Can This Home Be Greened: Room To Breathe
(Page 3 of 4)
March/April 2007
By Jacob Sandman
The Flints also replaced all existing window sashes with Energy Star, low-E, argon-filled, fiberglass sash replacement kits. Instead of removing the entire window, sashes were custom built to fit the existing window frames. (Sash replacement kits offer a less expensive, less involved alternative to replacing the entire window.) Fiberglass windows are stronger, longer lasting, and won’t outgas as vinyl windows do.
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COST: Icynene spray foam insulation in limited areas: $7,000. Nine replacement sash kits from Weather Shield: $5,800 (installed)
Priority #4: Lower the Power Bills
PROBLEM: Heating and cooling in the old house relied on a gas-powered air conditioner and an undersize furnace.
SOLUTIONS: Passive solar design helps keep the home comfortable year-round. Sunshades over the addition's first- and second-story windows block sun in the summer but permit light to shine on the floors in the winter. Stone tiles in the first-floor addition absorb the sun’s heat during the day and radiate it throughout the room after dark.
In addition, a heat pump in the attic provides second-floor heating and cooling. Abrams installed insulation on the underside of the roof and located registers in the attic, making it a conditioned space. These measures improve the heat pump’s efficiency and mitigate moisture issues. A high-efficiency furnace and high-efficiency air conditioning unit control temperature on the first floor and basement.
COST: Carrier HVAC system (includes a 93 percent efficiency furnace; a two-ton, 14 SEER A/C unit; a two-ton, 14.5 SEER heat pump; ductwork; two thermostats; plus installation): $22,800. NH
RX AT YOUR HOUSE (bring the wisdom home)
1. Do it right the first time. Home renovations are costly and demand huge investments in material, energy and time. Jumping into a renovation or addition before you’re ready can be wasteful. Wait until you know how you’re going to use your house. Consider how lifestyle changes related to children or your career might affect your needs before investing in something you could soon outgrow.