As another winter approaches and heating costs remain high, New Englanders wonder what to do to save on their energy bills while staying warm and comfortable.
A homeowner in Bedford, MA found the solution and is now cutting their energy bills IN HALF!
Their solution is one numerous Dolphin customers have discovered, implemented and fully benefited from ⎯ a “Hot Roof” insulation installation ⎯ which is the insulation of all the walls and the roof of your attic. With a Hot Roof, homeowners optimally retain the heat or air conditioning in the home, helping to save an average of 50% or more on energy bills.
So, how does a Hot Roof help save energy costs?
At Dolphin, we use our technique of dense-packing 16 inches of cellulose insulation behind an Intello membrane. The environmentally-green cellulose is made of all-natural, non-combustible materials. The high-performance, “vapor-intelligent” Intello not only holds the cellulose in place, but also opens and closes as needed to release any moisture rather than trapping it, ensuring no moisture issues emerge, such as mold or roof rot.
Massachusetts Home’s Blower Door Test Proves Hot Roof’s Significant Air Leakage Reduction
Proof that the Hot Roof sealed the Bedford, MA home from drafts and provided a barrier to the effects of cold, heat and humidity is seen in the Blower Door Test numbers. We lowered the blower door rating (amount of air leakage in the home) by 40% and achieved an R-value of R60 with no thermal bridging, which shows the power of our Hot Roof system to keep the heat or AC from leaving your home.
We don’t get this kind of reduction on any other type of job ⎯ only Hot Roofs!
Blower Door Rating before and after the Hot Roof insulation installation — The numbers tell the story, proving the 40% reduction in air leakage!
The Result: Happy Hot Roof Homeowner
Needless to say, the homeowner was thrilled! They were finishing their attic and wanted it to be a comfortable living space their family could enjoy. They will be nice and comfortable all year round and should save $6000+ a year on energy, realizing an ROI in 5 years or less.
In addition to saving on their energy use and costs, they will be:
- Extending the life of their HVAC system
- Preventing ice dams
- Stopping mold formation
- Using no toxic chemicals
- Helping the planet
Hot Roof Process
1. Framing – The Dolphin installation team installs lumber and gusset plates along the roof rafters to break thermal bridging because wood transfers cold. This gives us a 16” rafter cavity to work with to reach an R60.
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3. The Insulation – The team first fills each rafter bay with cellulose (loosely), then goes back with a smaller hose to add more cellulose while compacting it very solid into every bay so it is airtight and will never allow for settling.
4. Finished Hot Roof:
Cool Fact:
Having a newly insulated and energy-efficient home will help your home value on the market.
Hot Tip:
Having your attic-based HVAC system in non-conditioned space is like having it outside but a hot roof installation places it in the conditioned space, allowing it to work less and help keep your home warmer or cooler depending on the season.
See how we can insulate your home with a “hot roof” installation, making it more comfortable and helping you save on your energy costs.
