What We Do
About Our Company
Newell & Crathern specializes in weatherization, insulation and energy efficiency for residential buildings and mobile homes. We are BPI certified which is the industry standard for energy performance contractors.
Newell & Crathern will do a complete Energy Audit that will help you make informed decisions about the proper and most cost effective measures to insulate and weatherize your home.
Weatherization involves two important measures. The first is airsealing to stop unwanted drafts entering your home. By using a blower door we can measure the amount of air entering your home and use airsealing to reduce the unwanted air to a level that will be comfortable without airsealing to the point that the house is too tight.
The second element of weatherization is insulation. We use a thermal camera and visual inspection to determine your current insulation levels. We can blow in insulation to get the insulation to current energy code levels. Insulation also involves insulating the attic hatch and any other doors or penetrations that will need insulation.
We Evaluate Your Current Situation
In today's economy it's more important than ever to assure that your home is operating at its highest level of efficiency. Weatherizing your home is the best place to start.
A professional energy audit of your home will identify areas where your home is exposed to air loss. Once the energy audit is complete, we'll go over our recommendations and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Improvements made based on the energy audit will reduce your winter heating and summer cooling costs.
Leaving cracks and crevices for air to leak in and out of your home can make life feel drafty and uncomfortable. It can allow moisture-laden air to sneak inside, increasing the likelihood of condensation, mold, and rot. It can swell your energy demand, adding 20-30% to your bill for heating and cooling. Some people worry that a tighter house means poor indoor air quality. While it's true a healthy home needs fresh air, it's important to be able to control when and where that outdoor air enters and indoor air leaves. Many older homes are extremely leaky, and even newer homes often aren't airtight. Below you will see the possible percentages of heat loss due to inadequate insulation.
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At Newell & Crathern we have the knowledge and expertise to make your home operate at its highest level of efficiency.
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We Do The Work
Closing the air leaks is necessary. A 1/16th inch unsealed crack around a window lets in as much cold are as leaving the window open 1/2-inch.
You may already know where some air leakage occurs in your home, such as an under-the-door draft, but you'll need to find the less obvious gaps to properly air seal your home. For a thorough and accurate measurement of air leakage in your home, hire a qualified technician to conduct an energy assessment, particularly a blower door test. A blower door test, which depressurizes a home, can reveal the location of many leaks. A complete energy assessment will also help determine areas in your home that need more insulation.
