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Doesn't every home have some insulation? Is it worth adding
more?
According to a Home Owner Survey conducted in 2006:
- 78% of home owners have not added any insulation to their attic -
they believe their home already has enough
- 80% of homes built before 1980 would benefit from upgrading
attic insulation to R50
- 71% of home buyers would choose a home that reduces their overall
impact on the environment
- 96% of home buyers consider energy efficiency when buying a new
home
I've heard some people get back more money than the retrofit
work costs them. How can this be true?
The government grants are for set amounts. For example, if all the walls of
your fully detached house are un-insulated, your home qualifies for
$1500 from the Natural Resources Canada program plus
$1500 from the Ontario Home Energy Program for a total of $3000, if
you have 100% of the walls insulated to an R value of 9+. Many
smaller homes can have their walls insulated for less than this
amount, and thus the owner receives back more than the project costs
them. ThermalMaxx Insulation offers fair and competitive quotes to
help you maximize your government grant potential.
Are the government grants geared to income?
No. Any home owner, regardless of income, is eligible for rebates
recommended by their ecoEnergy audit.
Is the grant received taxable?
No. You don't claim your grant as income, nor is it taxable.
Can I apply for grants on more than one house?
Yes. You can apply for grants on property that you own and live
in, or rent out. This includes detached, semi-detached, row houses
and low-rise residential units of 3 storeys or less (with a
footprint of less than 600 sq. metres). See the
Natural Resources Canada guidelines for more information and
maximum amounts per property owner.
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My house is drafty. Will insulation make it warmer?
Draft sources need to be identified (doors, windows, exterior
wall outlets) and fixed with appropriate materials such as
weather-stripping and foam inserts. Your energy evaluator can advise
you further.
A common misperception is that insulation makes your home warmer.
In fact, it prevents the heat generated by your furnace from
escaping. You can set your thermostat lower and still maintain a
comfortable temperature - saving money and energy!
In summer there will be less strain on your air conditioner to
keep your home cool, because insulation prevents summer heat from
getting in.
Do you install fiber glass from inside or outside a house?
Attics are insulated through the attic hatch if there is one,
or from a roof vent. If there are no roof vents we can install one for
you.
Insulation of the walls depends on the construction of the house:
Vinyl siding: can be done from outside when weather is
warm enough (approximately May to October) using a method that does
not require drilling through the siding.
Brick: 2" holes are drilled from inside, on all exterior walls,
between the studs (16" spacing). Additional holes are drilled above windows and below
any fire stops in the walls. A 2" hose with a directional nozzle is used
to blow loosefill fiber glass insulation (also known as fiber glass
wool), ensuring that the cavity is
packed from top to bottom. The holes are then filled with drywall mud which only requires a skim coat and sanding
before you paint over it. You may need to do some light dusting afterward,
but generally our clients tell us they're pleased at how little mess
and disruption there is.
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Why don't you drill smaller holes from outside?
For optimum installation, and to achieve maximum R value in the
wall cavity, fiber glass is blown through a 2" hose using a nozzle
that allows a professional installer to direct the flow and ensure
the wall cavity is completely packed. Smaller nozzles such as those
used for cellulose (paper) are not suitable for blowing fiber glass,
nor does a one inch hole allow the flow of material to be directed
top to bottom.
How does insulation work?
Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space.
In winter, heat moves directly from your home's heated living spaces to
the outdoors and to adjacent unheated attics, garages, and basements
- wherever there is a difference in temperature.
During summer, heat moves from outdoors to the house interior.
To maintain comfort, homeowners replace the heat lost in winter by a
heating system, and use air conditioning to remove the heat gained
in summer.
Insulating attics, walls, knee walls, basements, and crawlspaces
decreases the heating or cooling needed by providing effective
resistance to the flow of heat (thermal resistance, or R value).
This, of course, reduces costs of heating and cooling the home.
Batts, blankets, and loose fill fiber glass all work by limiting air
movement. This reduces loss of interior heat in winter and limits
summer heat from moving indoors.
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Why do you recommend fiber glass for home insulation?
ThermalMaxx Insulation uses only Owens Corning PINK® fiber
glass insulation (batts, blankets and blowing wool) because of
its properties:
Owens Corning PINK® insulation is fire-proof, formaldehyde-free,
emission-free, mold resistant,
and does not support vermin. It does not sag or settle and retains
its R value extremely well. It is available in different formats
for effective application in insulating attics, walls and
basements.
No emissions or dust
Unlike some other insulation materials it does
not require treatment with fire retardants or anti-fungal chemicals, and therefore does not contain penta-brominated diphenyl ethers (Penta-BDEs).
PINK® does not present a risk from Volatile Organic Compound
emissions (VOCs) or create a dusty environment during installation.
(For further reading on health risks associated with Penta-BDEs
click here.)
No loss of R value
Fiber glass is stable, not subject to loss of R value through
deterioration or settling (as cellulose does).
Clean indoor air quality
Once installed,
PINK® fiber glass does
not release fibers into the environment nor affect air quality -
in fact it has earned third party GreenGuard certification for
indoor air quality. (See the
GreenGuard
website to learn about other certified products you may
wish to choose for your home.)
Non-organic
Fiber glass is completely non-organic, resists mold and
mildrew, and does not provide sustenance for vermin.
Fire-proof
Note: A
U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety & Health
Administration bulletin gives the following caution: "All organic
(materials), whether or not they contain fire
retardants, should be considered combustible and handled
accordingly."
PINK® fiber glass insulation materials are non-combustible.
This natural fire resistance is unaffected by moisture,
evaporation, or time, which makes Owens Corning insulation a
very reliable product.
PINK® is green!
Owen Corning uses the highest recycled glass content in
making
PINK® fiber glass.
Home owners appreciate the qualities of fiber glass and know it's
a tried and true solution. In fact, Owens Corning research shows
that home owners prefer PINK® fiber glass insulation 7 to 1.
How safe is fiber glass?
Fiber glass is very safe. We recommend the North American Insulation Manufacturers
Association website for answers to many more questions about fiber
glass.
Click here to view their FAQ page.
How does fiber glass compare to cellulose
(paper) insulation?
Unlike
cellulose, PINK® insulation will not hold
water, thereby resisting any permanent loss of R-value. Plus,
when properly installed, PINK® fiber glass insulation will not
settle or deteriorate, thus ensuring that the insulating value
is maintained. In fact, with regard to thermal resistance, settling, water vapor
sorption, fire safety, and resistance to corrosion, fiber glass is
rated superior to cellulose by NAIMA, the North American Insulation
Manufacturers Association.
Click to
download the report.
Is there 'off-gassing' from fiber glass?
No. There is no off-gassing with fiber glass insulation as it
does not contain VOCs, penta-BDEs, hydrochlorofluorocarbons or other
gasses or compounds. Note that the US Dept. of Energy states
that "Over time, the R-value of polyurethane (foam) insulation can
drop as some of the low-conductivity gas escapes and air replaces
it. This phenomenon is known as thermal drift." Unlike
foam, fiber glass does not deteriorate.
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Why is PINK® insulation an environmentally sound choice?
 Owens Corning PINK® fiber glass products have been awarded
GreenGuard® Indoor Air Quality Certification and
rated both child-safe and school-safe . In addition, Owens
Corning has recycled more scrap glass than any other fiber glass
manufacturer in North America. PINK® insulation is made with over
50% recycled glass content.
Insulation manufacturing uses a substantial amount of energy. Yet,
according to the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association
(NAIMA), a typical pound of insulation saves twelve times as much
energy in its first year in place as the energy used to produce
it.
ThermalMaxx Insulation is a relatively new company. Why should I
choose you?
Yes, the company name is new, but with over 19 years experience
in residential insulation (London, Ontario and area) we offer
thorough industry knowledge and high standards.
A professional installer (not a commission salesperson) will
assess your insulation needs and provide a written estimate of
costs.
We don't hire seasonal or 'summer' crews - you are guaranteed
expert installation by qualified professionals. We are bonded and
insured for your protection and have Better Business Bureau
accreditation.
 We're
a small company, building our reputation one home at a time, proud
to offer the Forest City and area fair pricing on 'green' insulation
solutions endorsed by Environment Canada. Call 519-659-8861 today
to arrange a free, no obligation estimate and let us show you how to
save on heating and cooling costs by making your home more
energy efficient!
What are the links to government grant
information?
Click the links below to visit these websites:
Home Energy Ontario
Natural Resources Canada ecoENERGY
How do we get started?
Visit this
Home Energy Ontario page for a description, or call us at
519-659-8861 and book a no-cost, no obligation estimate with a
professional installer who can answer all your questions.
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