Exterior Remodeling Renovations That Reduce Energy Bills

Dec 10, 2016

With the cold temperatures in place for the foreseeable future, you can expect that your home’s furnace will get a workout this winter. But if you’re looking to give your furnace a break and reduce energy bills this winter, consider capitalizing on a few exterior home remodeling projects that will yield drastic results. “The key to lowering utility bills is to make your home more energy efficient. As energy costs continue to rise, enhancing your home’s more energy efficient is no longer simply an admirable goal, it’s necessary,” said Wendy Cline, owner of J&B Construction. There are specific exterior home remodeling projects that will increase energy efficiency and in turn, save you money.

Insulation is one of the first things that come to mind when you set about making your home more energy efficient. “A poorly insulated roof will not only require more air conditioning in the summer and more heating in the winter, but it will also make your attic uncomfortable for use as a bedroom or study,” said Wendy. Sometimes even if you had have insulation, it may not be enough. “Conversely, a well insulated roof can reduce your dependency on your home’s mechanical systems, significantly reducing your heating and cooling needs, along with your electricity bill and your home’s emissions,” she added. The material you choose will depend on the type of house you have and climate conditions. Regardless of the material you select, leaving air space between the insulation and the roofing material is generally a good idea as it reduces the possibility of moisture getting trapped in the structure or the insulation, causing mildew or mold to grow.

Just like the roof, well insulated siding is also an energy saver. “You can compare un-insulated vinyl siding to a window or door being left open in the middle of winter. Insulated vinyl siding’s ability to maintain interior temperatures can drastically reduce an air conditioning and heating system’s workload and energy consumption,” Wendy said. Insulated vinyl siding is also durable and easy to care for, saving homeowners energy, time and money on future maintenance and upkeep costs.

While you’re ensuring your roof and siding are properly insulated, it’s also wise to insulate wall cavities. “Many older homes have no insulation at all in their exterior walls. Therefore, it is vital to fill these cavities to achieve comfort and savings,” she said. Often times, holes are drilled in the siding from the outside or in the drywall from the inside, accessing each cavity individually. Then either blown in cellulose insulation (made from recycled newspapers) is added or a liquid foam product that expands to fill the stud cavity is applied. The holes used to access the interior of the walls are then repaired and repainted.

“Windows can also be an area of concern. If your windows are old and leaky, were manufactured with aluminum or steel frames or are the single-pane variety, you should consider a upgrade,” said Wendy. One inexpensive option is to install storm windows on the outside of existing windows, as this will reduce air leakage and create a dead airspace that reduces heat loss. Another option is to remove the existing windows and replace them with a more energy efficient product. “Although this upgrade has a larger upfront expense, the 10-year payback represents a 10 percent financial return on your investment,” she said. “In addition, the gains in comfort are immediate and rising energy costs will increase your return on investment.”

Finally, you will want to seal any cracks on your home’s exterior. “It’s one of the easiest and most cost-effective measures a homeowner can take. I strongly recommend purchasing a quality caulk product,” said Wendy. Small gaps around windows, for instance, require high-quality silicon paintable caulk. Larger gaps can be filled with expandable foam. A flexible material called backer rod can be used for very large openings.

“Completing these exterior home remodeling renovations will not only increase your home’s energy efficiency, but it will reduce your energy bills and will improve your frame of mind knowing your home will be more comfortable during those cold winter months that are ahead,” said Cline.

Enjoy Peace Of Mind

The only complaint I have is when I have J&B do my roof in another 30 years or so, is Dave their sales man (a great guy) would not guaranty I could get the same great crew I had this time. They did a fantastic job. Much better than the last roofing company did. A nice bunch of guys. Did a very nice job cleaning up. I'd give them 10 stars but 5 is the limit. If you need a roof done this is the company you want to do it. One more point I need to make. The guys that did the chimney flashing are artists. I went up on the roof when they were done and was very pleased with not only the roofing job but the sculptured sheet metal work. It's kind of a shame it's on the roof and not hanging on the family room wall :). You get the point. Hire em. You'll like em.

Dave H

We live in a historic designated neighborhood and recently had our 30 year wood shingle roof replaced with another wood roof and new gutters. From Day 1 of the project to the final day, the entire team was responsive, professional, and very competent. When some minor changes were proposed by us they quickly and effortlessly complied. After going through this experience with J&B, I would highly recommend them to anyone considering a roof and gutter replacement, whether it be a simple or complicated project.

John Lamb

J & B did an amazing job from start to finish. The initial meeting at my home took place exactly at the time that was agreed upon and Scott was thorough in his explanations and transparent about costs. When the time came to begin the project, the team that showed up was friendly, professional and timely in getting the project done. The cleanup afterward was such that it looked like they hadn't been there at all. The roof looks great, there were no surprises and Scott came by to inspect the work and explain the warranty upon job completion. I would highly recommend them.

Kenneth Simons

My neighbor had their roof replaced and I was really impressed with the speed, carefulness and quality of the work I saw. Asked her for her experience and she told me she would highly recommend J & B. I called Scott to set an appointment. He showed up on time and was very thorough in his assessment, also letting me know about some other issues and advise on where to get help. J & B is a fantastic company to deal with - their people are incredibly careful about the work they do, clean up and leave the property in the same condition as when they started, were careful about plants and the house, and work very efficiently. The office staff is great about following up, checking in and very responsive to anything that comes up. I was happy with the price charged. If you are looking to replace your roof, you should be calling J & B to get the job done.

David W.

We had work done by the J&B team at a commercial property and were very pleased with the whole process. Their estimator met us onsite and communicated with us every step of the way. They went over the scope in detail and the work performed exceeded what we were expecting. They found some additional concerns during the installation that were quickly addressed and communicated to us and to our surprise, there was not an additional charge. Our tenants reached out to share how respectful the employees were during the installation and how clean everything was left afterwards. As the project was wrapped up, we were walked through the completion paperwork and provided the warranty information. Very impressed with the professionalism of this company and would not hesitate to refer their services or use them again in the future.

Jessie C.