I’m always looking to learn new ideas and sometimes get reminded of money saving projects that can save homeowners and investors money while doing deals. Hopefully this will help you out and give you some good ideas like it did me.
Enjoy!
By Geoff Williams | U.S.News & World Report
The attic. If you're interested in only heating and cooling the parts of the house that you live in, and not, say, the drafty attic you rarely visit, Zuber suggests homeowners seal up the air in the upper part of their homes.
"Have someone go up in the attic and seal any penetrations between the ceiling and the attic, like where the pipes and vents go through, and add spray foam insulation to the rim joists in their basements or crawl spaces," Zuber says. "This is the area above the concrete or concrete block wall, where the floor framing meets the exterior wall. Adding attic insulation also provides a nice return on investment if there's less than 10 inches of existing insulation."
Why is that important? The thinner the walls, the faster heat passes through. The more insulation you have, the longer your house stays warm in the winter, and in the summer, it'll stay cooler longer, since the heat from outside can't get inside as quickly.
If you're really into this project, Zuber suggests hiring an energy auditor or home energy rater to test your house and recommend the most cost-effective insulation and air sealing techniques.
Typical cost: A can of spray foam insulation only costs about $6. Of course, if you hire an energy auditor or home energy rater, plan on spending $400 to $500. And if you send a professional handyman up to the attic with a can of $6 spray foam insulation, you may want to add another $100 to your cost.
Typical savings: Again, it's hard to quantify, but if all you have to spend is $6 on a can of spray foam insulation, and you find even one gap to fill, you'll probably come out ahead.
Happy Investing!
I’m always looking to learn new ideas and sometimes get reminded of money saving projects that can save homeowners and investors money while doing deals. Hopefully this will help you out and give you some good ideas like it did me.
Enjoy!
By Geoff Williams | U.S.News & World Report
The attic. If you're interested in only heating and cooling the parts of the house that you live in, and not, say, the drafty attic you rarely visit, Zuber suggests homeowners seal up the air in the upper part of their homes.
"Have someone go up in the attic and seal any penetrations between the ceiling and the attic, like where the pipes and vents go through, and add spray foam insulation to the rim joists in their basements or crawl spaces," Zuber says. "This is the area above the concrete or concrete block wall, where the floor framing meets the exterior wall. Adding attic insulation also provides a nice return on investment if there's less than 10 inches of existing insulation."
Why is that important? The thinner the walls, the faster heat passes through. The more insulation you have, the longer your house stays warm in the winter, and in the summer, it'll stay cooler longer, since the heat from outside can't get inside as quickly.
If you're really into this project, Zuber suggests hiring an energy auditor or home energy rater to test your house and recommend the most cost-effective insulation and air sealing techniques.
Typical cost: A can of spray foam insulation only costs about $6. Of course, if you hire an energy auditor or home energy rater, plan on spending $400 to $500. And if you send a professional handyman up to the attic with a can of $6 spray foam insulation, you may want to add another $100 to your cost.
Typical savings: Again, it's hard to quantify, but if all you have to spend is $6 on a can of spray foam insulation, and you find even one gap to fill, you'll probably come out ahead.
Happy Investing!