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Crawl Space Insulation - Attic Insulation - Case Studies ] WeatherizationYour home may be leaking energy - and we can fix it! High energy prices are putting a lot of pressure on Virginians' budgets, but there are steps you can take to reduce energy consumption. One step we always recommend is to upgrade to more energy-efficient comfort equipment. But another less costly and equally effective method is weatherization - repairing the leaks and insulating. There are savings opportunities throughout your home when you weatherize. Insulation and air sealing of attics yield a 20 percent savings on energy bills. Similar work in a crawl space yields 10 percent savings. And then there is the ductwork, where you can achieve a 20 to 50 percent savings. The investment cost ranges from $1,995 to $3,495 - far less than installing a new boiler, furnace or heat pump. And remember, as an E.T. Lawson customer, you won't have to find new contractors for your home improvements, because we do it all. We have expanded our services in recent years to cover the full gamut of energy-related home improvements, including energy audits, weatherproofing, attic insulation, crawlspace insulation, duct sealing and complete handyman services. Home Energy Audit
Repairing air leaks is often necessary to drive down heating and cooling costs, but it's not the first step. To launch a successful home energy conservation campaign, it pays to develop a strategy based on precise information about the house.
E.T. Lawson eliminates the guesswork with a home energy audit that creates a scientific basis for conservation improvements. Our sales manager, Bob Allsbrook, is leading the audit program after gaining Building Analyst certification from the Building Performance Institute (BPI). "With energy prices going through the roof, the best way to fight back is to go into the house, find the leaks, and seal them up," he said. "You haven't really improved anything unless you've fixed the leaks in the house." A home energy audit is a smart first step, according to Allsbrook. "For a fraction of the cost of a new heating system, we can do an audit and then seal the home so it doesn't leak so much. If you don't tighten things up, you're still going to spend too much on energy." Here is a look at the steps involved in an E.T. Lawson home energy audit:
Free Home Energy SurveyFor customers who want a home evaluation without the scientific analysis, we also offer a free home energy survey. An E.T. Lawson Conservation Specialist will tour your home and record observations about the heating and cooling equipment, the doors and windows, the insulation levels and more. One of the great things about partnering with E.T. Lawson is the convenience we offer. We have skilled professionals on staff for every phase of the job, including high-efficiency heating and cooling installations, insulation, duct sealing, crawl space encapsulation, and more. Should I Choose the Energy Audit or the Survey?Which of the above home energy evaluations should you choose? Our premium service, the home energy audit, is performed to Building Performance Institute standards and includes a detailed report that explains the improvement opportunities and the potential benefits of each. You'll have a clear sense of what you can achieve and which improvements deserve the highest priority. The energy audit costs $295.For customers who want to learn more about their home without undertaking an in-depth scientific study, we offer a home energy survey. An E.T. Lawson Conservation Specialist will visit your home and conduct an informal inspection and inventory. You get a good general idea of the effectiveness of their comfort systems and the home's outer shell. This service is free for any E.T. Lawson customer. Insulation and SealingMany homeowners can slash energy expenses by 30 to 50 percent or more simply by insulating and repairing leaks in the building envelope and in the ductwork. Duct Sealing:
There are more than one million miles of ductwork in U.S. homes, and two-thirds of them are leaky enough that they need repairs, according to industry experts. Duct leakage can be extremely costly. Howard Early, our Sales Engineer, recently had his home tested with the Duct Blaster™ diagnostic system and found a leakage rate of 55 percent. His Bioheat consumption had been high, but he expects to reduce his energy bill by 50 percent after sealing and insulating his ducts.
E.T. Lawson can put an end to this silent energy waste with our expert ductwork services. We begin with a scientific evaluation. After performing a heat load calculation to verify the correct size of the ductwork system, we use the Duct Blaster to determine how much leakage is present. That involves temporarily sealing all the registers and grilles, and then pressurizing the ductwork system to a standard test pressure and performing measurements. If there are leaks, we can easily schedule your duct sealing and insulation job, and then complete it in one day. We'll remove any loose duct tape, reattach disconnected supply ducts and returns, then seal and re-insulate the ducts with two inches of Touch 'n Seal low-density spray foam. Your ducts will be sealed and insulated from the register to the furnace or air handler. Finally, we retest the ductwork. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that ductwork loses 20 to 30 percent of its heating or cooling energy after five years. We'll seal to a loss rate of 5 percent and guarantee that it will remain at that low level for 10 years. All work performed in the attic, the crawl space or on the ducts qualifies for a federal tax credit. The credit is for 10 percent of the material costs, up to $500. To schedule your ductwork evaluation, please contact us. Crawl Space InsulationA crawl space might appear small and insignificant, but without proper insulation it can prove very costly on your energy bills. Many homes have uninsulated crawl spaces that decrease comfort and make your heating and cooling systems work harder. E.T. Lawson solves crawl space problems with our encapsulation service. We begin by carefully sealing all holes in the floor above the crawl space, including cuts made to accommodate electrical, plumbing, HVAC, masonry or structural work. This stops air from leaking into the house from the crawl space. Once the floor is sound, we close, seal and insulate all exterior openings, including crawl space vents, then insulate and seal the crawl space walls with 3 inches of Touch 'n Seal foam polyurethane to an R value of 12 or greater. We also install a 10-millimeter polyethylene vapor retarder over the ground. The insulation has a limited lifetime warranty, and our workmanship is warranted for five years. The estimated energy savings from this level of insulation is 10 percent. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that there are many advantages to encapsulating a crawl space:
Attic InsulationIn our never-ending quest for cost-effective conservation solutions, we've found another really good one! E.T. Lawson has partnered with Owens Corning to deliver the innovative AttiCat insulation service, which can reduce your annual energy costs by hundreds of dollars - or more - in one easy visit. Many homes that are at least 10 years old lack adequate insulation in the attic, and the effect on home comfort expenses can be devastating. As much as 20 percent of the heating and cooling energy that you buy can be wasted because of excess heat transfer between the living space and a poorly insulated attic. Attic insulation has traditionally been a painstaking and expensive job, but Owens Corning's AttiCat system makes it fast and easy. First we install protective pieces that protect the attic's venting and any recessed lighting that penetrates the attic floor, as well as attic tents over any access openings. Then we use a specially designed machine to blow in a layer of Pink Fiberglas(TM) insulation over the entire attic floor. When we're finished, your attic will have up to 13 inches of insulation with an R-Value of 38, which matches the ENERGY STAR™ recommendation for achieving a 20 percent energy cost reduction in Virginia. You will have eliminated a significant source of energy waste and added a valuable layer of protection against energy price inflation. Owens Corning AttiCat Expanding Blown-In Pink Fiberglas(TM) works on the principle of trapped air pockets that resist the passage of heat flow. AttiCat creates a durable insulating barrier that will not settle over time or lose its insulating power. Saving energy (and money) is the primary reason for choosing AttiCat, but there are other benefits as well: 
Real-Life Case Studies in Energy SavingsHere are three examples of how our customers invested in weatherization and saved up to 40% off their energy budgets! At modest cost, they are now enjoying greater comfort and lower energy bills. 
CASE STUDY #1:THE SMELTZERSMr. and Mrs. Smeltzer of Newport News cut their energy costs with attic insulation, crawl space encapsulation and duct sealing by E.T. Lawson. We've reduced their energy budget for the year by 40% - from $293.00 to $175.80 per month. "They did a very good job, and completed it in two days. The efficiency of our cooling system is much better. And the workmen were very knowledgeable about what they were doing."
CASE STUDY #2:CATHERINE MORRISMore good news from Newport News! E.T. Lawson customer Catherine Morris went with attic insulation, duct sealing and an Intellicon "smart" boiler control. We have reduced her monthly budget by 40% - from $205.00 to $123.00 per month.
CASE STUDY #3:THE VALENTINESTalk about "falling in love with energy savings" ... Mr. and Mrs. Valentine, our newest customers to save money through repairing leaks and insulation, had E.T. Lawson install insulation and an AquaSmart boiler control in their Virginia Beach home. The result? The Valentines are expected to reduce their energy costs by 30%.
AND THEY 'LL ALL SAVE ON ELECTRICITY... Each of the budget reductions in our case studies are for Oilheat only and do not include the savings these customers will also receive on their electric bills. A perfect example is Dawn Lassiter of Suffolk who called to say thank you to E.T. Lawson for dramatically lowering her electricity bills after installing attic insulation. How low did it go? Last July she used 1,055 kilowatts; this July it was down to only 724 - that's a 31% decrease! "I am very pleased with the savings!" Mrs. Lassiter says. Thank you, Mrs. Lassiter - we are equally pleased to help you conserve energy and money! |
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