Semi dependant

Posted by Jay on May 17, 2008 at 12:22pm in Energy Independence

We will have to conserve our way to energy independence. There are alot of wasteful things we are doing that need adressed. Housing using alot of energy 40% goes to heating and cooling these places and a third of that is lost in leaking duct work in attics and crawlspaces. How can that be acceptable how wasteful. We complain about our heating and cooling bills and suffer the high cost of electricity then we find out about this hugh waste of energy. US Department of Energy do something to save this kind of waste.

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Permalink Reply by Jim C. on May 18, 2008 at 10:04am: Jay,
You are so right about the efficiency losses in duct systems in crawl spaces and attics. Uninsulated duct systems in these areas waste an unbelievable amount of energy.
In the past insulating duct work in a crawl space or an attic could be a time consuming, expensive, labor intensive and miserable task. Crawling around in a 100 degree attic full of roof trusses and fiberglass is torture and if your knee slips off of a celing rafter, it new dry wall time, if you fall thru - ouch!! Now you can get a new poly foam insulating kit for even the DIY'er that makes the job way easy and way less costly. I recently did a clients crawl space in just a little over an hour. This job in the past would have taken at least a full day. The really neat thing about this spray on foam is not only does it insulate the pipes and duct work it also seals any leaks at joints. Another great product that is available is insulated flex pipe available to make take-off runs from the plenum/trunk line to the register boots. The contractors that build these homes, WITHOUT INSULATING THE DUCTS, for the poor unsuspecting buyer that have these duct systems should be PISTOL WHIPPED! Look at touchnfoam.com, go to commercial, then, to the larger 2 tank spray systems.
Jim C.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jay on May 20, 2008 at 4:21pm: Thanks for the reply Jim I've always liked the foam method of insulation compared to fiberglass,rock wool,peralite and
cellulose the foam make for quick work and no sagging or pest problems.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jay on May 20, 2008 at 4:40pm: Whole houses can benifit from foam technology. Go see the system for building using no wood at american ingenuity.com
styrofoam and concrete structures on a slab foundation eliminate the following. no black mold ever styrofoam can't grow mold. no insect infestation carpenter ants,termites,rodents even cats can absolutly ruin a structure. Skunks,vermine
rattle snakes,fire ants,ect. If you have pests they can get in crawl spaces and shit die or reproduce everyone knows the little old lady who can't get ride of the cats under her home. The next worse thing is vynle siding salesmen and roofing contractors. These houses are immune from these type of contractors. no gutters to clean and no tab shingles to replace every five years or when ever the wind blows 70 MPH paint this one and it needs some more paint oh every five or ten years or so. It can use conventional windows and doors and with radiant floor heating these houises use 33% less energy
heating and cooling. Talk about a fit for alternative energy it's alternative housing match made for each other. GO SEE
I would have half a dozen windturbines and a couple tracking solar arrays to the kits and still come in hundred grand less than contractor built stick frame (flimsy walls,cellotex or wafer board)vynle or hardly boards siding. tab shingle peel off roofs and blowin dust forced leaks furnaces with black mold spreaders. pink fiberglass itch u lation and mold rock gypsum
all inferior buildsing methodes and materials.; ▶ Reply to This