5 ways to improve your home's energy efficiency
It’s a well-known fact among renovators in Montreal: the majority of homes and apartment complexes built before the 1970s are energy-efficient. This isn’t ideal for homeowners, nor for the environment. Heating and cooling costs become very high in summer and winter, and resource waste is present. Reducing energy waste is an important factor in the decision to undertake an ecological renovation. Adapting the homes we renovate to the latest energy standards reduces our impact on the environment. ESPÉ is committed to renovating in a sustainable and responsible manner. Here are 5 concrete solutions offered to our clients to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
1- Insulation and sealing:
In new homes, insulation is achieved by installing an air barrier, insulation (2×6 fiberglass wool) and a vapor barrier. This is often impossible to achieve in older homes, where it is not possible to thicken all of the walls adequately (at the time, homes were not designed for optimal insulation). Insulating with sprayed polyurethane to achieve an excellent level of performance and thus reach the R20 insulation standard is usually a good alternative. This insulation helps keep the heat inside and the fresh air outside.
When renovating a basement, it is essential to insulate the foundation from the inside while ensuring that it is protected from water infiltration from the outside (although resistant, stone foundations could suffer from interior insulation if they are not waterproof from the outside).
It is very useful to insulate the rim joists with sprayed polyurethane covered with a fire barrier such as gypsum (sprayed polyurethane is toxic and potentially flammable). The rim joist surrounds the house and can become an air cannon into your home. This is why it is important to ensure that it is particularly well insulated.
2- Repair or replace doors and windows:
Replace inefficient doors and windows with energy-efficient products (Energy Star certified) with double or triple glazing, a frame that increases their insulating capacity and multiple weather strips.
3- Install or replace heating and ventilation systems:
Install or replace heating and ventilation systems, if their age or a change in the heating load justifies it…
As long as you’re confident about your home’s overall insulation, changing your heating and ventilation system can save a lot of energy. At the same time, you’ll also reduce your energy bill.
However, it is important to understand that a house with a good heating and ventilation system will not have the same efficiency if it is poorly insulated. While a well-insulated house of 120 m2 with a good system can spend between 6,300 and 8,500 kWh, a poorly insulated house of the same size will often vary between 24,000 and 34,000 kWh in energy expenditure.
4- Ventilate the attic:
Ensure that the insulation added to the attic is positioned so as not to hinder ventilation. If the heating system overheats the attic due to a lack of space for adequate ventilation, there is a risk of water infiltration, condensation, and mold (when the snow on the roof melts due to excessive heat), as well as ice accumulation on the roof edges.
It’s important to insulate, of course. However, we can see that overinsulating can have certain counter-effects. As in all things, there’s a notion of balance. By aiming to respect thermal insulation standards, we can achieve a comfortable situation.
5- Insulate the pipes:
An insulating jacket is added around the water heater and insulation around the plumbing pipes to reduce heat loss. These pipes will then require less energy to maintain the desired temperature.
The worst enemy of plumbing remains freezing, which can cause pipes to burst. Properly insulating them can help prevent the inconvenience of water damage.
Before Starting Renovations
Here are five solutions to improve your home’s energy efficiency. However, before starting any renovations, there are several resources available:
— It is possible to have an inspection of the current condition of the walls, roof, foundations, doors and windows carried out by ESPÉ, who will be accompanied by an independent building envelope specialist. A thermography test (allowing an image of the coldest objects to be taken using an infrared camera) and an infiltration test (measuring the airtightness of buildings) can be carried out to determine the extent of the work to be carried out.
— Then, always before starting the work, we can assist our clients in applying to the Quebec government’s Rénoclimat program to arrange a visit from an energy efficiency advisor. This advisor will be responsible for helping them identify the work that needs to be done to improve the energy efficiency of their home. Grants may be available for some of the work.
ESPÉ is here to support you in your ecological renovation project.
Tell us about your project
Each project is a story. A meeting between your vision and our expertise. In Montreal and the surrounding area, we bring to life renovations that combine aesthetics, functionality, and durability.