Save On Energy Costs with This Home Improvement

With the leaves falling and winter weather knocking on our doors, there is no better time to start preparing the house for what will probably be a very expensive winter if your house isn’t insulated.

I’ve been in the attics of thousands of homes in this area and I can tell you that 75 percent of them aren’t insulated the way they should be. Insulation acts as a barrier, helping to keep warm air inside the house by slowing the flow and stopping the heat from getting outside. The problem is that most homes, especially older ones, do not have enough insulation to keep up with our cold winters. In fact, many homes around here have barely enough insulation to withstand the cold months in Florida. 

So, how do you know if you have proper insulation? You’ll need to find out where you currently have (or don’t have) insulation, what type of insulation is installed, and what its “R-value” is. The R-value is the materials’ resistance to heat flow, so the higher the R-value, the greater the insulating properties. Once you have this information, you can determine how much additional insulation you need, which will be dependent on our Connecticut climate, your house size, and what kind of heating you have. This analysis can either be done by a qualified contractor or you can do it yourself if you’re comfortable working in the attic.

Once you determine what you need, there are two popular ways to get insulation into your home. A licensed contractor can either blow loose fiberglass under the floor in the attic or batts can be laid between the floor joists. There are pros and cons to each option and they depend on the size of the house, the clearance space, and what the attic is used for. I install insulation both ways and one is just as effective as the other - the best method is the one that works for your home.

The bottom line? The United States Environment Protection Agency says that with proper insulation, the average home in our area can save approximately 16 percent in total heating and cooling costs. For older homes, that number skyrockets to nearly 50 percent. What’s even better is that insulation almost always recoups its value when a house hits the real estate market.

So is it worth taking a look at insulation? If you like keeping more dollars in your wallet, I’d say yes. 

Bob O'Donnell is the owner of O'Donnell Bros, Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro”. All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O'Donnell Bros, Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only. 

Warped Siding is a Common Problem

A question I get from readers time and time again is about vinyl siding that looks “wrinkled” even when it’s new. Many people think warped siding is an environmental problem and that too much sun and heat or even the contrasting winter cold is what’s creating the damage. Little do they know that warping has very little to do with the weather and a whole lot to do with how it’s put on the home.

Let’s start with the real name of the problem. Siding that is wrinkling or warping is actually called “oil canning” or “stress buckling” and it happens when the siding isn’t installed properly.

All homes are made of natural materials such as wood, which expand and contract with seasonal changes. People love vinyl siding because it’s very low maintenance and offers fantastic curb appeal, but a DIY or inexperienced install can actually make a house look much worse, even with very new siding. 

Every house needs to expand and contract. While it might seem logical to nail vinyl siding tightly to make sure it doesn’t come loose, doing so will actually cause the panel to buckle because it can’t “breathe” with the house. That’s why most vinyl siding panels come with longer nail slots instead of small holes. It gives everything room to move and shift. 

Another possible siding installation pitfall is leaving too much overlap between panels. While you might think this creates a stronger bond, it actually restricts movement, causing the siding to stretch and then buckle in the same way.

Back to my reader’s question. Is there ever a time when the sun might cause siding to warp? The answer is not really, although I have seen damage from sunlight reflecting off an adjacent window. The only other thing that could cause an issue is your gas grill, so keep it far away from the house.

Once oil canning happens, the siding has to be replaced. Because the issue is installation, the product’s warranty is worthless and the manufacturer isn’t going to be responsible for the defect. While removing panels is pretty straightforward, it can be tough to get a color match if the siding is a bit older. 

These are all the reasons why it’s so important to work with a contractor who knows what he or she is doing. If you’re going to tackle this job on your own, make sure you do your research and know all the common mistakes that can be made. You don’t want all that hard work to result in a home aesthetic that’s anything less than perfect. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

A Vinyl Siding Conundrum

A reader recently wrote to me about a problem with her vinyl siding. The siding, which was only a few years old, had warped and started looking “wrinkled”, as she described it. At first, the reader thought it might be from direct sun exposure, but the wrinkling became visible all over the house, even in shady spots. What was she to do?

Warping is a fairly common problem with vinyl siding and it has nothing to do with the sun. The issue is actually called “oil canning” or “stress buckling” and it happens when the siding isn’t installed properly.

All homes are made of natural materials such as wood, which expand and contract with seasonal changes. People love vinyl siding because it’s very low maintenance and offers fantastic curb appeal, but a DIY or inexperienced install can actually make a house look much worse, even with very new siding. 

Every house needs to expand and contract. While it might seem logical to nail vinyl siding tightly to make sure it doesn’t come loose, doing so will actually cause the panel to buckle because it can’t expand and contract with the house. That’s why most vinyl siding panels come with longer nail slots instead of small holes. It gives everything room to move and shift. 

Another possible siding installation pitfall is leaving too much overlap between panels. While you might think this creates a stronger bond, it actually restricts movement, causing the siding to stretch and then buckle in the same way.

Back to my reader’s question. Is there ever a time when the sun might cause siding to warp? The answer is not really, although I have seen damage from sunlight reflecting off an adjacent window. The only other thing that could cause an issue is your gas grill, so keep it far away from the house. 

Once oil canning happens, the siding has to be replaced. Because the issue is installation, the product’s warranty is worthless and the manufacturer isn’t going to be responsible for the defect. While removing panels is pretty straightforward, it can be tough to get a color match if the siding is a bit older. 

These are all the reasons why it’s so important to work with a contractor who knows what he or she is doing. If you’re going to tackle this job on your own, make sure you do your research and know all the common mistakes that can be made. You don’t want all that hard work to result in a home aesthetic that’s anything less than perfect. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit http://www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.