Back to School – Crosswalk Safety
The majorities of schools across the country are currently or will be in session and we need to be more alert while driving around town and especially near school. Leave a few minutes early in case you get behind a school bus or enter a school zone where you must slow down – allowing yourself a few extra minutes will help keep you patient while driving in these areas. Also be cautious of cross walks and allow children to cross completely before driving through.
We had numerous cases last year in Las Vegas where drivers and school bus drivers were not careful and ended up injuring those precious young minds of the future. Please also remember to talk with your children regarding safety as they walk to and from school.
Building Success 101
Q: What is a cool roof?
A: A cool roof is a combination of a reflective roof surface (usually a lighter-colored shingle) that is held slightly above the roof deck (or sheathing) to allow passive air ventilation underneath the shingles; a cool roof system also may include the application of insulation in the roof rafter cavities. The goal is to keep the roof surface from becoming excessively hot and transferring that heat to the attic or conditioned living spaces, thus reducing the burden on the home’s cooling system and energy use.
New homes are built to save energy, and a primary component of that goal is insulation. The definition of insulation, however, is rapidly expanding as homebuyers and energy codes demand even better energy-use performance from new homes.
Today, there are far more options than those rolls of fiberglass you see on the shelves of big-box home improvement stores. While “batt” insulation remains an inexpensive yet effective option, other materials have emerged that help optimize thermal value in new structures or when replacing conventional insulation.
For instance, in addition to insulating between the wall studs, we may add a 1/2-inch thick rigid foam insulation panel behind the finish siding of a new home. That technique is commonly called a thermal break, and many of the latest energy codes and standards, such as the federal Energy Star program, require it.
In addition to taping the joints between the insulation panels, a thin, woven air-water barrier (also called a weather-resistant barrier or housewrap) can be applied over the panels to shed incidental water that gets behind the siding or stucco and blocks air infiltration through the structure.
Another increasingly popular insulating technique is called “flash-and-batt,” a practice that combines conventional fiberglass batts with a “flash” or thin layer of expanding foam insulation.
Specifically, an insulation contractor will first spray-apply a 1-inch deep layer of foam layer into a wall cavity. As the foam expands, it seals any gaps in the cavity to block air and moisture vapor from flowing through the wall. The contractor then fills the rest of the cavity with uncompressed fiberglass to resist thermal (or heat) transfer. The result is an air-tight and well-insulated wall.
Most of a home’s energy is lost through the attic or roof structure. The difference in air temperature and pressure between the attic and the living space below can be dramatic. This causes air to escape into the attic and puts an extra burden to maintain a desired temperature on the home’s heating and cooling system.
A flash-and-batt application can almost entirely eliminate thermal loss into the attic. Often, after the flash layer is applied within the floor cavities, a loose-fill fiberglass or cellulose (made from recycled newspaper and similar fibers) effectively covers the floor.
Another option is to apply an air-tight version of spray-foam insulation to the roof rafter cavities to block air and heat from entering the attic space. The result is what is often called a “semi-conditioned” attic because the air temperature of the attic and living spaces below is almost the same, but without actually having to heat or cool the attic space.
The push to make new homes more energy efficient is driving new and better insulation products and applications, and the best professional builders are at the forefront of keeping up with that evolution to provide better indoor comfort and help reduce monthly energy bills.
Warm Regards,
Steve Jones & Bart Jones
Merlin Custom Home Builders
6408 S. Arville Street
Las Vegas, NV 89118
702.257.8102 – Phone