The Hidden Value of Energy Star
by Maci McDaniel, National Marketing Director

We all know the Energy Star Program adds value to the construction of new homes. Some of the value is easy to identify like increased marketability and home sales, houses that have reduced utility bills for the buyer, higher construction standards and materials and so on. But what about the hidden value that sometimes gets overlooked; reducing warranty claims? Until recently, GWSSI had no data to support this claim even though we knew it was occurring. One of GWSSI’s large production builders was able to track their warranty claims for a year while participating in the Energy Star Program. They were able to account for a 20% reduction in warranty claims that could be attributed to their participation in the Energy Star Program. As stated by the builder, “This boils down to real dollars and cents.” How much is difficult to determine but it all goes to the bottom line. Warranty claims are one of the most difficult costs for a builder to estimate each year so when you can realize this kind of reduction it can have a significant impact on year end performance goals.

Another builder who has taken a look at the value of Energy Star in a different area has seen an increase in their customer satisfaction ratings since they joined the program. They have included as part of their buyer surveys how satisfied the homeowners are with their utility bills since buying their new homes and have received high marks. This too results in value to the builder in referrals and repeat business.

GWSSI encourages all builders to look past the obvious advantages Energy Star brings to their building program and realize some of the hidden advantages Energy Star is contributing to their bottom line.

Inspector’s Corner

Proper Installation of Insulation
by David B. Walker, National Operations Manager

First of all, let’s take a moment to understand the value and importance of insulation in a home. Insulation is designed to resist the flow of heat. This is one of the key factors in reducing energy costs. When we can supply a home with properly installed and adequate insulation, we are then able to control the consumption of the energy used. By reducing heat flow in a properly insulated building - less energy is used for winter heating and summer cooling. This is a significant value for the homeowner, which makes insulation very important. Since we can agree that insulation is important to the home and the homeowner, then the proper installation of the insulation is just as important.

The most common insulating material used today is fiberglass batts and rolls. Unlike other insulating materials such as blown cellulose, sprayed cellulose, rock-wool and various foam based materials – fiberglass requires more attention when being installed.

There are two types of fiberglass insulation being installed in the market currently. One is what is called “Un-faced” insulation. The other is “Faced”, meaning that it is produced with a facing material already attached from the manufacturer. This facing is considered a vapor retarder. Many of the vapor retarding faces consist of asphalt coated kraft paper, aluminum foil or plastic film. The purpose of the vapor retarder is to resist the movement of moisture vapor to cold surfaces where it could condensate to liquid water.

North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA) states that there are “three commonly accepted methods of installing faced insulation in wood framing.”  The first is “inset” stapling. This is when the insulation flange is stapled just inside the framing member. The second is “face stapling”. The flange is stapled to the face of the framing member where the flange of the next insulating member overlaps. The third is called “friction fit,” where no stapling is required. The high density of the insulation helps hold the batt in place without a noticeable loss in the moisture protection of the vapor retarder. According to NAIMA, un-faced insulation should be correctly sized in order to fit the cavity space between the framing members. Being un-faced, the insulation requires a “snug” fit in order to stay within the framing cavity.

The key element to any batt insulation product is the proper application. As stated previously, the insulation must be sized and installed correctly, in order to maintain the thermal performance. However, there are other things to keep in mind when installing insulation. Gaps, voids, compression and misalignment of insulation products must be avoided. These are the four major problems found in insulation installation. The insulation should be cut around electrical outlets; cut to fit over wires and plumbing pipes and not compressed in the framing member, so to avoid reduction of the R-value. Insulation should also “fill” the entire cavity. Often, the batt of insulation may be installed where it doesn’t meet the top and bottom portions of the framing cavity. The idea here is to insulate every square inch of the framing cavity. It is also important for the insulation to create a thermal boundary. This thermal boundary is obtained when the insulation comes in contact with the “air-barrier.” In most cases, the air-barrier is the wall board used to close the cavity within the house. When the air-barrier and the thermal boundary meet, it provides resistance against warm air “convection” between the two surfaces. For more information about insulation, and its proper installation, contact us at 1-888-488-0206.


Efficiency Updates

Fresh Air Stickers Available Soon!

As a result of demand from our builders, GWSSI has developed a sticker to be applied in homes using mechanical ventilation. The stickers help to inform homeowners that their homes are equipped with mechanical ventilation as well as maintenance requirements for these systems. The stickers are designed to be installed on the outside of the equipment in the attic in a highly visible location. They can then become part of a builder’s warranty program and explained to the home owner on their final walk through. If you are interested in purchasing these stickers for your homes, please contact GWSSI with your quantities at info@gwssi.com.

GWSSI’s New Energy Star Brochures are Almost Ready!

Please contact Maci McDaniel (281-932-5434) to place your order today! These brochures can be customized with your logo and are a great tool to use in selling Energy Star homes.

GWSSI Wins EEBA Award

GWSSI was recently honored at the 2003 Energy & Environmental Building Association (EEBA) Conference with EEBA’s Technical Achievement Award for 2003. The award recognizes companies for significant technical achievements essential to the understanding of the energy and environmental performance of buildings.  GWSSI is honored to have received this recognition from EEBA.