A West Michigan Based Insulation Blog

All over Grand Rapids, Kent & Ottawa Counties new homes continue to be built. They have hardwood floors, granite counters, custom built-in cabinets, drawers that close themselves, trim packages that include wainscoting, plush carpeting, stainless appliances and other eye candy that makes potential buyers say “ooh ahh.”

While the expression “lipstick on a pig” could be offensive to some, it is also what could be a spot on description. After all, it is hard to be sure how much quality a builder put into the things that a homeowner does not see. The doors and windows may look nice and be labeled as “Low E” but were they set with enough room to properly insulate around them? Was the house framed with quality, high grade lumber or was back-lot, sawmill rejects used? The furnace might be 90%+ efficient, but do any of the supply or return ducts run though unheated space? The house might be “Energy Star Certified” but what kind of insulation was used in the walls?

The Building code is not perfect and neither is the current Energy Code. It is still possible to cut corners when it comes to satisfying the Energy Code and some builders do. It’s easy to notice a poor paint job, cheap wood work and entry level appliances, but it is hard to identify a poor insulation job.  When buying a used home one could ask to see the previous year’s heating / cooling bills, but when you purchase a new home you have to wait to see how your home heats / cools to find out if you purchased quality.  Special labels and certifications are designed to give the home owner sound of mind and often they represent quality, but like the Building & Energy Code, they are not perfect and contain loopholes.

Most builders pay attention to the details of things potential clients see. To truly get a handle on a builder’s care / quality level, ask them about things that are not so easily observed, if they take the time and pay attention to the details that are not seen then you can get a handle of the overall product that they will deliver to you, the home owner.

Remember that satisfying the Energy Code does not guarantee a quality insulation job. Here are some things that indicated a quality insulation job:

-          Was the house properly air sealed?

• Bottom Plates, Headers, Exterior Penetrations, Excessive Stud Gaps: caulked or foamed

-          Were the sidewalls insulated with a sprayed product?

-          Were the baffles air sealed? Or for that matter, does the home have adequate attic ventilation?

-          How is the basement insulated?

-          Does the attic have a minimum of R-38 sprayed cellulose?

-          Does all cavity insulation contain a rigid barrier behind it?

For the record, you want a “yes” or “affirmative” to all of the questions.  A yes answer to all of the questions may not guarantee a top of the line home and it is possible to have a quality insulation job without a “yes” to the above questions, but they are a good start and insulation is a one of the first corners a builder will cut with trying to save costs.

It’s been some time since I added something to my blog.  Happily it was a busy summer for the Air-Tite family and the Emmitt household. While things are still busy on both fronts, the changing seasons has weatherization on people’s minds. The big-box stores all over Grand Rapids / West Michigan are promoting insulation with sales and promotions all over the place. Here is a list of some simple things to remember about weatherization:

• If needed, additional insulation will earn you the greatest return on investment
• Other weatherization items consideration: Caulking drafty windows and doors / New weather stripping / Draft Stoppers  (at bottom of doors) / Insulated attic scuttles / Air sealing attic & wall penetrations / Plastic windows (if needed) / Storm Door (if practical)
• It is important to make sure you attic space breathes to the outside. Proper attic ventilation does little to change your heating bill but is crucial for helping to prevent and eliminate ice buildup
• Big Box Store employees will not purposefully give you incorrect advice, however they only  deal with insulation / weatherization a couple months a year and make suggestions from corporate down
• Air-Tite only handles insulation / weatherization. Insulation is not just a part of an isle, in the building material department; insulation and energy efficiently is our expertise.  Understanding the best methods, best products and providing a quality service is how we continually grow as a company
• Just because something has an “Energy Star” label on it does not necessarily mean you need it or have to use it

When out with friends in Grand Rapids, or really anywhere in West Michigan, I’m often asked “Do you think I need more insulation?”

My immediate thought is “Yes, lots of insulation!”  but most people want more specifics.

So, here are some preliminary “do it yourself” methods for determining if you need our expertise.

- Do you have at least 12″ of insulation in your attic?

- Is your house more than 10 years old?

- Does your house accumulate massive icicles when snow is on the roof?

- Does your furnace run constantly?

- Does your house feel drafty and cold all winter?

- Do you feel you have abnormally high heating bills?

If you answered “yes” to at least one of these questions, give us a call, we can help!

Builders sometimes ask me, “How would you insulate if this were your house?”

Living in West Michigan insulation is a very important aspect of the home construction and it is often overlooked.  I personally don’t want to cut large checks to DTE, Consumer Energy, MichCom, Lansing Board of Water and Light or any other utility company. I want to keep my energy bills low.

If I only planned on living in the home a few years, the smart answer is sprayed cellulose in the sidewalls and attic. Seeing as I receive an “owner’s discount”, my answer is slightly skewed, but to simplify – based on comfort, air quality, energy consumption, sound and home value, I recommend the following package: (A side note – the following brands that I am listing are all brands that I carry, another reputable brand for the same project will probably do just as well)

- Sidewalls: 3″ Average (2″ Min) – Sprayed 2 LBS, Icynene MD-R-200, Foam

- Rim Joist: 4″ Average (3″ Min) – Sprayed 2 LBS, Icynene MD-R-200, Foam

- Attic: All Drywall Seams, Penetrations, Baffles and Above Top Plates: Sealed with 1″ Min – Sprayed 2 LBS, Icynene MD-R-200, Foam. Also, R-55 Stabilized Applegate Cellulose

- Sound Work: All Pipes wrapped, Subfloors w/ 6″ Unfaced Fiberglass /  3″ Fiberglass Batts around all Bath’s / Laundry /Bedrooms / Office

- Additional Work: All Double Studs on Exterior Walls (including but not limited to: headers, baseboards, top plates, etc) with 30 year caulk

- Side Notes: For sound reasons only, the interior walls around guest powder room, laundry room and master suite would be double framed with a 1/2 gap between the two walls and insulated with sound batts.

All over the Grand Rapids Press, Weekly Advance, Holland Sentinel, etc.. a reader can find advertisements for “free estimates”.  The offer of “free estimates” isn’t limited to newspapers but include sources like websites and mailers all over West Michigan. These ads cover  services like gutter, windows, lawn care, roofing and my own insulation. I used to be a practitioner of the “free estimate” offer, but no more!

For the consumer – you the homeowner – be warned, FREE ESTIMATES ARE NOT FREE.  In fact, you end up being billed more for a free estimate than if you were charged upfront, because you are paying for time spent estimating jobs that were not accepted by other people.

Let me elaborate:

As a small business owner and chief estimator I know that I’m only going to get a fraction of the jobs that I bid. So, in addition to “time + material + overhead” I have to add “time spent not getting jobs I bid” – which includes drive time, time in your attic, time talking to you, time crunching numbers and time following up to try and schedule the job.

Frankly speaking, per unit, estimator costs are not that much.  So, we’ve started charging for our estimates and it works out really well for all parties involved.  We charge $100.00, payed upon arrival and if you accept our bid, that $100.00 is deducted from the final invoice, like a down payment. If after inspection WE determine that we cannot help you lower your energy costs, we refund the $100.00 immediately.

The most commonly asked question is: “How do we know you don’t just mark the estimate up $100.00?”

Answer: Because if you have a cheaper quote by a reputable competitor, that is apples to apples, we’ll beat it by  5%.

$100.00 Estimate Fee – $100.00 Discount if you use us. Guaranteed lowest price or we beat it by 10%.  Up to 40% Annual savings off you Heating and Cooling Bills!

Air-Tite Insulation is a company that dedicated to treating it’s customers with respect and integrity. We are not here to swindle homeowners out of $100.00 inspection fees. Rather, we are here provide quality insulation, with professional service, at an affordable price – and that’s what we do.