Energy $aver$ of America

* Helping to $ave the Earth's Resources and Protecting the Environment *^tm

$aving Energy - $ave$ Money

It's the Really Smart Thing to do! ^tm

       

SilverHouse™ Advantage Program

  A simple program that offers homeowners 20% + savings in energy costs. Adding a layer of our BTUBUSTERS tm
  Radiant Barrier in the attic and wrapping the house with either our BTUFOIL tm Reflective Insulation or our
  RRR tm Reflective Ruff Rap will give the homeowner the SilverHouse Advantage. This is a program that every
  builder should have in their product offering, and every homeowner should insist upon. In today’s energy conscience
  world, reflective insulation and radiant barriers will add to a home’s overall
VALUE, COMFORT and ENERGY $AVING$

There are four major things that you can do to help control your energy usage

and co$t in your home or commercial offices & metal buildings.

1. Buy the most Energy Efficient INSULATION PRODUCTS / SYSTEMS *

* The insulation products / systems you choose plays a major part in your total annual energy usage. A less effective insulation product / system will allow heat to transfer into and out of your home or commercial office / metal building at a faster rate. This affects not only your comfort level, but has a major effect on your HVAC system. Your HVAC system has to work harder and longer to maintain the desired comfort level, thereby using & wasting more energy, and causing you shell out more money every month. The net result of a less efficient insulation product / system is a less desirable comfort level and higher co$t of operation, ( HIGHER UTILITY BILLS )

A more energy efficient insulation product / system has just the opposite effect, it provides a better / improved comfort level within your home, office and commercial office / metal building. It also improves employee work production / efficiency in buildings where they work.

A more energy efficient insulation product / system also reduced the amount of money you must pay out each month for utility bills for heating & cooling, and can help extend the life of your HVAC system. The HVAC system doesn't have to work as long and as hard to maintain the desired comfort level.

DEFINITION:  Most Energy Efficient INSULATION PRODUCTS / SYSTEMS = the product and / or system that ( STOPS / keeps out ) the most heat from entering into your home, office or commercial metal building during summer, and ( STOPS / keeps in ) the most heat from leaving your home, office or commercial metal building during winter.

75% OF TOTAL BUILDING HEAT TRANSFER IS THROUGH RADIATION

BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier stops 96% - 97 % of the Radiant Heat     ( RADIATION ) coming into / out of your home, office or metal building.

2. Buy the most efficient HVAC EQUIPMENT / SYSTEM **

** As you may already know, the government has mandated more energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems ( higher eer / seer ratings ). These operate more efficiently and help reduce energy co$t.

3. Buy the most efficient APPLIANCES ***

*** You are most likely doing this already, if not you should replace your old appliances with the highest efficiency ones you can as they need replacement.

4. Buy the most efficient LIGHTING PRODUCTS / SYSTEM ****

**** The government is also encouraging the use of CFL ( compact fluorescent light bulbs ) and higher efficiency lighting for commercial buildings.

All four of these things have EXCELLENT PAY BACKS. ( Returns on Investment ) They will pay for themselves in a short period of time, they are a very good investment in your ENERGY EFFICIENT FUTURE.

It is my opinion that the MOST COST EFFECTIVE / BEST INVESTMENT one of all is the
 MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT INSULATION PRODUCTS / SYSTEMS.

My reasoning is very simple, since a more Energy Efficient insulation product / system effects not only your comfort level, but the amount of time your HVAC system has to work to provide the desired comfort level, it has the potential to save you the most money and have the fastest pay back. Since one of the largest expense you have is your heating & cooling bills, and since it's a proven fact that a more Energy Efficient Insulation Product / System reduces heating & cooling co$t, I think you can agree with me that it is indeed to your benefit to buy the Most ENERGY EFFICIENT Insulation Products / System.

NOW FOR THE BEST
MOST COST EFFICIENT INSULATION
BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation

BTUFOIL™ Reflective Insulation is a single of polyethylene bubbles sandwiched between two highly reflective radiant barriers. It is ideal for many residential and commercial building applications, including walls and ceilings. Adding BTUFOIL™ Reflective Insulation to an exisiting insulation system will improve the overall thermal resistance of
 the building envelope, and in turn - save you money!

Class 1 / Class A fire rating ASTM E 84-05 Flame Spread 0, Smoke 5 Unaffected by moisture & controls condensation Bubble layers provide an effective thermal break 96 % - 97% reflectivity for optimal thermal performance Radiant and vapor barrier all-in-one 10 YR. Manufacturer Warranty

General wall and ceiling insulation Crawl Space Basement Insulation Cathedral Ceiling Manufactured Housing Metal Building Insulation

BTUBUSTERS ^tm  Radiant Barrier

BTUBUSTERS ^TM  is a perforated radiant barrier with two highly reflective surfaces bonded around a tear resistant scrim. Radiant barriers in the attic help reduce air conditioning costs in the summer, and heating costs in the winter. In addition to saving you energy, BTUBUSTERS ^TM Radiant Barrier will increase your overall home comfort!

Class 1 / Class A fire rating ASTM E 84 Thermal performance unaffected by moisture Durable and flexible polyethylene Insect and bird resistant Reflects up to 96% of radiant heat Unrolls and cuts easily Increases existing insulation performance Allows for breathability Unaffected by moisture & controls condensation

PERFORMANCE

BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm  Radiant Barrier stops 96% - 97 % of the Radiant Heat
( RADIATION ) coming into / out of your home, office or metal building. This one performance characteristic alone makes them far superior to foam boards, fiberglass insulation and cellulose insulation. BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation has excellent R Values to stop CONDUCTION. BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation also stop air and moisture ( humidity ) transfer ( CONVECTION ). BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation is not affected by water. BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation is cleaner, safer and easier to install.

BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm  Radiant Barrier also have an " E " Value of .03 -.04. This is the ability to NOT absorb RADIANT HEAT ENERGY( REFLECT ), and NOT EMIT RADIANT HEAT ENERGY. The combination of R Value and E Value is sometimes referred to as the " R-E Value " or " Apparent Systems R Value " once installed.  E ( Emmissivity ) is the opposite of REFLECTIVITY.

BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier also have the unique ability to ENHANCE the performance of whatever other insulation product you may use in your walls, ceilings and attic. BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier does this by stopping 96 % - 97 % of the RADIATION HEAT LOAD from being absorbed by the other insulation product.

SAFETY

BTUFOIL ^tm Reflective Insulation and BTUBUSTERS ^tm Radiant Barrier have a Class A, Class 1 Rating. They have no fibers to come loose, they are not dusty and are Mold, Fungi and Bacteria resistant.

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Here are some other very important things you should know

Not all insulation is created equal !

Even the "LOOK A LIKES" are NOT necessarily the same. There is a big difference between insulation products. There are Performance and Safety issues YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT !
You may be in for a big Surprise

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These are the " old " standard products, BUT are they really energy efficient ? The truth is that they are more energy efficient than "nothing". That's why they are used. They perform a " minimum " insulating function. They work by stopping some air infiltration and CONDUCTIVE heat flow. That's only IF they are installed properly. Improper installation of any type of insulation will lead to diminished performance.

They are rated in " R VALUES " which only rates the " RESISTANCE " of the insulation for CONDUCTION ( Heat Flow thru Solids). This CONDUCTION of heat transfer is between 5 % - 7 % of the total heat transfer into / out of a structure. That leaves between 93 % & 95 % of the heat transfer to be dealt with. Mostly by your Air Conditioner and Heater.

There is a big difference in performance of these products in Summer and Winter. The amount of water vapor ( Humidity ) in the air also seriously diminishes the performance of fiberglass insulation. Up to a 35 %  reduction in performance is the norm. Fiberglass insulation products work by trying to " trap " the heat in air pockets contained between the glass fibers in the product. Air is a good insulator against CONDUCTION, but cannot stop RADIANT HEAT and with the humidity factored in, the air does allow CONDUCTION to occur. ( The water vapor suspended in the air actually absorbs and CONDUCTS the heat. ) Additionally, the heat is transferred by the glass fibers as well. Then to make maters even worst, when sections heat up, the air between the fibers begins to rise, and CONVECTION occurs, further lessening the performance.

Foam boards are a bit different. Depending on the density and type of foam used, they CONDUCT HEAT slower than fiberglass. But, they still CONDUCT the heat. Some foam boards are made of little " beads " that are glued together. If this bond between the beads fails, then AIR & WATER can pass thru the cracks. This of course lessens the effectiveness of the boards. Sometime the contractors fail to properly tape, or even omit taping the seams where they join. This also leads to AIR & WATER infiltration and a further reduction in performance. Even the boards that are made in a solid piece are venerable to cracks during installation and don't forget about the seams, and the holes made by the electrician, plumber and workers on the job site.

Because of the nature of the materials used to make these products, mold and mildew can sometimes grow on or in them. This, as you know is a very undesirable situation. Insects and rodents such as ants, roaches, silverfish, mice, rats, you name it, just love to nest in fiberglass. If eventually may kill them, but not fast enough for me.

ENDURANCE

Most of these products although reducing in effectiveness over the years will last for a fairly long time. The problem is that they sometimes loose their efficiency fairly quickly, leaving you to deal with the results. Ever increasing utility bills. ( Utility bill creep ) It's slow so you don't notice it as bad. You just keep wondering why your utility bill keep going up every month.

This should be very important to you and your family. All insulation products are rated for fire safety. It's the law. But, did you know that they DO NOT ALL comply with the HIGHEST FIRE SAFETY RATING ? Class A, Class 1 is the highest rating given for building ( materials ) insulation. ( Not including special FIRE RATED products, These types of FIRE RATED products are not commonly used in residential construction, but are common in Commercial & Industrial construction)

Some of these insulation products are rated Class B, Class 2 , or even Class C, Class 3. So, you should always look for and specify the highest rated class available. Preferably Class A, Class 1 type products. In fact, it's a good idea to use Class A, Class 1 rated building products whenever you can.

The next issue is ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY. Due to the ever increasing awareness of air quality and potential harmful side effects of glass fibers used in fiberglass insulation, you are advised to take extra special precautions when using or installing this type of product. ( There is a mandatory Health Warning on all fiberglass packaging ) It is very common for glass fibers to infiltrate into your home or office. This infiltration can be from improperly sealed HVAC ducts, from around light fixtures & switches and electrical receptacles. The glass fibers can also just fall down thru the " attic hole " in the closet where the air handler ( blower ) is located. Many of these products also give off toxic fumes in the presence of fire. These toxic fumes can be very dangerous. Use smoke & carbon dioxide detectors.

In recent years, some fiberglass manufacturers have begun manufacturing products that are somewhat better in the environmental safety area. The fibers are not as small and appear to be not as prone to become airborne. This is a step forward, but time will tell.

Cellulose is by far a better insulation than fiberglass. Why ? Simply because of it's nature. Paper is organic, and because of it's density and " trapped air pockets ", it insulates better. Paper (clean paper) is not as toxic, in fact, it's very safe.

Now for what I believe to be the negative. Depending on the manufacturer and the quality of the products they make, some of the cellulose products are dusty and contains INK. After all, it was newspaper first. Some of these inks can be toxic. If these inks were to be ingested or breathed in, what would be the effects on our bodies ? Not sure yet, they are still testing and disputing the results. For the most part, I still find cellulose to be safer than fiberglass.

Next is the " binders & stabilizers " ( additives ) used in cellulose insulation. Most manufacturers use additional " additives " to treat their products for FIRE SAFETY, Insect and Rodent control. That's good, but my problem is that these " additives " are dry fine power and get into the air and into our homes just like glass fibers. Again, test are inconclusive as to the health risk to humans. Over a long period of time, I really wonder what will be the outcome. Some manufacturers recommend installing them with a fine spray of water to keep the dust down and to more firmly adhere the " additives " to the paper. That may be better, if the additives actually stay adhered to the paper.

There are some differences in cellulose products. Some have larger & heavier fibers that tend to stay in place better and not to settle as bad and retain their insulating efficiency. Others that are smaller and dustier, tend to compact over time and loose their insulating efficiency. All in all, I still find cellulose to be a better choice than fiberglass.