How do I lower my utility cost

What home owner's are doing to keep the utility cost down.

 In Arizona where I live, the summer temperatures can get up to 122 degrees. It's a dry heat! Choosing the right insulation that will keep you cool in the summer months is very important. 

With different types of insulation on the market which one is the most efficient for your home? Let's start first with the types of insulation on the market.  Rolls and Bats, Loose fill, Rigid Foam and Foam in Place. The R rating makes a difference in how efficient it will be for your home.  

 Energy Star is the most recognized energy efficient source, so when it came to researching the efficiency of insulation I choose the information from the website  Energy Star  which describes the  R Value as "Insulation level are specified by R-Value. R-Value is a measure of insulation’s ability to resist heat traveling through it. The higher the R-Value the better the thermal performance of the insulation"  this keeps the utility cost down.  Depending on where you are living in the country a different R rating is needed. 

Recommended insulation levels for retrofitting existing wood-framed buildings

Zone	Add Insulation to Attic		Floor
	Uninsulated Attic	Existing 3–4 Inches of Insulation
1	R30 to R49	R25 to R30	R13
2	R30 to R60	R25 to R38	R13 to R19
3	R30 to R60	R25 to R38	R19 to R25
4	R38 to R60	R38	R25 to R30
5 to 8	R49 to R60	R38 to R49	R25 to R30

Recently renovated Luxury home By Knipp Contracting is located  at 5518 E Rockridge in Phoenix , Arizona  An affluent neighborhood near the Arizona biltmore is  insulated with Icynene Spray foam. Icynene insulation was applied to underside of roof and all livable areas. According to the department of energy web site "Foam-in-place insulation can be blown into walls, on attic surfaces, or under floors to insulate and reduce air leakage. You can use the small pressurized cans of foam-in-place insulation to reduce air leakage in holes and cracks such as window and door frames, and electrical and plumbing penetrations"  This G Street home will be rated Emerald the highest rating National Home Builders Association (NAHB) offers. 




Living in Arizona we took all precautions in ensuring this luxury home would be prepared for the harsh summers of up to 122 degrees. The example on the right shows the major source for Air Leaks, filling in the gaps could offer utility saving.     

The most common insulation for walls  would be bat insulation.  Ceilings would have the insulation blown in, usually an R- 30 value. According Wally with Knipp Contracting "R- 30 is the standard minimum".
 To improve savings in your home an easy way would be to raise the R- Value.


Should you have any questions about remodeling your home for lower utility cost contact us! 623-561-0803