How to Seal HVAC Ductwork

Sealing ductwork can be one of the most cost-effective remedies for increasing energy efficiency. Yet it must be done thoroughly. Leaky ductwork can increase your costs and make your home less comfortable. If your duct system isn't sealed properly, carbon monoxide and other toxic fumes can build up in the home, creating an unhealthy living space. Another problem can occur when fumes from household cleaners, solvents, paints, etc., are pulled into the home's return air system through poorly sealed joints. Once these dangerous fumes are drawn into the hvac duct system, they can be re-circulated throughout the home.

The best solution for ensuring a proper seal and energy efficiency is to apply mastic and tape to every joint in the ductwork. The first step is to make sure the joint is clean and has been wiped down. This will allow the mastic to adhere properly and create a tight seal. You then want to apply a generous portion of mastic to coat the entire duct surface over the joint. You can use a brush or trowel to spread the mastic on. Then work the mastic into the joint, pressing and spreading lightly to achieve an even coat. You should strive to achieve a 1" overlap beyond the joint.

Then apply a mesh tape to reinforce the mastic. It's critical to make sure the mesh being used is designed for the brand of mastic used, so don't forget that!

By making these simple improvements to your home's ductwork, you'll save energy from day one and improve the comfort in your home! If you'd like help with this, we'd be happy to offer an analysis and estimate for your home's energy needs.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

Energy Efficiency Doesn't Have to be Expensive

When most people think about energy efficiency, they think about expensive window replacements or HVAC system upgrades. But the reality is that big improvements can be realized from smaller investments. Many homes can realize dramatic improvements in efficiency by focusing on sealing major air leaks, installing better insulation in the attic, and insulating pipes.

These improvements often require caulking, spray foam sealant, selective installation of rigid foam board insulation, weather stripping and attic insulation. The cost is often under $2,000 and can be recouped through energy savings in 5 to 10 years. And your home will be more comfortable on day one.

Upon close inspection, many homeowners find that they have been living in a very drafty home for years. Pipe and duct penetrations into the home and between unconditioned/conditioned spaces are a big culprit. Poorly sealed windows and doors, mailbox slots, attic access hatches, and other cracks/gaps are also typical areas where air infiltration occurs. Sealing these gaps is cost effective, and provides long term value.

Weatherstripping and ensuring that exterior door thresholds are properly functioning is also important. Poorly sealed exterior doors are a typical cause of leaky homes. Similarly, windows are often poorly sealed. We typically caulk and seal windows from the exterior, and sometimes from the interior to remedy this problem. There are also solutions to better insulate the window itself, including foam and rubber gasket products.

In addition to these cost-effective improvements, installing new insulation in attic spaces can have a dramatic impact. Depending on your home's needs, we will recommend a range of thicknesses to achieve desired results. We also take time to seal various air leaks in the attic, and recommend insulation covers for your attic access.

Performing these minimal improvements can be expected to save you at least several hundred dollars per year on your utility bills, and in many cases much more.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

Labadie Weatherization and Insulation Project

Green Space Construction recently partnered with an energy auditor on a project in Labadie, Missouri. The homeowner was paying nearly $800 per month to heat their home in the coldest months of winter. After a blower door test was conducted, it was determined that the air leakage was equivalent to a 24x24" window being open all year. Thermal imaging revealed numerous areas throught the residence which had insufficient insulation and air leakage.

After the initial audit was conducted, Green Space performed the following improvements:

Attic:

Air sealing package

Insulated attic w/ blown cellulose at R-38

Dense-packed attic knee walls with blown cellulose

Custom fabricated truss insulation

Custom attic fan cover

Custom attic hatch

Removal of attic windows and install of gable vents, installed new siding.

Windows & Doors:

Interior & exterior window and door caulking package

New energy efficient exterior door at basement

Weather stripping package.

Basement foundation walls:

Removal of drywall at basement foundation walls

Insulated walls with rigid foam board insulation, insulated bandboards

Air sealed these locations, and installed new drywall.

Bathrooms:

New bath exhaust fans vented through roof.

Mechanical room:

Insulated bandboards at mechanical room and air sealing package

Denspacked exterior walls

Insulated hot and cold water heater lines.

Chimney Chase:

Insulated open chimney chase with fiberglass batts

Applied fireblocking.

Roofing:

Removed improper ridge vent and capped with new roofing.

Garage:

Insulated and sealed HVAC duct exposed to outside climate.

Exterior cantilevered windows:

Dense-packed cellulose insulation

Air sealed location.

For pictures of this project, please click here to visit the picture gallery.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

Reasons to Insulate Your Home During the Summer

Many people think that an investment in insulation will only yield a great return in winter months. Yet these improvements can offer a great impact in the summer as well.

The number one benefit is keeping your conditioned, cooled air inside of your house. By bolstering your homes insulation, and performing selective air sealing and other weatherization practices, you effectively contain a maximum amount of your homes conditioned air.

Cool air can escape your home through drafty windows, doors, poorly insulated ducts, and other knooks and crannies in your home. Furthermore, a poorly insulated attic space will cause your top floors to be warmer as heat radiates through. These problems can not only be uncomfortable, but also cause your air conditioning system to run harder and longer. And the harder and longer your equipment is running, the higher your utility bills will be.

A properly insulated, sealed, and ventilated home will also take far less time to reach the optimal temperature in summer months. All of these are great reasons to consider assessing your home's needs sooner rather than later.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

The Property Assessment Clean Energy Act (PACE)

Missouri's House of Representatives just passed the Property Assessment Clean Energy Act, known as PACE. So what does this mean for you and your home or commercial property?

Let's start with what the bill specifically provides for. The bill initially authorizes municipalities to establish "clean energy development boards" that will be charged with establishing "property assessed clean energy programs" within their communities. These programs will finance energy efficiency or renewable energy improvement projects. Interested property owners will have to apply to the board, to have their project financed through a special annual assessment levied against their property tax bill. The property owner will enter into a contract with the board, in order to gain financing for the cost of their project, and will require a lien against the property being assessed.

So, again, what does this mean for you? It means that you will be able to finance energy efficiency improvements to your home, over a 20 year term with annual payments made with your property taxes. The PACE program will finally make energy efficiency upgrades available to the masses. With 20-year financing available, homeowners can more than pay for the improvements with the savings created from lowered utility bills. Most weatherization and energy efficiency upgrades offer financial paybacks between 2 and 15 years, so you can see how powerful this program will be in saving Missouri residents money, lowering our energy usage, and creating more comfortable homes!

Let's look at an example for a homeowner with a 1,500 square foot house that currently pays $300 per month in heating and cooling bills. Let's assume that they have an energy audit conducted for $500, and subsequently invest in $4,000 of energy efficiency improvements. The total amount assessed and financed through PACE will be $4,500 over a time period of 20 years. Let's assume that the interest rate on this financing is 8%. Under this scenario, you would pay approximately $458 annually for twenty years.

For a typical house of this size, it could be reasonably expected that the improvements would yield 20% energy savings. In other words, this homeowner would save $60 per month or $720 per year on their energy bills. Comparing this with the cost of their financing, the homeowner would profit $262 annually. Not to mention living more comfortably and reducing their carbon footprint!

As more details become available on the specifics of the PACE program in Missouri and St. Louis, Green Space will keep you up to date. For more information on the PACE program, please visit www.pacenow.org.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

Weatherization Essentials - Caulking & Weatherstripping

Many homeowners immediately think of attic insulation and window replacement when it comes to energy efficiency improvements. But one of the most cost effective and impactful solutions is good ole fashioned caulking and weatherstripping. Many times window replacement isn't even necessary, the windows and exterior doors are simply in need of caulking and weatherstripping to provide an effective seal.

Many homes, new and old, are inadequately caulked at the exterior and interior which will undoubtedly result in air infiltration, higher energy bills, and a less comfortable living space. St. Louis, with its hot, humid summers, is the last place you want to live without properly sealed windows and doors.

The caulking process involves installing a bead of flexible caulk to the joint where different materials (wood/brick/siding/drywall/etc.) meet. There are different types of caulks for different applications, and you really need an experienced contractor to steer you in the right direction. Installing the wrong kind of caulk can leave you with a failing seal within a year or sooner. Some homes also require caulking at the interior, where door and window trim meets drywall, as this step is sometimes skipped by builders. This is a critical part of the caulking process, and necessary to keep drafts from getting into your home. In addition to windows and doors, a thorough energy efficiency contractor (such as Green Space Construction) is also careful to caulk at electrical and gas service entrances, dryer exhaust vents, cable and phone lines, water faucets, air conditioners, and other vents.

Weatherstripping provides the same thermal benefits as caulking, by sealing the seams between operable doors and windows and the interior of the jamb/casing. Properly installed weatherstripping will allow the window or door to seal tightly when closed, but will allow it to open and close freely. Weatherstripping is available in foam, rubber, vinyl, and metal materials. Each of these materials has a place, and we recommend the right materials for your home's needs. After a number of years, old weatherstripping can become worn and ineffective, requiring replacement. Green Space Construction will assess your home's conditions and make the right recommendations to balance cost with potential savings, insuring that your home is comfortable and efficient.

If you're interested in assessing your home for caulking and weatherstripping needs, in addition to a complete weatherization assessment, please contact us for a free consultation.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

Webster Groves Attic Insulation & Weatherization

Green Space Construction recently performed a weatherization audit on a home in Webster Groves (St. Louis, Missouri) and assessed the following issues:

• Attic knee wall spaces were poorly insulated.
• The interior walls exposed to the attic spaces had insufficient, old fiberglass batt insulation.
• The attic floor joists had a small amount of old fiberglass insulation, providing very little impact for the home's comfort.
• The exterior walls exposed to the attic spaces had exposed masonry units with many holes, gaps and cracks. These exterior walls were a main culprit of air infiltration into and out of the home.
  
• Attic spaces did not have adequate ventilation.
• Penetrations of plumbing stacks, electrical wiring and outlets, skylights, etc. were not properly sealed between the attic/exterior/floor joists and between the attic and the finished interior spaces.

click image to enlarge

As a result of this analysis, Green Space recommended and performed the following improvements:

• Remove all old fiberglass batt insulation from the interior walls exposed to the attic spaces.
• Install fiber mesh at interior wall studs, and dense pack with blown cellulose insulation.
• Install blown cellulose insulation in floor joists to a thickness of 16", providing an R-value of 30.
• Install rigid foam insulation over exposed masonry units. Sealed all air penetrations, gaps and seams with spray foam insulation.
• Installed roof turbines at each attic space, allowing for proper ventilation at each space.
• Sealed all penetration of plumbing stacks, electrical wiring and outlets, skylights, etc. between the attic/exterior/floor joists and between the attic and the finished interior spaces with spray foam insulation.

click image to enlarge

The end result of this project was substantially increased efficiency and comfort. In addition to providing a more comfortable living space, and lowered utility bills, this project was also eligible for tax credits. Contact us for a free assessment of your home's energy efficiency!

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.

LEED Platinum Residential Homes in St. Louis

Green Space Construction is the builder on a new residential housing development in University City that will be breaking ground soon. We have partnered with U. City, Arcturis and Washington University to bring this innovative offering to market. Five new eco-friendly homes are going to be built in University City this summer and should be available for moving in by November! The project designers are focused on creating exciting modern designs that are very affordable, between $120,000 and $200,000.


Washington University recently featured the uHome designs on their news site. Check them out by clicking here.

For more information, please visit www.uhomeucity.com or call Green Space Construction at 636-675-3330.

Green Building Costs vs. Savings

One of the most common questions we hear regarding green construction, is the upfront costs of building green, compared to the long-term savings that are typically achieved. This article discusses these topics.

How cost-competitive are green buildings?

A 2003 study conducted for the California Sustainable Building Task Force shows that an initial increase in upfront costs of approximately 2% for green design will yield lifecycle savings of more than ten times the initial investment, or 20% of total construction costs (based on a conservative estimate of a 20-year building life).
Based on the study’s findings, if $40,000 in green design is initially invested to incorporate green features into a $2 million dollar project, the initial investment is repaid within two years. Over a 20-year period, savings amount to $400,000. This example shows the importance of performing a lifecycle cost analysis of green buildings, rather than simply taking a first-cost view of the green technology investments.

According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC), even the first costs of some green buildings are comparable to or less than prevailing construction prices in their areas, because of resource efficiency and correctly-sized mechanical, electrical, and structural systems. In standard buildings, these systems are often oversized, and therefore more expensive and less efficient.

Green Space Construction Co. is a general contractor and energy efficiency firm in St. Louis with a focus on green building and renovations, weatherization, energy efficiency improvements, as well as traditional building practices. Our core values are composed of eco-friendly building, superior craftsmanship, and dedication to excellent customer satisfaction. Visit our website at GreenSpaceConstruct.com.