Insulation

Does your upstairs always stay hot even if you're running the AC constantly?

Do you have problems using certain rooms during the winter because they are too cold even with the heat on 80 degrees?

Almost 100% of the time these problems are due to the lack of insulation or the improper installation of insulation.

Poorly insulated homes are uncomfortable and waste enormous amounts of energy. The EPA and EnergyStar.gov report that over 65% of U.S. homes are currently under-insulated or not insulated at all!

First things first, when evaluating insulation it's important to first understand what insulation is and how insulation works.

The definition of insulation is...any material used to resist the transfer of heat. The rating scale used to determine the level of insulation's effectiveness is R-Value. Although most people don't know it, the R in R-value stands for resistance. The thicker the insulation, the greater it's ability to resist heat transfer.

Your auditor will inspect your home's insulation levels and make recommendations to achieve the maximum insulation levels recommended by the EPA and EnergyStar for your climate zone.

National Energy Audits installs the most advanced and sustainable insulation materials available... at a cost that is no more expensive than the common insulation you can find at the local hardware store. Due to the volume or work we implement throughout the U.S., we're able to meet and beat the prices from all other companies.

All of the insulation materials used by National Energy Audits are environmentally friendly, mold and mildew resistant, fire resistant, non-toxic, and pest resistant.

EcoBatt:

An innovative, sustainable, batt insulation with no petroleum-based chemicals or formaldehyde. Think of it as the greenest form of insulation available, only it's brown.

EcoBatt insulation doesn't look like any insulation you've ever seen, because its natural brown color represents a level of sustainability never before achieved. Unlike traditional fiberglass insulation (think pink or yellow) EcoBatt technology contains no phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors. EcoBatt Insulation is certified to GREENGUARD for Children and Schools...which means better indoor air quality for the whole family.

EcoBatt Insulation combines sand, one of the world's most abundant and renewable resources, with post-consumer recycled bottle glass to create the most innovative form of sustainable insulation available.

The benefits of EcoBatt:

Sustainable:

• Made primarily from sand, one of the world's most abundant and renewable resources
• No petroleum-based chemicals
• No phenol, formaldehyde, acrylics or artificial colors

High Recycled Content:

• Contains a minimum of 30% post-consumer recycled glass content

Acoustical Performance:

• Drastically reduces airborne sound transmission
• Significantly improves acoustic ratings of wall configurations

National Fiber Cel-Pak Blown-In Cellulose:

The most technologically advanced, organic and efficient form of cellulose available.

National Fiber's Cel-Pak Cellulose Insulation is the greenest choice available for cellulose applications.

Cel-Pak Cellulose Insulation uses over-issue newsprint (daily newspapers that went unpurchased), paper drive paper, and other high-quality recycled paper, all refined to cellulose fiber. Unlike other manufacturers, Cel-Pak is hand sorted paper to remove glossy inserts like ads and coupons, twine, metal - anything that isn't good, clean uncoated paper stock, making Cel-Pak the cleanest cellulose insulation you can buy.

A natural mineral borate (never ammonium sulfate) is added to the cellulose fiber, which provides our Class A fire rating and resistance to mold and pests.

Cel-Pak provides the highest levels of sustainability, optimum density for unsurpassed coverage and performance. Other performance and sustainable features are as follows:

• The lowest amount of dust than any other cellulose available
• Permanent fire resistance with superior flame retardant qualities
• Significant sound barrier and moisture control
• Contains no formaldehyde, asbestos or glass fibers
• The lowest settling density provides for maximum coverage
• Highest level of recycled content over any other cellulose or insulation material available

Radiant Barrier:

A form of reflective insulation used by National Energy Audits that drastically reduces heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter.

Radiant barrier was a product originally developed by N.A.S.A. for use as a heat shield on spacecraft and in space suits; radiant barriers are not a new technology by any means. National Energy Audits' radiant barrier blocks 97% of radiant heat gain and is perforated, allowing moisture to pass through. It is not a vapor barrier.

By blocking 97% of the radiant heat gain in an attic, radiant barrier will decrease the temperature of the insulation by 20 to 30 degrees.
Unlike traditional insulation, which merely slows the transfer of heat into a building, radiant barrier actually stops the transfer. Instead of acting as a buffer layer between the outdoor heat and the cool air inside, radiant barrier, actually reflects that heat away from the home.

So, what does this mean in the wintertime, when you want to keep a house warm? Just as this protective layer reflects heat away and holds in the cold air during the summer, it also serves to retain heat inside the house during the cold months.

Below are some facts about National Energy Audits' radiant barrier:

• Reflects 97% of radiant heat
• Class A / Class 1 Fire Rating
• Non-toxic / non-carcinogenic
• Not affected by moisture or humidity
• Radiant Barrier will only raise a roof temperature by 2 degrees as tested by Oak Ridge National Laboratories. So it will not decrease a roofs life span.
• An aluminized cloth that comes in rolls and is perforated to allow for ventilation.

In addition to the insulation solutions listed above, some of the other forms of insulation used by National Energy Audits are:

• Various types of rigid foam board
• Closed cell spray foam
• Duct insulation
• Pipe insulation