You can lower your electric bill

“over 50%” with just one item.

Despite endless advertising claims from HVAC people, insulation companies, water heater people... Do the math. 

The numbers don’t work. No single item will reduce it 50%.

Deed Restrictions can stop you

from installing solar hot water.

It is not legal to restrict any renewable energy source in Florida.  Clothes lines are actually legal under this statute.  The community can require solar collectors be installed in the least obtrusive place as long as it does not increase the cost of installation, and the units’ efficiency is not lessened.

Your neighbor knows more about

building science than Barbara Clark.

Barbara is a Certified Residential Contractor in the State of Florida.  She takes the quality and comfort of your building seriously.  Neighbors with anecdotal and incorrect building science annoy him and don’t really help you.

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Spray foam insulation overheats

your roof and voids the warranty.

There are no reports of roof failure as a result of spray foam insulation.  Several major manufacturers have tested this and specifically stated the foam does NOT void the warranty.

Closing off air registers in some rooms reduces energy use.

It actually will increase your bill in most cases. Totally counterintuitive. That’s what makes building science so interesting. (LOOK AT PAGE 3)

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Duct tape is good at sealing ducts.

Of all the materials tested to seal ducts, only duct tape failed - and they reported it failed reliably and often quite catastrophically. This is why most ducts leak.  Read this link.

Real truth about duct tape.

Cellulose insulation keeps bugs out of the attic, OR why we don’t use it.

Cellulose (even though it is half the cost of fiberglass) is not

optimal insulation for Florida’s tropical, humid climate. 

It is hydroscopic meaning it attracts and holds on to water.   (It’s anecdotal, but we do remove a lot of compacted cellulose.)

Cellulose is far from inert.  Treated primarily with boric acid and borax, other compounds such as ammonium sulfate, aluminum phosphate and zinc chloride may be used.  These chemicals usually account for 20% of the entire product and can cause metal fasteners, plumbing pipes and electrical wires to corrode if left in contact with wet cellulose insulation for extended periods of time.

Residual pollutants from the printing process are varied, sometimes toxic, and impossible to control or determine.

If there are bugs in the attic, cellulose insulation is not the answer.

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Tankless hot water will reduce your

water heating bill by 50%.

In a recent year-long study by the Florida Solar Institute, the energy usage of conventional tank water heaters and on-demand tankless water heaters were compared.  The energy consumption of both was effectively the same resulting in almost no savings for the user.  While there are situations in which the tankless system is appropriate, it is not more efficient for whole house use. 

Look at first column on PAGE 37. Shows conventional tank and tankless use same energy over 1 year testing period.

Study comparing on-demand and tanked water heaters.

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R-19 is enough insulation.

It is not.  The building code is now R-30 and building codes are considered minimums.  R-30 to R-60 is recommended for Central and South Florida.  None of us understands why FPL only specifies R-19.

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barbara@buildingperformanceservices.com

phone: 772-778-1815         fax:  772-907-0307

mail: 5695 US Highway One Vero Beach, FL 32967

Florida Certified Residential Contractor #1331422

BPI Certified - Infiltration & Duct leakage (IDL) #5056975