05/23/2010

I just read a post that was extolling the virtues of adding more insulation in the attic, to the extent of saying don’t worry about the little things, like filling holes and penetrations into the attic area, no mention of gaps or ventilation, just get something else up there, like more gaping bats or soft and fluffy blankets to give it more cover.

This “dumb premise” stated above brought back painful memories of what Pam and I did some 6 or 7 years ago. We didn’t worry about little, or big things, as far as that goes, we just bought a fold up stair way, (now a sealed up stairway,) installed it with the greatest of ease, (Wow, what a sweat!) and started our own attic insulation “renovation.”  Actually, it was more like an innocent innovation.   “Useless innovation” is what it turned out to be.

But I ramble – so on to the point at hand. We drug up bag after bag of fiberglass blankets, cut the bags, and rolled out the blankets into what appeared to be a fluffy pink cloud top, at least, as it was being seen through teary, dusty, dirty, itching eyes, watering profusely in full protection mode; and we crouched up, (we couldn’t stand,) and pronounced it  ”looking good!”   Dum, Dum, Dum, Dum, the tune goes, or is it, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, Dumb!!!

Four years later, and after enjoying the gigantic savings of $23.47 in energy savings, (here, I jest,) we decided to jump in, feet first and all the way to the bottom, (AGAIN) and have a new HVAC installed. Gary Ledbetter told me there was a better way to go about this than the just “jump and sink,” method, but it took my friend, Mike Priest, to convince me to have an Energy Star Home Energy Audit.

>>>This ramble will continue…………………….

05/16/2010

If you really want to “shake your timbers,”      Google:     “Cash for Caulkers.”

Sounds like a lot more than caulk might benefit from this program called, “Home Star Energy Retrofit Act.”

Here is an example of one of the posts:    (there are many, many more!)

Follow the link or read on below:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/green-building-news/home-star-gets-house-vote

HOME STAR GETS THE HOUSE VOTE

The $5.7 billion measure advances to the Senate

POSTED ON MAY 7 BY RICHARD DEFENDORF

By last fall, when the White House proposed a weatherization program whose financial incentives would be available to all homeowners in the U.S., most consumers had become at least generally familiar with the benefits of making a home more energy efficient and the broader economic benefits of programs that, once they get rolling, can create jobs.

Coverage of the vastly expanded Weatherization Assistance Program, which is aimed exclusively at low-income households, helped with that. And now legislative action on the administration’s new proposal – the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, aka the “Cash for Caulkers” program – has weatherization in the news again. And all for the good. The House of Representatives passed the bill, 246-161, on Wednesday, and it now awaits action in the Senate. Twelve House Republicans joined the Democratic majority in voting for the measure, but also managed to add a provision that requires Congress to fund the two-year $5.7 billion program through budget cuts, new sources of revenue, or a combination of the two.

As noted in a post by Peter Yost, BuildingGreen LLC’s Director of Technical Services, Home Star has two levels of participation, Silver Star and Gold Star. The former is a “quick start” program offering upfront rebates of as much as $3,000 (or up to 50% of the total project cost, whichever comes first) for certain energy efficient measures such as the installation of new insulation, air sealing, windows and doors, and energy efficient appliances (including furnaces and water heaters).

Performance-based standards
Gold Star, meanwhile, is a whole-house retrofit option that offers up to $8,000 (or up to 50% of the total project cost, whichever comes first) for comprehensive energy efficiency audits and upgrades to various performance levels: $3,000 for modeled savings of 20%, plus $1,000 for each additional 5% of modeled energy savings. Audits are handled by contractors certified by Building Performance Institute and/or Residential Energy Services Network, although only BPI-certified contractors are authorized to do Gold Star retrofits.

The program requires an inspection rate of 20% for Silver Star projects, 15% for Gold Star projects, although the inspection requirement for Gold Star projects is reduced if the participating contractor’s entire retrofit team meets certain certification requirements.

And there is more if you want to take the time…………