BUILDERS

AREAS OF AIR MOVEMENT
How does air escape?
Air infiltrates into and out of your home through every hole, nook and cranny. About one -third of this air infiltrates through openings in your ceiling, wall and floors.
(Source: Department of Energy).

Checking your home's insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-efficient ways to use a whole house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars. A good insulating system includes a combination of techniques that protect a home from outside temperatures - hot and cold, protect is against air leaks, and contral moisture. You can increase the comfort of your home while reducting your heating and cooling needs by up to 10% by investing in proper insulation and sealing air leaks. According to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling accounts for 40-60% of the energy used in the average American home. Rigid foam insulation typically is more expensive than fiber insulation, but it is very effective in buildings with space limitations and where higher R-values are needed. Rigid foam insulation r-values range from R-4 to R-6.5 per inch of thickness (2.54cm), which is up to 2 times greater than most other insulating materials of the same thickness. Foam in place insulation can be blown into wall which reduces air leakage.

According to the Department of Energy, heating and cooling accounts for 40-60% of the energy used in the average American home. Rigid foam insulation typically is more expensive than fiber insulation, but it is very effective in buildings with space limitations and where higher R-values are needed. Rigid foam insulation r-values range from R-4 to R-6.5 per inch of thickness (2.54cm), which is up to 2 times greater than most other insulating materials of the same thickness. Foam in place insulation can be blown into wall which reduces air leakage.

ADD STRENGTH TO YOUR BUILDING

During installation, the polyurethane foam bonds tight to the framing and adds strength to the building. The expanding foam effectively insulates tight areas that are hard to seal-like the space behind eletrical outlets. You don't even need 2"x6" studs to achieve optimum R-values. You save on construction cost and benefit from continued energy savings throughout the life of the home.

NONVENTED HOT ROOF SYSTEM
Spray polyurethane foam insulation creates a seamless, monolithic seal with the roof deck. There is no way that heat can build up between the insulation and the roof decking. Our product applied at 2" can stop temperatures up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit from transferring into the interior of the attic. Eliminating heat from entering the attic area also eliminates the need for ventilation, which would be in place to allow heat to escape.
Chemical Design Corporation has thousands of satisfied customers who have chosen this system. This is by far the most energy efficient method to insulate any structure. Stopping the heat at the point of entry just makes a lot more sense than having an attic that reaches temperatures well above 130 degrees. This also benefits those homes that have HVAC units and ductwork in the attic space. It allows the unit to work more efficiently and can prolong the life of the unit.

Click here to learn more.


BUILDING CODES

DEFINITION OF FOAM PLASTIC INSULATION:
A plastic that is intentionally expanded by the use of a foaming agent to produce a reduced-density plastic containing voids consisting of open or closed cells distributed throughout the plastic for thermal insulating or acoustical purposes and that has a density less than 20 pounds per cubic foot (pcf) (320kg/m3).

CODE APPROVAL SECTION CHAPTER 26 OF THE 2006 INTERNATIONAL BUILDING CODE SECTION 2603

2006 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE

BUILD ENERGY CONSERVATION INTO YOUR HOUSE OR COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL SITE
Use spray polyurethane foam from Chemical Design to fill and seal all gaps ina nd around the bulding framework. This unique insulation is spray applied directly into stud cavities or other surfaces, sealing joints and cracks throughout the structure. The spray polyurethane foam expands and fills unwanted voids in the building envelope to stop air infiltration. Spray polyurethane foam quickly cures to a rigid monolithic insulation that holds tight and helps make the structure stronger. The spray polyurethane foam's performance enhances the mechanical ventilation equipment's abilitiy to provide a controlled, properly ventilated environment. The spray polyurethane foam system also seals and reduces the temperature differences between the outside and inside wall - preventing convection currents of air from looping up and down in the walls.

THE R-VALUE MYTH
"R" refers to resistance to heat flow. These measurements are taken in a laboratory environment. But heat flow resistance is only part of the formula for effective insulation. R-value doesn't measure the amount of air infiltration or moisture that penetrates through an insulated wall. In short, the measurement doesn't factor in real-world weather conditions. The only way to elimate air infiltration and moisture is to completely seal the building tight and use mechanical ventilation equipment to regulate moisture and balance indoor air pressures.
(For more on the R-value Myth, click here).

HVAC: BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER
WITH HVAC SYSTEMS

Determining the correct size of residential heating and cooling equipment is key to achieving comfortable interior conditions - temperature and humidity - and saving on initial and operating costs. Size of cooling systems is particularly critical for optimal energy efficiency and comfort. When equipment is oversized, initial costs are higher, efficiency is reduced, energy costs increase, and comfort may be compromised. One Florida study showed a typical 9 percent increase in annual space cooling electricity usage for units that were oversized by 50 percent or more.

Correctly sized equipment is especially impor­tant in humid climates, where short-cycling of air conditioning equipment can lead to poor humidity control. Similar to an automobile in stop-and-go traffic, the overall efficiency of an air conditioner, furnace, or heat pump is reduced by excessive cycling. More starts and stops accelerate wear and tear on the equipment, which can lead to premature failure.

Oversized systems also use more fan power for the blower and often exhibit more duct leakage due to higher operating duct pressures. Finally, oversized air conditioners and heat pumps greatly aggravate the summer utility peak demand on hot days. In the Flordia study cited above, a 10 percent higher summer peak electrical demand was correlated to oversized untis. To view the entire article, please click here.
Source: Office of Building Technology; Right-sized heating and cooling equipment.

 





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