Can This Home Be Greened? This Massachusetts Home Needs a Makeover
Two young parents want to improve the health and efficiency of their 1970s home.
September/October 2009
By Paul Marquis
 |
Efficiency is important in New England's cold winters and hot summers.
Photo By Paul Marquis
|
Nada and Paul Heredia and their infant son, Peter, live in a modest, 1,750-square-foot home in Canton, Massachusetts. Both commuters, they chose their home for its convenient location, walk-out basement and for the stream that runs along the backyard.
But it needs renovations. Nada and Paul’s top concern is providing a safe haven for their family—especially young Peter, whose recent kidney transplant and subsequent need for immunosuppressant medications make indoor air quality a top priority. The home also needs efficiency upgrades; their winter fuel oil bill is around $400 and the average monthly electric bill is around $100. The couple wants to replace their wall-to-wall carpeting, the rear deck, driveway and windows.
With some careful budgeting and a few trade-offs, the $50,000 or so that the Heredias have set aside should cover the necessary improvements.
RELATED CONTENT
Health advocate Michelle Harris was thrilled to offer up her own home for a head-to-toe green makeo...
A contemporary Lake Michigan home relies on good old-fashioned design—with a twist...
Natural Home launches energy-efficient house designs....
When Laura and Will Wear bought their house in Granby, Massachusetts, three years ago, they were en...
Efficiency and health concerns
Better insulation and windows will make the Heredia home more efficient. They must remove their moldy carpet.
1. Augment attic insulation.
I visited the home last winter on a 12-degree day when snow covered the neighboring roofs. The Heredias’ snow-free roof showed the attic is gaining heat from the home below. The attic insulation is 6 inches of fiberglass batts (R-19), installed irregularly, leaving gaps. An infrared scan of the roof rafters read about 46 degrees. The attic temperature would be closer to the outside temperature if it were properly insulated and vented.
Heat leakage into the attic also can lead to “ice dams,” which cause water to back up under roof shingles and potentially cause roof leaks. The icicles hanging from the Heredias’ roof were evidence of conditions leading to ice dams.
Solutions: Install at least 9 additional inches of insulation, preferably denim or formaldehyde-free fiberglass batts, or blown-in, loose-fill cellulose or fiberglass. Though they cost more than fiberglass, denim batts would be better for a do-it-yourself (DIY) project; the fibers are less hazardous and easier to work with than standard fiberglass. Seal the attic opening around the laundry room dryer duct, and insulate and weatherstrip the attic hatch.
Cost: $2,000; less than $500 as a DIY job; local utility may pay a substantial part of the insulation cost; contact utility or check the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE).
2. Insulate basement and remove carpet.
In the basement, carpet installed directly over a concrete floor has gotten moldy. Concrete basement floors and walls are colder than the enclosed air most of the year, resulting in condensation and ideal mold conditions—particularly in homes without central air conditioning (like this one).
Page: 1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
Next >>