12 - Friday, September 3 30, 1988 - North Shore News

Renovating and
energy efficiency
go hand-in-hand

IF YOU plan to upegrad2 the phys-
ical appearance of your home
through a major renovation pro-
ject, it’s well worth the extra effort
to improve its energy performance
at the same time.

Energy efficiency can usually be
incorporated into renovation plans
at little extra cost. Since an
energy-efficient home keeps the
heat during winter, the money you
save on fuel bills over the years
will likely more than pay for the
renovation work. Any construction
measures you undertake will also
improve your home’s comfort.

If you’re hiring a contractor, ask
for work energy improvements to
be made in the renovation pro-
posal. If you’re undertaking the
work yourself, keep these tips in
mind.

Almost every do-it-yourselfer
finishes a basement at some point.
This work provides an ideal op-
portunity for energy improvements
in this crucial area, which can ac-
count for up to 30 per cent of a
home’s heat loss.

Once you have planned your
new basement, your first step
should be to carefully draftproof
exterior walls. Be sure to caulk
along the sill plate, header joint
and around service entrances,
pipes and ducts which pass
through the walls.

Then frame your walls and have
a qualified electrician install

outlets, switches and fighting fix-
tures.

Basement walis should be in-
sulated from floor to ceiling to en-
sure maximum protection against
heat loss. You can insviate from
the inside unless the wall has a his-
tory of moisture problems (look
for mold stains or a white or
yellow powder on the wall) or poor
drainage.

Several types of insulation are
commonly used on interior base-
ment walls, including rigid and
semi-rigid board and batt or
blanket materials. No matter what
material you choose, never insulate
directly around heat-producing
obstructions such as flue pipes
(you can insulate around water-
pipes).

Required clearances range from
150 mm to 450 mm (6 in. to 18
in.), depending on the type of fuel
and the manufacturer’s specifica-
tions.

You should also turn off the
power before working around elec-
trical outlets. If possible, avoid the
main electrical panel; even when
the power is off to the rest of the
house, the panel will still be
‘live’.

The final step before you apply
your wall board is to install an
air-vapor barrier on the warm side
of the insulation. This will impede

e Upgrada
Page 14

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435-5566