What is frost envy? “Frost envy” describes the feeling of looking at your neighbors roof and seeing frost and wishing your home was more energy efficient. Specifically, the term refers to seeing frost on your neighboring house(s) and none on yours. On these cold frosty mornings, look at your roof and those of neighboring homes. […]
Air sealing is a crucial component of home performance, but there are added benefits of air sealing beyond energy efficiency. At face value, it decreases overall air infiltration of a home. Thus, it reduces drafts that occur when wind creates pressure changes between indoors and out. It also helps maintain consistent temperatures indoors by keeping […]
What is frost envy? “Frost envy” describes the feeling of longing for a more energy efficient home. Specifically, the term refers to seeing frost on your neighboring house(s) and none on yours. On these early frosty mornings, look at your roof and those of neighboring homes. The house with more frost (like in Picture 1) […]
“I need more insulation.” This sentence starts so many of our initial client calls. Insulation alone may not solve problems of comfort and efficiency. Insulation is important, BUT equally important are proper air sealing and duct sealing. When we probe a bit about overall comfort, drafts, uneven temperatures, and high bills, people will relay several […]
It’s interesting how many calls we get that focus on comfort issues in the so called “bonus room.” “Bonus” seems like it would be a little something extra – a good thing. However, they often turn out to be more of a bummer than a bonus. There are several key factors that we address to […]
Challenges with Split-level Homes When upgrading homes, there are specific challenges with split-level homes. After World War II, baby boomers wanted more house space without taking up more of their lot. So they often opted for the split-level homes. This configuration generally features a foyer with a half staircase up to the second floor and […]
Few things are as frustrating as a drafty house. It doesn’t stay cool in the summer. It’s not warm and cozy in the winter. And it’s expensive trying to heat and cool a home that continually leaks conditioned air. So what can you do? Many people decide they need to replace their windows. On average […]
With energy efficient upgrades, we delivered major allergy relief as well as increased comfort to a client of ours. She contacted us to schedule a Home Energy Evaluation, and she was primarily concerned with the overall energy efficiency of her home. However, she also suffered from extreme allergies and was taking several strong medications each […]
Are You Ready for Summer? Spring is here, and that brings flowers, birds, and insects…and inevitably the warm weather that turns into the full-blown heat of Alabama’s summers. Are you ready for summer? Perhaps the better question is “is your home ready for summer?” When winter approaches, preparing your home probably includes some preventative measures. […]
We performed an energy audit on a historic home in the Forest Park neighborhood of Birmingham in the summer of 2015. The clients were having trouble keeping the home cool enough to be comfortable, and there was a front room with lots of windows that never got cool enough to be in. Their AC system […]
