By Kristal Pettit
Photos courtesy Northcoast Energy Masters
If you want your home to be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, proper insulation and quality storm windows are key.
Northcoast Energy Masters has provided reliable and professional insulation and storm window installation services across Northeast Ohio since 1983. “It’s not glamorous, but it’s important to do it right,” says Ray Sabin, owner of Northcoast Energy Masters.
To identify where your home is losing energy, Northcoast Energy Masters can conduct a comprehensive home energy audit. Its technicians will check for all types of energy wasters in the home, including drafty windows and doors; insufficient, old, or ineffective insulation; humidity issues; poor attic ventilation; and bypasses in wall cavities. Then, they will provide you with cost-effective options tailored to the specific needs of your house.
Ray worked mainly with windows and doors before expanding his expertise to include all facets of home energy efficiency. Ray believes in treating every home as if it were his own and every client as if he or she were part of his family.
High quality storm windows may be all you need to banish leaks and they’re half the cost of replacement windows. High end storm windows stop air infiltration as well as most replacement windows, at a much lower cost. Low E options are also available which will help tremendously when accounting for the solar heat gain coefficient.
Even if you already have insulation in your home, it’s important to double-check it, particularly during the winter. Certain types of insulation may settle and lose their effectiveness over time. Homes that are not properly insulated can continuously lose heat, especially through their attics. Proper attic insulation not only helps to regulate the temperature inside the home but also drastically reduces energy consumption.
Northcoast Energy Masters typically uses blow-in cellulose, which is guaranteed to not lose its R Value for as long as you live in your home. This environmentally friendly insulation is made from recycled newsprint and other wood fibers. Beyond being a very effective insulator, cellulose is safe and nonflammable because it is treated with fungicide and fire retardant.
Proper attic ventilation is key to avoiding moisture and heat buildup, which can lead to increased energy costs and, of greater concern, expensive structural damage to the home. Several issues that can result are roof deterioration, warping and cracking of wood framing, mold and mildew growth, and damaging ice buildup on roof overhangs. Northcoast Energy Masters makes it easy to safeguard against these unnecessary and expensive headaches.
“Ventilation and insulation go hand in hand,” Ray explains. “Together, they’re very effective if done right. Storm windows are able to greatly decrease drafts and address other insulation issues associated with old, leaky windows”
For more information on home insulation and insulating storm windows, visit northcoastenergymasters.com or email Ray at huddsabin@gmail.com. “Like” Northcoast Energy Masters on Facebook and follow @NCEnergyMasters on Twitter for updates and tips. Call 440.439.8250 to schedule your own custom home energy audit.
Northcoast Energy Masters
440.439.8250
northcoastenergymasters.com