up to $500. Rental properties, second homes and newly-constructed homes are not covered under this program.

To get your 2011 federal tax credit, file IRS form 5695 with your 2011 federal tax return. These forms should be available in early 2012.

Insulation Products that Qualify for a Tax Credit
The 2011 energy tax incentive program gives tax credits of 10 percent of the cost of insulation materials up to a maximum of $500. Labor and installation costs are excluded. A variety of insulation products are included in the program. Among these are:

• Spray foam in a can
• Weather stripping
• House wrap
• Caulk

It’s important to remember that not all insulation products will qualify you for the tax incentives. Let our trained technicians help you find the tax-eligible materials that are best suited for your home. In addition, we offer a professional energy evaluation so you can see what areas of your home need extra protection against the harsh Michigan winter. For more information, contact us today at Aladdin Heating & Cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about insulation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Aladding Heating & Cooling services the Detroit, Michigan and the surrounding areas. Visit our websiteto see our special offers and get started today!

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.