Vibe Spring2025 - Flipbook - Page 26
CONTINUOUS INSULATION OUTSIDE
Continuous insulation may be added on outside or inside of the
exterior walls.
CONTINUOUS INSULATION INSIDE
Adding continuous insulation on the inside of the exterior walls is
simpler and less costly, though there is a slight decrease in continuity
where vertical and horizontal studs cross.
Invest in the Building Envelope
loss) in a typical home is due to air escaping through the walls
and roof. Flexible tapes, caulking, and foam products need to
be carefully installed from the foundation to the roof so gaps
are closed. A blower door test to measure the amount of infiltration and identify air leaks prior to closing up walls is another
good investment; some jurisdictions now require it. One note
of caution: with tighter building envelopes, it is no longer
possible to count on drafty windows for fresh air. Mechanical
ventilation, discussed below, is imperative.
Given a compact design, the next most important steps are to
maximize insulation and minimize infiltration in the building
envelope. Building codes have been increasing the R-value of
insulation required for the past 30 years (R-value is a measure
of resistance to heat flow) and recently many have added a
Sealing seams and penetrations in the building
envelope is equally important. Up to 25 percent of
the heat loss (or cooling loss) in a typical home is
due to air escaping through the walls and roof.
requirement for continuous insulation to prevent thermal
bridges in the building envelope.
Think of it as putting a sweater on the house so the wall
studs don’t conduct heat directly to the exterior on a cold day
[see illustrations above]. Adding insulation beyond that required by code is a good investment and provides the biggest
bang for the buck. Various types of insulation can be used to
accomplish this, but there are some environmental trade-offs
with the higher R-value products. Triple-pane windows are
worth considering as an additional way to increase the R-value
of the overall envelope, but they have a longer payback period
than insulation.
Sealing seams and penetrations in the building envelope is
equally important. Up to 25 percent of the heat loss (or cooling
26
Smart Heating—and Cooling—Solution
For homeowners seeking efficient and reliable green heating
solutions, ducted heat pump systems with propane backup
are gaining popularity in the north country. This hybrid system
combines the efficiency of a heat pump with the reliability of
propane heating, along with distribution for balanced comfort.
A ducted heat pump system operates by transferring heat
between the indoors and outdoors. In warm weather, it extracts
heat from inside the home and expels it outdoors, functioning
as an air conditioner. In cold weather, it reverses the process,
pulling heat from the outside air to warm the home. However,
when temperatures drop significantly, heat pump efficiency
decreases. To address this limitation, a propane backup system
kicks in when the heat pump struggles to maintain indoor temperatures. This dual-fuel approach ensures that homeowners
benefit from the energy efficiency of a heat pump while having
the reliability of propane heat during extreme cold.
Compared to heating systems that rely solely on fossil fuels,
a hybrid heat pump-propane system reduces carbon emissions.
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