Attic Stairs Are A Heat Loss Culprit

Most homeowners don’t realize that the pulldown attic stairway is one of the biggest heat loss culprits in the house. Many of us don’t go up into the attic very often other than to get holiday decorations from storage or maybe grab the suitcases for an upcoming vacation. Because we don’t access the attic all that much, we often don’t realize how much the temperature up there fluctuates and how much heat and air conditioning we are losing through the space. 

I can’t tell you the number of times that I have gone into an attic to find frozen water droplets on the tips of the roofing nails. Because homes are underinsulated and underventilated, the attic gets very hot in the summer and below freezing in the winter. Condensation and moisture can become a major problem, causing rot in the wood and mold on soft surfaces. 

But then of course there is the heat loss issue. We all know that heat rises and because most Connecticut homes are majorly underinsulated, we end up losing tons of warm air through the attic hatch. Plenty of people use draft strips and different kinds of sealant on doors and windows, but this entry point is almost always overlooked even though it’s the most important. The same goes for whole-house fans.

One of the common solutions we always recommend is installing an insulated box to cover the attic entryway or a built-in house fan. An insulated box is made from heavy-duty insulation and sealed with expanding foam. The box sits on top of the stairs when they are folded inside the attic, creating a barrier that still allows the homeowner to access the space as they need to. This simple structure reduces the amount of heat loss seeping from the living space of the home, making for a much more comfortable and energy-efficient environment. 

I always recommend that homeowners have their insulation and ventilation checked to keep their homes healthy, reduce their energy bills, and live more comfortably. While insulation is a very cost-efficient and easy home improvement, an insulated box is an excellent solution to achieve some of the goals of an insulation-optimized house for just a few hundred dollars. You’ll be shocked at the difference it makes. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions 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.

Need a New Roof? Don't Ignore This Crucial Step

If you’re a regular reader, you know that roof insulation, ventilation, and airflow are my favorite topics to talk about. The reason I tend to focus on these areas is that, in nearly 50 years of business, I still cannot tell you how many homes in our area suffer from mold, mildew, and moisture problems. A house that can’t breathe is one that harbors bacteria, so not only are people living less comfortably than they should, but they are also subjecting themselves to long-term health problems like asthma, allergies, and lung function. 

No homeowner actually wants to believe their home is allowing moisture to thrive and many are intimidated by taking the proper steps to fix the problem. What’s worse is that many insurance companies won’t cover the cost of attic ventilation, which means that homeowners are skipping a crucial step in the re-roofing process. So let’s make this simple to understand. Here are five reasons why attic ventilation is absolutely necessary:

1. It’s the only way a roof will meet its life expectancy.

2. A shingle warranty will be void without it. 

3. It keeps a building up to code.

4. It ensures that the roof vents themselves are sufficient. 

5. It helps to guarantee that a replacement roof will be worth the thousands you’ll spend on it. 

In addition to the financial and structural benefits, there are comfort reasons too. Proper attic ventilation fights summer heat build-up and reduces the risk of ice dams and moisture in the winter. It keeps a house warmer in cold months and cooler in hot months so energy bills are lower and heating and air conditioning systems don’t have to work as hard. Plus, as I mentioned before, you’re lowering your risk of mold and mildew taking a stronghold in your attic, which can then spread into your living space and affect the air that you breathe every single day. 

According to a poll conducted by Roofing Contractor Magazine, more than 75% of North American homes today have improper attic insulation, including not enough or incorrect ventilation. If you’re getting your roof quotes from quality-focused contractors, this step will most certainly come up in conversation because without it, you’re investment is pretty much doomed. Proper insulation and ventilation keep a roof healthy and stable which means it’s much less likely to be damaged during the 20-plus years of abuse Mother Nature will throw at it, and then some. 

The bottom line? Make sure you deal with a roofing company that’s reputable and knows what they are doing. If there is no mention of insulation and ventilation in an initial conversation about replacing your roof, you’re better off looking elsewhere. How you replace your roof is your choice, but you deserve to know and understand all the options available. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions 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.

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.