Teach me about attic insulation/heat barriers... (Phoenix, Mesa: rent, house)

[SportyandMisty]

Originally Posted by Happs

I've decided on an insulation contractor. There is a $350 price difference between adding R19 and adding R30. I am currently at R11. Is 3" more insulation worth an extra $350?

If it were me, I would add the extra insulation in a heart beat. I think it is a no-brainer.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

With all the talk on insulation, what about window coverings, tinted windows, replacing older windows with more efficient windows in older homes. Seems that insulation is one tool but other parts of the homes envelope are also important aspects to look at. Exterior doors are another part of the building envelope to look into.

[ReadyFreddy]

Originally Posted by SportyandMisty

If it were me, I would add the extra insulation in a heart beat. I think it is a no-brainer.

I'm not sure it's a no brainer if saving money is your motivation, at "up to $29/year" savings from adding insulation (at all), according to SRP.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

With all the talk on insulation, what about window coverings, tinted windows, replacing older windows with more efficient windows in older homes. Seems that insulation is one tool but other parts of the homes envelope are also important aspects to look at. Exterior doors are another part of the building envelope to look into.

Absolutely, but I always think of attic insulation as the "foundation" of the house's energy efficiency. Gotta get that right first.
Along the lines of what you are talking about: I had a very inefficient window treatment in my dining room and just replaced it with Levelor blinds from Lowe's that have the foil inside. What a difference. The afternoon sun used to flood the room and raise the temp very quickly. Now with them down it's like I closed off the window all together.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by ReadyFreddy

I'm not sure it's a no brainer if saving money is your motivation, at "up to $29/year" savings from adding insulation (at all), according to SRP.

The money would be better spent on anything that shades the windows or walls or roof. People have "eastern" thinking from years of living in the cold and listening to the recommendations to save energy. Insulation does not help nearly as much with delta-Ts around 25 degrees in a cooling climate as it does when differentials are 50, 60, or even 100 degrees like in the cold parts of the country. If you look at average temps over a summer day, the delta-T is closer to 10 or 15 in our zone. That is why it is hard to make extra insulation pay. The name of the game here is radiant heat rejection, not so much insulation.

[Burning Madolf]

Has anyone had any kind of problem with the dust or insulation dust from the attic getting into their ac system and then blowing into their living space.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by Burning Madolf

Has anyone had any kind of problem with the dust or insulation dust from the attic getting into their ac system and then blowing into their living space.

Those should be completely separate - if the ducts aren't sealed you're wasting conditioned air. It is possible though - most 1980's or newer homes use flexible ductwork that could be damaged if someone tried to clean it, or if it got stomped on by a contractor.

[Burning Madolf]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

Those should be completely separate - if the ducts aren't sealed you're wasting conditioned air. It is possible though - most 1980's or newer homes use flexible ductwork that could be damaged if someone tried to clean it, or if it got stomped on by a contractor.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Not looking forward to exploring the attic.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by Burning Madolf

Yeah, that's what I thought. Not looking forward to exploring the attic.

The most likely source in that case would be your "return" air ductwork, that would be the big duct (12-18") that connects the air filter housing to the air handler or package unit. Usually they aren't very long, and you could inspect a good portion of it just by taking out the air filter & shining a flashlight inside the duct.

Mine was ~15 feet long, but the air handler was only 3 feet away - that's another issue entirely, but with the correct length of ductwork installed you can now see inside the air-handler from inside the house.

[Burning Madolf]

You are right, found a spot where the return air connects to the air handler where someone tried to patch with liquid sealant that broke apart (ducts are flex, but this was aluminum where it meats the air handler, plenum?). Who knows how long it's been open and how many years of dust and insulation fibers are in the whole system (not to mention on my evap coil).