Advanced
Technologies about insulating a new house
If you are buying
or building a new house, make sure that energy-saving
features are included. The Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) home insulation rule requires the seller of
a new home to provide information on the type, thickness,
and R-value of the insulation
that will be installed in each part of the house
in every sales contract. Many state or local building
codes include minimum requirements for home insulation.
Be sure that your new home or home addition meets
these building codes. You may wish to install insulation
beyond the minimum specified in such codes, especially
if those minimum levels are below those recommended
here. Also, Energy-Efficient Mortgages are available
through both government-insured and conventional
loan programs. These mortgages recognize that the
homeowner's energy payments will be less for a more
energy-efficient home, and therefore enable a buyer
to borrow a larger sum to cover the up-front costs
of improving the house's energy efficiency.
To keep initial selling
prices competitive, many home builders offer standard
(not optimal) levels of insulation, although additional
insulation would be a good investment for the buyer.
Builders participating in theEnergy Star Program
use third-party inspectors to not only ensure that
the correct amount of insulation has been used,
but also to ensure that it has been installed correctly.
It is always more
economical to install the recommended levels of
insulation during initial construction rather than
adding insulation later. Many insulation locations
are enclosed during construction process and it
is very difficult to add insulation to these locations
at a later time.
Now is also the time
to make your home air tight. Special products and
techniques are available to eliminate air leaks
between the walls and floor and between the walls
and ceiling. Encourage your builder to make all
clearances around doors and windows
as tight as possible and to properly caulk and seal
all such joints.
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