1. Attic Insulation & Air Sealing If you have old or non-existent attic insulation, this will be your most cost-effective upgrade for winter. Why? Hot air rises. Your furnace is working hard to heat the home, and without insulation you’re losing most of that energy via conduction through the attic and ceiling. The hotter that air […]
Should I Get an Energy Audit?
April 12, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Short answer: If you own a home, then yes, you should get an energy audit. Longer answer: Let me ask you a few questions. Is your home too cold in the winter? Too hot in the summer? Are temperatures uneven from room to room? Is your energy bill high? (Specifically, your heating/cooling costs) Do you have concerns […]
Should I Replace My Furnace?
December 22, 2015 by 1 Comment
My electricity bill is too high. My heater is too noisy, and wakes me up at night. Some rooms are too hot and others are cold. The air feels stuffy or musty. My heater has stopped working entirely. Please read the following before replacing your furnace. The long-term effects of making the right (or wrong) […]
Soundproofing and Insulation
October 31, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Completely soundproofing an existing home is fairly difficult and costly on its own. There are a lot of “tips and tricks” out there, but the fact is, the only way to fully soundproof a home is by tearing into your walls and/or ceiling. The upside is, if you’re thinking of redoing your insulation or […]
Insulation Materials: the Good and the Terrible
October 9, 2015 by 5 Comments
Sometimes, you get what you pay for. But most of the time, it pays to do a little research first. Today we want to give an example of the importance of making educated purchases. There are a variety of insulation materials to choose from, and most have their strengths and weaknesses. However, one stands out […]
ZNE Home With Guaranteed $0 Energy Bills — Built and Sold by EPB
March 11, 2015 by 1 Comment
We have completed and sold our ZNE (Zero Net Energy) build in the Montclair Hills. We are very excited about this build because it is the culmination of everything we have learned from decades of building and retrofitting homes. We have put our heart and soul into it and made it the best performing, […]
Deep Energy Retrofits – 12 Steps
December 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Let’s face it, some homes need a lot of work. In the 20th century, the majority of homes were built with little consideration for efficiency, air quality, or longevity. Now that we’re facing more serious economic, environmental, and energy issues, we need to start doing things differently. But new, efficient homes are not being built fast enough […]
Energy Efficient Lighting
August 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment
You might be surprised how much energy you can save on lighting! Lights can use quite a bit of power, especially inefficient, high wattage bulbs like halogen and incandescent. Also, even though these bulbs are cheaper, they burn out much faster and emit more heat. So let’s look at the better alternatives. LED (Light-Emitting Diode) […]
Insulation: Stabilized Cellulose Advantages
July 31, 2014 by Leave a Comment
We could spend all day comparing different types of insulation materials, but when it comes down to it, cellulose insulation is just the best all-around, especially in practice. It’s Eco-friendly, cost-effective, safe, easy to install around uneven surfaces, and even provides good sound dampening. We at EPB like to take it a step further and […]
Eco Performance Builders is Building a Zero Net Energy Home in Oakland
December 22, 2013 by 2 Comments
Eco Performance Builders is building a new Zero Net Energy home in the Oakland Hills and we are really excited about it. What is a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) home? Well, in this case it is a home that won’t have utility charged electricity or gas. How are we going to do this? We will […]
Do It Yourself Home Energy Audit: A One Stop Guide
April 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Do It Yourself – Home Energy Audit What is a Residential Energy Audit? (often more positively termed: Energy Assessment) An Energy Audit is a way to use Building Science and Home Performance concepts to perform a comprehensive in-depth testing of a home in order to find out where the energy concerns are, how to […]
What is Home Performance?
February 4, 2013 by 1 Comment
What is Home Performance? Home performance is a comprehensive, whole-house approach to identifying and fixing comfort, energy efficiency, air quality and durability problems in a home. The goal is to identify and prioritize these issues with a home energy audit then find a home performance contractor to address the energy concerns. An energy audit technician […]
Efficient Home Heating Systems
December 26, 2012 by 1 Comment
Why is my energy bill so high? Why is my furnace so loud? Why does my furnace go off and on repeatedly? Why is there stale, foul-smelling air coming from my vents? Why are some rooms hot and some rooms cold with the furnace on? First of all, if you hear a loud bang when […]
Home Insulation Types – The Road to a Comfortable Efficient Home
December 19, 2012 by 5 Comments
Does my home need insulation? If your house was not specifically built for energy efficiency, adding insulation can lower your energy costs and make your home more comfortable. First off, you need to know what type of insulation you have already, and where it is. Also, you will want to know how well your […]
