Home energy efficiency is a complex topic that affects our energy bills, comfort, and indoor air quality. As leaders of residential energy conservation in Northern Virginia and Metro DC, The Fifth Fuel team is dedicated to educating home and business owners about building science concepts and how these concepts influence our built environment. For example, homeowners commonly think their heating and cooling system isn’t performing properly, when in reality, a home performance issue is causing uneven home temperatures.
Our blog is designed to provide useful information that can be applied to gaining an understanding of home energy efficiency, helping our customers to make informed choices about energy-saving home improvements including insulation, air sealing, and crawlspace encapsulation.
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Preventing Cold Spots or Rooms in Your Home
Fall is in full swing, and many homeowners living in and around Manassas, VA are beginning to notice cold spots popping up once again. Summer often hides these issues, but once temperatures begin to fall, cold spots make themselves known in short order. It’s easy to assume that the problem is due to a faulty HVAC system, but this is typically not the case at all.More often than not, cold spots or even entire rooms that are difficult to keep warm are the direct result of a leaky building envelope.
Inconsistent Temperatures in Your Home?
Fall is in full swing, and many homeowners living in and around Manassas, VA are beginning to notice cold spots popping up once again. Summer often hides these issues, but once temperatures begin to fall, cold spots make themselves known in short order. It’s easy to assume that the problem is due to a faulty HVAC system, but this is typically not the case at all.More often than not, cold spots or even entire rooms that are difficult to keep warm are the direct result of a leaky building envelope.
Could My House be Making Me Sick?
We often go to great lengths to ensure that the health and safety of our families never ends up in jeopardy. It’s one of the reasons why we make sure that cleaning liquids and other toxic chemicals are stored away neatly and out of reach of children within our homes. There’s more to creating a healthy home than just this, however—what if the home itself is a risk factor?
Where to Insulate Your Home
No matter what time of the year it is, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better solution to enhancing home comfort and energy efficiency than by focusing on insulation. It’s often assumed that insulation is most effective during the winter months, but it acts the same way during the summer, keeping conditioned air inside and outside air from entering the home.
The Key to a Comfortable Home This Summer
Take a walk outside, and there’s no doubt that temps here in the Northern Virginia area are rising steadily with each passing day. This has many homeowners doing whatever they can to keep their conditioned living spaces cool this summer, which can be easier said than done. At The Fifth Fuel, we believe that the key to a comfortable, efficient home is a properly sealed building envelope supported by the right amount of insulation.Think insulation is only for the winter months? Think again.
Is Condensation On Ductwork a Concern?
A ductwork system is the backbone of a home heating and cooling system, carrying the heated and cooled air from a central unit to the living spaces of the home. Out of sight, home ductwork is often forgotten by many homeowners. Issues relating to ductwork can, however, have a major impact on home performance and efficiency.
Solving Comfort Issues and High Utility Bills in Cape Cod Style Homes
Cape Cod-style homes date back to 17 century New England, where these charming homes were designed to withstand the elements. The homes are compact and have a simple rectangular footprint. A steep roof helped shed snow, relatively low ceilings made it easier to heat, and shutters helped keep wind out during storms.The revival of the Cape Cod homes began in the late 1920s and lasted for several decades. We now have many such homes throughout Northern Virginia and Metro Maryland.
