When you have a bonus room or bedroom in the attic that gets too hot in the summer you can think of installing solar-powered roof fans in the attic. The 

1. Improves the comfort levels inside the home: By raising the ventilation and by moving the stuffy and hot air out of the attic, the solar-powered roof fans work for lowering the attic temperature by up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The attic fans also help in keeping the rooms and their occupants below the attic cool. Keep in mind that the usual electric fans many times pull up carbon monoxide and dangerous fumes from the basement. The relatively gentle air-moving capability of the solar fans maintains the attic pressure at a safer level and provides effective airflow in the home as well.

2. Safety: The standard line-powered electric fans normally cost more to operate than solar-powered fans. They are also responsible for developing negative pressure with risks involved in pulling conditioned air from home inside the attic. There is also the hazardous possibility of pulling the gases such as carbon monoxide generated by the combustion appliances inside the house. Once the solar-powered or PV fan is in place it does not require much to operate.

3. Cost-efficient: Most of the benefits associated with PV fans will directly or indirectly result in saving your money. Although the energy savings by using solar-powered fans are usually moderate you can think of protecting the roof and increasing the life of the air-conditioners as well. Also, remember that homeowners and business owners can get a 30% federal tax credit for using renewable energy units.

4. Roof protection and quieter operation: During the summer months there is an excessive heat build-up inside the attic and it can also lead to damaged asphalt shingles. During the colder months, the moisture often gets condensed in the attic. This leads to all kinds of moisture-related damage such as mold, mildew, and rot. If you find that the metal object lying in the attic is rusting it is a good indication that you should get solar attic fans. Most people don’t use fans because of the noise they make. But, rest assured, the solar-powered fans are quiet and will not keep you awake at night.

5. Energy saving: Removing the excessive attic heat decreases the load on the air conditioning system in the house as the AC doesn’t have to run as much. But, keep in mind that running the conventional attic fans wastes more energy than they can save as a substitute for the AC units. The solar-powered attic fans use energy from the sun therefore you are decreasing fossil fuel consumption and the carbon footprint.

It is relatively easy to install the attic fans. However, the installation procedure requires roof penetration, therefore if you are not sure about the installation of the roof flashing it is a good idea to call the professionals such as Done Rite Insulation. if you live in the Clearwater, FL area. There are risks involved in working on the rooftop environment so give a call to the reputed business for a safe installation. Keep in mind that it takes just a little bit of time for the attic fan installation on the roof. So, you may start enjoying the benefits right away.

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Insulation is a great way to help keep your home cool. However, this gets a bit complicated when you consider that each part of your home has its own insulation requirements and 

Why you Should Care About Roof Insulation

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says that insulating your roof and attic is very important. They offer you the best return on investment. This is because heat rises and so it will end up in your home’s attic. Although it doesn’t get “cold” in Florida, there are still months when the weather is “cooler.” When this happens the air you’re paying your hard-earned money to heat will get trapped in your attic instead of getting circulated back into your home where it can keep you and your family comfortable.

When there isn’t any roof insulation in your home, hot air will also enter your home throughout Florida’s hot, summer months. As you work hard to keep the heat out of your home, this unwanted summer air can pose many problems. It will force your air conditioning system to work harder to keep your home cool.

Missing or inefficient insulation also means that cool air in your home can easily escape through your roof. Energy escaping your home in this way will also make your energy bills skyrocket.

How to fix Your Roof Insulation Problems

The best way to insulate your attic is with spray foam insulation. It’s specifically designed to seal air leaks and keep water and mold from entering your home. Applying spray foam insulation to your attic’s ceiling will also reduce and prevent rainwater damage – something that will also help protect your home’s integrity. However, you can’t just use any type of insulation here because your attic poses specific challenges. As such, you’ll need insulation that has a higher R-Value. The exact R-value depends on the type of heating system your home has but will range from 38 – 49, which is much higher than what’s required by your walls (R-Value of 13 – 18).

Installing spray foam insulation is a complex process. This is easier when you install it on new construction homes during the building phase. You can also consider this when you’re doing a home renovation. However, if you have an older home that needs roof insulation, don’t worry. Spray foam insulation works great in all homes.

One thing that’s important for you to remember is that after you install spray foam insulation, your home will need to vent for a few days to get rid of the fumes. During this time you won’t be able to live there. However, once the fumes clear, your home is safe for you and your family to return home to.

If you’re still confused about your roofing options, contact Done Rite Insulation. They’ve been helping clients, such as yourself, learn about their roofing options for the past 16 years. If it’s time to rethink your roof insulation, make sure you give them a call. They will conduct an assessment and discuss with you the best ways to improve the insulation in your home.

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People looking to buy their next home are growing increasingly aware that energy-efficient homes are a wise investment, and many are even willing to pay extra money for homes with “green” updates. Now that you know that this is a worthwhile investment, it’s time to look at what you can do here.

Discovering Smart Ways to Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient

The first step you need to take is to conduct an energy audit. Doing so will allow you to discover how to improve your home’s energy usage. You can do many different things here, but it’s wise to concentrate on those that cost the least but bring you the most value.

Appliances
You should first consider upgrading your appliances since they account for about 15% of your home’s energy consumption. You should consider the kilowatt-hour usage of a new appliance compared to your current one when doing so. Just because an appliance has a good Energy Star rating doesn’t mean it’ll use less energy than the one you already own.

Add Some Roof Insulation
Roof insulation is the best way to prevent heat from escaping from your home throughout the various seasons of the year. For instance, you won’t have heat entering your home during the hot Florida summer. This accomplishment isn’t something you can achieve simply by adding a new roof to your home.

One study, conducted in 2016 by Remodeling Magazine, discovered that adding roof insulation to your home costs around $1,300 but will net you a 116% return on investment. Energy Star agrees, and they’ve discovered that you can save $200 per year on your cooling costs simply by adding roof insulation to your home.

Windows
Consumer Reports say that it typically costs anywhere from $8,000 – $24,000 to replace your home’s windows. While it may take you a long time to pay this debt off, you can recoup some of the value immediately in your home’s energy savings. Energy Star estimates that you can save as much as 15% of your energy bill simply by upgrading to certified windows. With these figures in mind, there’s no doubt that this should be the next step you take once you’ve added more insulation to your roof.

Solar Panels
Although expensive to install, solar panels can save you an average of $3,000 each year. Considering the average installation cost is $12,500, you can pay this off in about four years. Afterward, you’ll be saving enough money to make the installation cost worthwhile.

Make More Money When You Sell Your Home

Before you sell your home, consider making some of these energy-efficient updates. One of the most important updates you can make is adding some roof insulation to your home. Although you probably don’t know anything about how to accomplish this task, you can rest assured that we’re here for you at Done Rite Insulation in Pinellas County, FL.

We’ve helped many homeowners add roof insulation to their homes throughout the years. They’ve watched as the value of their home increased thanks to this one simple update. Contact us today if you want to see your home’s value increases.

Picture Credit: Pexels

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1. Ensure that attic and walls are well insulated: If you can provide effective insulation, it will slow down the heat flow rate into the house in summers and out of the home in winters. Therefore, you will need lesser energy for heating or cooling the house. In case there is no insulation on the walls and they have cavities such as stud walls, you can use blown-in insulation to improve the comfort zone and save a sufficient amount of energy to be cost-effective. In case the attic is not in a finished condition, you can upgrade its insulation.

2. Replace or upgrade the windows: If the windows of your home are leaky and old, it might be a good idea to replace them by using energy-efficient home models. You can also increase their efficiency by using storm windows and weatherstripping. Keep in mind that it is not cost-effective to replace the windows for saving energy. You can get more savings by replacing the single-glazed windows. But if you are going to replace the windows for some reason, the additional cost of star-rated windows is not much. This upgrade will raise your comfort level and it will be cost-effective.

3. Plant shrubs and shade trees around your house: If you have a slightly older home with poor insulation, you can adopt landscaping for improving energy efficiency. Plant the trees on the West side of the house. The foliage will block the infrared radiation in summers that warms the home. While during the winter months, the bare branches allow the radiation to seep through. However, if your place is an energy-efficient home with good insulation and energy-star windows, this effect is a lot lesser as the shell of the building blocks most of the heat.

4. Replace the old furnace with more energy-efficient systems: If the house furnace was built earlier than 1992 with a standing pilot, in all probability it is wasting around 35% of the fuel it is using. It is also close to the end of its lifespan. ACEEE in such cases recommends quick replacement by using a condensing furnace that has annual efficiency of 90%. This kind of furnace wastes just 10% of the purchased natural gas and can save close to 25% on the heating bills. Using modern condensing boilers is a good substitute for boilers hot water distributors of yesteryears such as baseboard and radiators.

5. Try to improve the hot water system efficiency: Firstly, turn down the water heater temperature settings to warm (around 129-degree F). Secondly, insulate the hot water lines. this will ensure that they are not cooling off fast between uses. Thirdly, you can use low-flow fixtures such as baths and showers. Even though in 2001 the storage water standards were raised, they were not sufficient to justify throwing out the existing water heater that was working well. Hot water circulating loops are installed by some contractors these days to accelerate hot water delivery in your energy-efficient home.

6. Replace the light bulbs with CFLs: CFLs are capable of saving 75% of the energy used by incandescent light bulbs. Many people do not take into account the fact that running a light bulb costs a lot more than buying the bulb does. Some of the new CFLs will cost around two to three dollars but they last 10,000 hours and they use around 27 watts compared to the 100 watts used by the bulbs during a fixed period. If you do the math properly you will realize that the lighting cost of CFLs is less than a third of the light bulbs.

There are raters and energy auditors available out there that use specialized tools and skills for evaluating the house and recommending the best measures for improving the efficiency and comfort levels to develop energy-efficient homes. They can also arrange the best sequence for taking advantage of interactions. You need to consult just the accredited raters for this purpose. If you live in Clearwater, FL area, you can consult Done Rite Insulation for advice. There are some energy star programs available in some areas that provide a low-cost home assessment with good quality practices.

Picture Credit: iStock

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Keeping Your Home Comfortable

One of the main benefits of a solar-powered attic fan is its ability to ventilate an entire home. A good one can lower the temperature of an attic by up to 40°F, a huge relief in the hot summer months. Lowering the attic temperature also allows the heat in the rest of the house somewhere to escape to, keeping the whole home comfortable and cool.

Going Green

In this day and age, we all want to do our part to reduce pollution. Switching to a solar-powered fan for your attic is a great way to reduce the amount of strain on your HVAC system, and in turn, reduce your energy consumption. Overall, an attic fan can go a long way toward reducing your carbon footprint.

Protecting Your Roof

One of the biggest things to cause roof damage is excessive exposure to the elements. In the summer months, long hours of direct sunlight can damage the shingles on your roof. In the winter, cold can lead to condensation which means potential mold and water damage. An attic fan can solve both these problems. Cooling the attic in the summer keeps heat from becoming too extreme and providing good circulation in the winter can prevent condensation. They can also stop ice from building up and causing damage in the winter.

No More Noise

A lot of attic fans have a bad reputation for being loud 24/7. Solar-powered fans, on the other hand, are nearly silent, so they won’t keep you up at night.

Easy Money Saver

There are a few reasons why investing in a solar fan is good for your wallet. Firstly, is the energy savings. The typical energy bill savings are moderate, but the other advantages add up to more. Since a solar fan adds a level of protection to your roof, there’s less maintenance you’ll need to pay for in the long run. By reducing the strain on your HVAC system will also increase its lifespan as well. Businesses and homeowners can also receive a tax credit for installing a renewable energy system, which includes a solar-powered fan.

Ready to Make the Switch?

Considering a solar attic fan? They’re relatively straight forward to install, but it’s not recommended to do it on your own because they do require going through the roof. Going to a professional is definitely the recommended route, so reach out to Done Rite Insulation for the very best in expert advice. Call 727-585-8747 today to find out how you could save money and improve the comfort of your home by installing a solar-powered attic fan.

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1. Intake vents: The intake vents can be found along the house soffit. This is a horizontal wood surface below the eaves. It improves the attic ventilation by the development of a draft of air coming inside the attic from the lowest location available on the roof. The only problem with the soffit vents is that the insulation between the rafters many times blocks the flow of air into them. This means you have to go inside the attic to correct the issue.

2. Exhaust vents: A natural complement for the intake vents is the exhaust vents. These kinds of vents improve attic ventilation by the release of the air that is sucked in via soffit vents from the rooftop and developing a continuous airflow.

3. Fans: If you use a combination of intake and exhaust vents, it will use natural forces for driving the hot air out of the home and decrease condensation. But the solar-powered or electric fans will improve the ventilation performance a great deal. The fans may be installed together with the roof vents and gable vents. Fans can be bought in the form of a combined unit along with a vent or it can be added separately to some existing vents. These fans are typically installed in the attic space and they are protected from external elements. There is a downside to adding fans though. Not only does it cost more but there is an additional monthly costing of electricity involved in operating them. You will also need a licensed electrician for connecting the fans to the house wiring.

Keep this in mind while doing the attic insulation

One of the major concerns while installing attic ventilation is your safety. There are some simple methods for verifying whether the attic ventilation is sufficient. You can spot the vents in the roof and eaves while inspecting these sections of the roof by walking around the house. Check the ridge vent which runs along the length of the roof peak. Also, check the ceiling below the attic to verify whether it feels hot. It is possible to inspect other surfaces such as rafters during the winter months to check the frost or moisture on it. Visual inspection can also spot issues in the roof exterior such as gaps in the ducts and pipes, problems with bath and kitchen fans, or vents situated on one side of the house.

You will need to ensure that you have sufficient vents in the attic. You will need to have one sq. ft. vent for every 150 sq. ft. of the roof. If you are not comfortable with the DIY procedures for attic insulation and want to know whether fans will benefit the attic insulation you are ready to talk to professionals. If you are living in the Clearwater, FL area you can consult Done Rite Insulation. They have several years of experience in attic insulation on their side. Call them today for an appointment.

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So you’re thinking of jumping on the bandwagon and getting solar panels for your roof and converting your home to solar. Nowadays it’s easier than ever and with the promise of the TESLA company and head honcho Elon Musk, having a new solar roof is not only easy to install but cheaper than a traditional roof.

What we need to look at is why it’s so easy to install and the strategies involved. In many cases the installation is so easy, you and your teenage kids could do it. It’s best to get a professional roofer though as they’ll be looking out for safety and efficiency issues. The panels cover most of the roof in order to maximize the area of sunlight the photo voltaic cells can absorb. At such an angle there will also be clearing tools so that when it snows or leaves cover the roof you can easily remove them. Tile and clay roofs are very tough to install over thus demanding a professional roofing installer. Asphalt and other flat surfaces are ideal for the installation of these panels.

These solar panels will soon revolutionize energy for every home and business in the country and the world. We all knew this day was coming but Big Oil and Big Energy did all they could to prevent it. With the freedoms of the internet, scientists are able to develop and deploy affordable alternate energy and market it affordably. Another form of oppression bites the dust and a new age is born.

These panels also must take the best advantage of the orientation of the sun in your area. Once this and all other parameters are in place, over the short and long term you’ll see those energy prices drop and return your investment.

It’s these advances that are making life livable and affordable. Without breakthroughs and generosity are giving way to even better solar systems for roofing. At present there are big panels, however, paints with photovoltaic cells in them and strips with these cells and even decorations will be used to the point no one will even know you’re exploiting solar.

Think of the math. There’s an old trick that comes from ancient Egypt to get people to do more work. You would carry 20 bricks and suddenly realize you’re only carrying 10. You pick up another 10 and look again and it says instead of 20 or 30 bricks it says 10 bricks. How this old trick is done no one knows but it’s being used as an example of the sheer number of roofs that needs panels and once started there will be no stopping. Your roof will be doubly protected by the panels and the basic roofing material you’ve chosen. Problem is, If you have a decorative roof in the first place your solar panels will obscure them and you might want to remove the old roofing, sell it and put the money forward toward the new solar panel roofing.

Yea, a new day has dawned for roofing companies and the sheer number of buildings that will need these panels will provide jobs for a long time.

Image Copyright : Artisticco LLC

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A roof is a large space that just sits there and only protects the home from inclement weather. What if the area the roof covers were to be used for more creative and eco friendly purposes? Well that’s what’s been happening around the world and it looks like something that can change the face of both urban and rural environments.

The primary purpose of the roof is protection. Nothing should be done to compromise this. Creative engineering can improve that protection especially regarding energy efficiency with roofing that either reflects heat and cold or captures sunlight and converts it to energy such as solar energy roofing. Solar energy roofing has improved drastically over the decades. Just one roof can generate enough electricity to the point the excess is sent back to the grid. People an even install such roofing themselves with DIY or Do-It-Yourself kits. There are also professional solar energy installers and they’re not too expensive. The investment pays for itself in a few years and builds equity in the home.

Solar roofing is often seen with big panels aligned across the surface, however there have been breakthroughs that include new photo voltaic cells that are just laid on the roof and convert energy. Other technologies are on the horizon that allude to paints with such technologies that do the same. Either way, solar is going to dominate and provide more than just energy.
To protect against heat, simple reflective paint, white paint at that, can send heat back into space and thus cool the structure. Regular white paint and specialized white paint or silver like reflective paint will do the job. If one considers what would happen if millions of homes adopted this simple application, it would alter the atmosphere itself some theorize and there’s enough science behind it to back it up.

Other approaches actually include turning roofs into gardens. It makes sense if the roof can sustain the weight of the plants, dirt, and water and equipment. Roofs with gardens can protect the structure just as well but might require different maintenance. These kinds of roofs absorb sunlight to get the plants to produce food and grow. Large areas of such roofs could do changes atmospherically to combat climate change as well. People have been using roofs for gardening for thousands of years but today’s technologies make it easier and the savings in food, less travel using fuel and capital raised from sales shows that this approach is a win win for one and all.

This type of creative roofing is the future. Homes have to be as self sufficient as possible. Once such pursuits were frowned upon by the big corporations because the science and numbers showed that if people adopted more creative roofing efficiency, the big energy companies would lose money and political influence. Thanks to the internet and crowdfunding, however, inventors can now get their products to the public without being hampered by big corporations and their underhanded operatives. It’s causing quite the upheaval as homeowners can now enjoy lower costs and greater bounty from their own efforts. Roofing companies have got to jump on the bandwagon before it’s too late. Other entrepreneurs are seizing the day and forming their own roofing modification companies and are quickly becoming the talk of the town. The garden roofing is proving to be a fun and profitable venture for families, communities, and businesses and teaches young people responsibility.

Zoning for garden roofing will be enacted and there’s sure to be some political battles, but as long as safety comes first and the results are profitable, there will be no way to stop it. Hydroponics comes into play here and as long as the roofing is strong enough to take the weight of the fluids used in this form of gardening, things should go smoothly and neatly.

The future of roofing is going to be limited to imagination alone. New materials are on the board and coming soon that will be able to do things no one ever dreamed and keeping on top of the latest roofing processes is every homeowner’s responsibility.
Keep in contact with the professional roofing companies in your area and chat it up when available. They’ll know the materials at hand and perhaps other benefits.

Remember, just because a roof is over your head doesn’t mean you can’t put your feet on a solid investment.

Image credit: Federico Rostagno

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