The process of weatherizing a building specifically focuses on the building envelope, the boundary of the house between the interior and exterior. This boundary includes building components such as structural members, insulation, and air and vapor barriers. Here in New England, we can sometimes have up to a 100-degree difference in temperature from inside to outside. As you can imagine, this can create some unique problems not typically found in other parts of the country.

After performing an energy audit, we are able to prioritize the areas that need improvement in the building envelope. This is important to customers on a budget–and the most effective way to make home improvements. Often, the items at the top of the priority list are the easiest and most cost-effective to repair.

The building envelope contains structural members, insulation, and air and vapor barriers. It is usually easy to identify the existence or condition of structural members and insulation. But air and vapor barriers are more complex to assess. Air that is allowed to move freely through a building envelope can cause serious problems. Warm air that escapes from the interior of the building will take moisture with it, and, in cold climates, will condense on cold surfaces inside wall cavities. Eventually, this will lead to a breakdown in the envelope, leading to problems such as rot or mold.

As weatherization contractors, Prudent Living’s goal is to improve the overall energy efficiency of your home or business and prevent future problems. The best first step is an energy audit. This not only ensures a better and more efficient work process, but also makes certain that there are no life safety issues. 

To learn more about weatherization, contact us.