Posted on Thursday, 27th May 2010 by Anna Kulbinski

Michael Blagg, Senior Inspector
Desert State Home Inspections
Email: mblagg@cox.net

Office:  480-585-6456
Cell:  623-221-4319

We have certainly been lucky with the weather so far this year, so close to Memorial Day and still have not exceeded 100 degrees- wow. I’m sure it’s coming and  it would be a good time to remind everyone to get their homes ready for the summer onslaught of heat.

Here are some simple things most anyone can do to keep the heat out and the cool in. It will not only make you feel better but will save you a few dollars from the utility companies.

  • Doors & windows- are the first areas you want to take a look at- simply if you can see light entering then the seal is not good enough- sometimes it just takes adjusting a dead bolt or door knob to create a tighter seal at a door. Make sure to check the bottom also- the bottom sweeps can be damaged or have open conditions present. I explain to my clients if there was a gap in the wall we would seal or fix it- no difference- same amount of air or heat flow is present either way. Of course dual pane windows are a nice plus but they need to be caulked and sealed properly from time to time. Window treatments and shutters can also help you out.

  • Attics- the biggest impact you can have is insulation- if your home is more than 15 years old most likely you have between 3 to 5 inches. Today’s standard is 8 inches for R-30 rating. When it comes to insulation the more the better- R-38 would be the target. Blown in or batting? I won’t solve the debate here but after recently attending a seminar of energy ratings it appears that blown in is the best based on getting into all the nooks and crannies in the attic and does not have seams or joints as in batting insulation.

  • Garages and garage doors- the cooler you can keep your garage the cooler the wall between your home and the garage will be. A good plan would be to insulate the attic area over the garage (typically garages are not insulated- it is an upgrade). I would estimate I see 1 in 18 garages that have insulation in the attic. Garage doors are notorious for heat loss- especially metal. We all know how it is to get in our metal vehicle that has the sun beating down on it- same principle applies to your garage door. They make insulation that fits between garage door panels- the thicker the better- typically ½ to 2   inches. Some even has aluminum coating to reflect the heat. Rather inexpensive and is easy to install.

  • Plug any holes you see in the exterior- at plumbing penetrations, stem walls, soffits, seams and of course roofs. Expandable foam can go a long way but if you use caulking make sure to use exterior rated and a silicone base material that will expand and contract with weather conditions.

Hope this helps- have a great and cool summer.  Mike

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Home Inspections, Various | Comments (0)

Leave a Reply