Green Needham / Next Step Living Weatherization Seminar for owners of Capes

1. Weatherizing
Cape Style
Homes
1. Identifying Weatherization
Opportunities and
Challenges in a Cape.
2. Using Mass Save to make
these homes more energy
efficient!

2. Green Needham
Collaborative
Since 2012, Green Needham and Next Step
Living have:
 Signed up 1,089 residents for home
energy assessments
 Almost 600 scheduled assessments, and
500 were completed in 2012
 These assessments resulted in 162
weatherization jobs, which saved
homeowners on average $500/year

3. Mass Save

4. Cape Style Home
Weatherization Areas
To Focus On
 Attic Cap
 Knee Wall Area
 Slopes of the
Upstairs rooms

5. WEATHERIZATION
A comfortable, safe, and energy-efficient home requires
Continuous thermal boundaries and air barriers that are in contact
with one another. (US.DOE)

6. Typical Cape Attic
3
1

7. #1 Kneewall
 Typically Insulated
with fiberglass or
nothing at all
 Even though
insulation is
present, air
movement around
insulation and
thermal breaks

8. Knee Wall Application
 Adding Foam
Board (Polyiso) on
top of existing
insulation
 Sealed with spray
foam
 Insulates and Air
Seal

9. #2 KWL Floor and Transition
 Typically the KWL
Floor is not
insulated
 KWL transition
extends 2 feet into
living space

10. KWL Floor Application
 Dense Pack the
Floor and Transition
with Blown in
Cellulose
 Holes are drilled in
floor, hose delivers
insulation, holes are
sealed up KWL area treatment often
improves more than one
room: the adjacent bedroom
and the living space below!

11. Attic Cap and Slopes(#3/4)
 Challenge: Attic Caps
with Low head room,
cant insulate properly
 Opportunity: Attic
5
spaces with 5
dimensioned "5 - 5 - 5".
The slopes can be 5
treated from the KWL
area and insulation
can be added to the
cap without access.

12. Attic or Wall Hatches
An uninsulated attic
hatch is a gap in the
attic’s thermal boundary.
Air Barrier
Thermal Boundary

14. Insulating Wall Hatches and
Attic Hatches
www.oldhouseweb.
com

15. Ventilation Types
 Mushroom Vent  Gable Vents
 Roof Vent  Soffit vents
 Ridge vent

16. Ventilation
 Bath fans Improperly
vented will cause
moisture problems in
attic
 Will also recommend
adding an insulated
ventilation pipe
cover. Why?
 1sf of ventilation for
every 300sf of attic
space (not a big
problem in capes)
Propavents

17. Heat Loan Helps Support
 HighEfficiency Heating Systems: Oil
Customers can save 40-50% in heating
costs by switching
 SinglePane to Double Pane Windows
Conversion: Least Cost Effective energy
efficiency option, but may be necessary
with older homes

18. Heat Pumps
Ductless mini-split heating and cooling
systems are covered by the 0% interest
heat loan!
Why use a Total Climate Control:
• CONTROL: Room-by-room heating and cooling in a single unit
• AIR QUALITY: Filtered air circulation that improves indoor air
quality
• SAVINGS: Up to 40% less expensive to heat your home than oil
and more efficient cooling than central air or window units
• EASY INSTALL: No duct work or need to remove your current
heating system

19. The Total Climate Control System Integrates Into Your Home’s Decor

20. ENERGY EFFICIENT
WINDOWS
 Replacing single pane
windows is covered
under the 0% interest
HEAT loan

21. Questions and Comments
Michael Cucchiara
Community Programs Manager
Next Step Living
917-612-9190
Michael.cucchiara@nextstepliving.com