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"America’s existing housing needs help. Many of the 128 million homes in this country were constructed before modern energy and building codes were established. These homes often suffer from performance problems ranging from inflated energy consumption to poor thermal comfort to indoor air quality issues." 


-BPI (Building Performance Institute) website 


Green Energy Solutions is proud to be certified through the Building Performance Institute (BPI). We are constantly involved in educating ourselves as well as our customers about the latest advancements in energy efficiency technology. 

Rim Joist and Box Sill Insulation

All buildings are are subject to something called the "stack effect". When a building has openings, cracks, or ventilation at the top of the building, and similar ventilation at the bottom, there can be air movement either up or down, through the building. When the outside air is colder (denser) than the inside air, the flow goes out at the top, and in at the bottom. The reverse is true when the the outside air is warmer than the inside air.


One common area for air to come in is in the basement where your first floor meets the basement foundation walls. When you are in the basement looking up, you can see floor joists running across the basement ceiling. Capping those off around the perimeter of your house are rim joists. The sill plate is what those two pieces sit on. The concrete and wood can't form an airtight seal because wood shrinks over time and concrete is never poured perfectly. This causes gaps to become more substantial over time and allows a constant stream of air into the house. 


These problems can be easily fixed by air sealing and insulating the rim joist and box sills. This is most convenient to perform in unfinished basements/crawl spaces and has the capability of creating a noticeable comfort increase as well as a decrease in utility costs.

Why Add More Insulation?

Adding insulation above the minimum requirements help by:

• Increasing your energy savings (You can save up to 45% on energy costs)
• Providing greater noise control
• controlling moisture which helps your house and roof last longer
• The cost to upgrade insulation is minimal and the benefits are significant

Green Activities to do in Denver

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Existing Homes Study

A study done by Harvard on existing homes found that if the 45 million under-insulated homes in the United States were insulated properly:

• More than 800 trillion BTUs  could be saved each year. 
• More than 240 premature deaths associated with pollution could be prevented.
• 6,500 fewer asthma attacks would occur. 
• The number of restricted activity days would be significantly reduced each year for people with respiratory ailments like allergies and asthma. 

Save Green. Be Green.

According to the Department of Energy, for a typical home your heating and air conditioning costs can be as much as 45% of your home energy costs. Most of that air escapes through your attic if it isn't properly insulated. You increase comfort as well as decreasing costs by adding insulation and air sealing.

What is Air Sealing?

Many homes, especially older ones, have air leaks that allow heated and cooled air to escape when the air pressure differs between the inside and the outside of the home. Because these leaks allow unconditioned air to enter as conditioned air is lost, air leaks can be a significant waste of energy and money. Air leaks also make the house drafty. Many homes have hidden air leaks that require a certified professional to find the leaks and seal them. 35% of the heatloss from your house is from leakage so sealing these areas goes hand in hand with a good insulation job.