Ranch and Colonial Home Weatherization Guide
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This document provides information on weatherizing ranch and colonial style homes. It discusses identifying opportunities such as improving wall insulation from 1950s fiberglass batts to blown-in cellulose. Dense-packing cellulose can provide an air and thermal barrier. Split-level ranches require addressing two attic spaces and hatches. Colonials benefit from focusing on wall insulation, unfinished attic insulation and air sealing, and treating walk-up stairs. Attic ventilation and sealing chimney chases, vents and ducts are also covered. Heat pumps are an alternative to oil heating that can save up to 40% on costs.
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Ranch and Colonial Home Weatherization Guide
- 1. Weatherizing Ranch and Colonial Style Homes 1. Identifying Weatherization Opportunities and Challenges in a Ranch or Colonial 2. Using Mass Save to make these homes more energy efficient!
- 2. Green Needham Collaborative In 2012, Green Needham and Next Step Living have: Signed up 850 residents for home energy assessments 524 completed Energy Assessments in 2012 These assessments resulted in 155 weatherization jobs, which saved homeowners on average $500/year
- 3. Mass Save
- 4. WEATHERIZATION A comfortable, safe, and energy-efficient home requires Continuous thermal boundaries and air barriers that are in contact with one another. (US.DOE)
- 5. Ranch Style Homes • Many Built from 1940’s to Today • Easy To Install cost effective Insulation and Air Sealing • Good Solar PV Potential!
- 6. Wall Insulation in a Ranch Pre 1950: Possible that only a 1” sheet of aluminum foil like insulation present This can be improved through blown in cellulose Post 1950, most likely have a 3” Fiberglass batt, which can’t be improved on through Mass Save and blown in cellulose
- 7. Dense pack Cellulose: Air and Thermal Barrier Source:http://www.energysmartvt.com/media/dense-pack-insulation-exterior- preparation-3-400x300.jpg
- 8. Interior Dense Pack Insulation
- 9. Split Level Ranch Features 2 Attic Spaces 2 Attic Hatches or Doors Changes in Ceiling Height
- 10. Changes in Ceiling Height IDENTIFYING & AIR SEALING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE Attic Not only is the top of the wall uninsulated... Conditioned Conditioned Space Space Graphic courtesy of Anthony Cox
- 11. Changes in Ceiling Height IDENTIFYING & AIR SEALING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE The interior wall cavities act as a chimney that robs the house of heat and conditioned air. Graphics courtesy of Anthony Cox
- 12. Attic or Wall Hatches An uninsulated attic hatch is a gap in the attic’s thermal boundary. Air Barrier Thermal Boundary
- 13. Insulating Wall Hatches and Attic Hatches www.oldhouseweb. com
- 14. Thermadome free with Air Pull Down Stairs Sealing (Value $200) Yearly Savings $60 and Up! Thin plywood only barrier to cold attic. Big area of heat loss!!
- 15. Whole Home Fan Boxes • Good for cooling in summer • Can be Health and Safety In the winter, even with Concern (Combustion Safety vents closed, area of and BackDrafting) great heat loss! Treat with Fan Box (Thermadome)
- 16. Colonial Weatherization Areas to Focus on: Wall Insulation Unfinished Attic Insulation + Air Sealing Treating walk up stairs to Attic
- 17. Walk-Up Attics IDENTIFYING & AIR SEALING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE If the homeowner uses the attic fairly often: • The air and thermal boundaries must be established at the stairs, stairwell walls, and door to the attic stairs. • This approach leaves the stairwell open to the attic and outside the conditioned space. Graphic developed for the US DOE WAP Standardized Curricula
- 18. Walk Up Stairs to Attic D o o r
- 19. Photo courtesy of the US Department of Energy
- 20. Photo courtesy of the US Department of Energy
- 21. The door is insulated and weather-stripped. Photo courtesy of the US Department of Energy
- 22. Attic Spaces in a Colonial Un-floored Floored Dense Pack Cellulose Open Blown cellulose 6” R 18 + Air sealing at OBC up to 11” R 30 same time
- 23. Air Sealing An Attic
- 24. Attic Insulation: Open Blown Cellulose Source:http://www.buildinggreentv.com/files/images/atticInsulAweb. preview.jpg
- 25. Air Barrier IDENTIFYING & AIR SEALING THE BUILDING ENVELOPE A mechanical chase containing ducts can break the attic’s air barrier. Air Barrier Thermal Boundary Graphic developed for the US DOE WAP Standardized Curricula
- 26. Air sealing Chimney Chases Before After 1-2” Gap All Around Chimney: Add metal flashing and fire Allowing energy to escape caulking to seal up the gap from inside home
- 27. Ventilation Types Mushroom Vent Ridge vent Roof Vent Soffit vents
- 28. Ventilation Bath fans Improperly vented will cause moisture problems in attic Will also recommend adding an insulated ventilation pipe cover. Why? 1sf of ventilation for every 300sf of attic space Propavents
- 29. Heat Loan Helps Support HighEfficiency Heating Systems: Oil Customers can save 40% in heating costs by switching Single Pane to Double Pane Windows Conversion: Least Cost Effective but may be necessary with older homes
- 30. Heat Pumps NSL has partnered with Mitsubishi to offer their ductless mini-split heating and cooling system Why use a Total Climate Control: • CONTROL: Room-by-room heating and cooling in a single unit • AIR QUALITY: Filtered air circulation that improves indoor air quality • SAVINGS: Up to 40% less expensive to heat your home than oil and more efficient cooling than central air or window units • EASY INSTALL: No duct work or need to remove your current heating system
- 31. The Total Climate Control System Integrates Into Your Home’s Decor
- 32. Questions and Comments Michael Cucchiara Community Programs Manager Next Step Living 917-612-9190 Michael.cucchiara@nextstepliving.com
Editor's Notes
- This drawing shows how changes in ceiling height create gaps in the thermal and pressure boundaries.The top of the wall is uninsulated. Heat will flow from the conditioned space through the break in the thermal boundary up into the attic.
- Often there is no wall cap in this kind of construction.The open wall top allows even more heat loss because the interior wall acts as a chimney, carrying conditioned air and moisture away from the conditioned space.
- Need pic of Whole Home Fan Box
- Since the attic stairs were used often, it was better for the client to keep the stairwell “outside,” which means dense-packing the stairwell walls with insulation.This worker (who is also a trainer) is drilling the holes in preparation of installing insulation.
- Here, cellulose is being blown into stairwell walls.
- Walls are insulated and plugs replaced.The door to the living space is weatherstripped and insulated.
- Under Construction
- The air barrier is continuous, but it is not in contact with the thermal boundary.A mechanical chase containing ducts can break the attic’s air barrier.When the air barrier and thermal boundary are not in contact with each other, air flows through insulation, bringing heat and moisture with it.Q: Where might you see this in a home? A: Interior walls without top plates, and in ducts, plumbing, and electrical chases. Q: Where does the heat travel? A: Click to reveal heat path.