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Ice dams are a common problem that form on buildings in areas that receive significant snowfall. It causes significant ice and icicle build-up on the edge of the roof which could cause water leakage and dangerous ice conditions in the case of falling icicles. Ice dams can occur on any building where temperatures reach below freezing for at least one full month per year, but are less likely to occur in very cold climates. There are many ways for ice dams to form, but in general, they are caused by snow melting on the upper part of the roof then refreezing near the edge to create an icy buildup and icicles.
Icicles may be pretty to look at but they can be extremely dangerous for passerby, especially if near or above common walking areas such as sidewalks or above doors.
There are several causes of ice dams, including:
- Lack of sufficient insulation
- Air leakage in proximity to the roof membrane
- An uninsulated heat source near the roof
- A difference in snow thickness along the roof
In all three of these cases, the snow on the roof acts as a thermal insulator. This causes the temperature close to to the roof to increase, thereby melting the snow. As this melted water runs down the roof, it accumulates at the edge of the roof where it refreezes due to cold air currents and the lack of insulation. (more…)
Last Tuesday, President Obama proposed a new energy saving program as part of the plan to boost the economy. This stimulus program, called “Cash for Caulkers” would provide rebates for homeowners making energy efficient weatherproofing improvements to their homes.
An incredibly large percentage of the energy wasted in the US comes from conditioned air in homes leaking out into the atmosphere. The specific improvements allowed are not clear yet, but it will be mainly pertaining to creating a seal to reduce wasteful airflow, including services like replacing windows, replacing old insulation or adding foam insulation, and caulking the cracks that lead to air leakage.
The legislation also known as Home Star is still being written, but it is expected that homeowners can get a 50% rebate for making their homes more energy efficient up to $12,000. (more…)
As announced in September in the Tribune, Chicago has become first place out of US cities for energy efficient building construction. In a report by the U.S. Green Building Council, Chicago beat the second place contender Portland, Oregon by 20% and third place Seattle by 40%. The ratings come from the number of buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. According to the Green Building Council, Chicago has 88 projects that are LEED certified.
Becoming the country’s leading city by building more energy efficient projects has been one of Mayor Richard Daley’s main goals. Every new public building in the city must achieve LEED certification. Also, any building that receives city funding must have a green roof or become green building certified. This is a great step, but there is some criticism that not all LEED-rated buildings live up to the name. (more…)
The Citizens Utility Board in Chicago announced some important news about new federal tax credits for homeowners. The tax credits increased this year for homeowners who make energy efficient or renewable energy upgrades to their homes. Energy efficient foam insulation is one of the products that can help you to qualify, and since most of our clients are making other energy-conscious improvements as well, we would like to let you know how to take full advantage of these new tax credits. There are several types of tax credits for homeowners, so we will walk you through each one. (more…)
Green, energy efficient homes are becoming more and more popular, not to mention more necessary. In order to cut down on expensive energy bills, and reduce harmful emissions. There is a lot of hype surrounding “green technology,” especially around wind and solar power. However, there are a few simple things you need to do to reduce your energy consumption before worrying about how to generate more power. These tips are especially useful for those building new houses, but can be applied to renovations in older houses as well.
1. Insulation
One of the main things to focus on when building an energy efficient house is proper insulation. Insulation’s main purpose is to stop the transfer of heat into/ out of the house. Many houses, especially those built before 1980, are not fully insulated and are losing a lot of heat through their walls. The insulation you choose should be holistically integrated into the design, with walls that allow enough room for the insulation to fit inside. This will vary depending on building practices in your region, as well as weather and building material.
2. Airtightness
While insulation is the thing that most people think of first when it comes to home energy loss, air leakage is often the real culprit. (more…)
As I mentioned in the previous entry, my passion is to help families live better lives in their homes. For 25 years, Icynene has been the exclusive domain of high end custom home builders in the Chicago area. I would like to see every house in the Chicago area be as energy efficient as possible.
The State of Illinois recently launched efforts to reduce its overall energy consumption. The Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program is an example of these efforts and promotes high efficiency, gas-saving products by providing cash rebates to customers of Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas through a line item on their monthly bill.
With the performance of Icynene attic insulation in your home, reducing your gas use for heating and cooling by as much as 50% for the life of the house, a rebate really is just icing on the cake. Icynene makes sense. Eco Tec offers Icynene at a very reasonable price and with exceptional service. Let’s say that Icynene adds $10,000 to the overall cost of a whole house project (many whole house projects come in at $5,000 – $6,000). You would be eligible for up to$750 in Program rebates, as well as a 30% tax credit from your Federal Tax Return on the cost of the materials, up to $5,000. That’s $5,750 in instant savings, not to mention the reduction in heating related costs!
Eco Tec is highly active in the Program and encourages our customers to consider high efficiency attic insulation. We are here to work with you to evaluate whch high efficiency attic insulation options work best for you.
Visit the Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program website to find out more about attic insulation rebates, or please contact us and ask how we can help you save energy and money.
Sincerely,
Tom Decker, Director of Sales
These are exciting times in the insulation and conservation sector of the Chicago market. Don’t get me wrong, these times are challenging and have affected me personally. For those of you that I have had the opportunity to meet, you know my passion for this product. My background is in the world of not-for-profit residential youth services organizations. I am in the insulation business to help families lead better lives in their homes, conserve resources and help families direct more money to their safety and security. If I can help one family save enough money to send their child to camp this summer or eat healthier food. This is the reason I am in this business.
I think that the opportunities we have today with the rebates will make our lives better, please let me know what I can do to help you. Everyday there are new programs and opportunities for middle and working class families to take advantage of conserving resources in their homes. Please visit the Chicago Center for Green Technology. For an overview of all of the programs that you may qualify for please visit www.energystar.gov. Eco Tec has been very productive in the Chicagoland Natural Gas Savings Program and has been working with the program administrators to push this program to more families across Chicago. Stay tuned and please let us know if you see a TV commercial or received a door hanger on your door.
One of our recent jobs posted their own blog about the experience of selecting Eco Tec and Icynene. Please read their testimonial to see what we can offer you.
For those of you who have heard me talk about my experience at running residential programs for special needs children please check out my old camp, Ramapo for Children. This is an amazing place. I am always happy to discuss it with you if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Tom Decker, Director of Sales
