The Coronavirus and Your Safety

Covid-19, Safety

Updated November 20, 2020
New Hampshire Governor Sununu issued a statewide mask mandate in an effort to slow spread of COVID-19. Learn more. This is in effect November 20 through January 15, 2021.The mandate applies to all indoor public spaces, in addition to outdoor spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker also issued a statewide mask order on November 6. Governor Baker is requiring face masks or cloth face coverings in all public places, whether indoors or outdoors, even where they are able to maintain 6 feet of distance from others.

Due to the nature of our work, we require our insulation experts to wear protective gear, which protects you and them from the coronavirus. Our sales people also wears masks while inside your home. They also have hand sanitizer in their vehicles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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March 20, 2020
At The Green Cocoon, the safety and well-being of our employees and our customers is always our priority. We are actively monitoring the Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and taking steps to help keep our employees and customers safe. We wanted to share with you some steps we are taking.

Protecting our employees and customers

As our employees interact with customers and the general public, we have taken steps to limit exposure to the virus.

Employees

The Green Cocoon has 12 employees, so we are a small, but mighty group. We are postponing our team meetings, providing remote-work solutions, and continue to reinforce safe behavior in every environment—from customer homes and businesses to our offices. We are in continuous communication with our employees reminding them about the importance of good hygiene, providing them with health education and support whenever needed. Employees who feel ill have been told to not report to work.

Customers

When we first meet you, The Green Cocoon sends one sales person to your home. They have washed their hands and sanitized their vehicles before coming into your home. Once we are hired by you, we send a crew of two people to perform the actual work. Safety regulations mandate that homeowners be absent from the home while insulation is being installed. And, our employees must wear a protective suit, thus limiting your and their exposure while they are in your home.

If you have any questions, please contact us. We are open for business!

The Green Cocoon Is a Member of the US Green Building Council

Environment, Green, Memberships, Sustainability

The Green Cocoon (TGC) is a member of the USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council). This organization is committed to a sustainable, prosperous future through LE E D, the leading program for green buildings and communities worldwide. The USGBC’s vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.

Education and Resources

“USGBC offers a wide-variety of courses and certifications,” said James Materkowski, president of TGC. “I love that they are helping to advance the knowledge of green building and sustainability concepts and practices.”

To learn more about USGBC, go to their website, https://usgbc.org.

Say Hello to Our New Cellulose Machine

Cellulose, Equipment, Insulation

It Will Make Us Faster and More Efficient!

The Green Cocoon, LLC has purchased a new Cellulose Machine. This machine is ideal for installation of loose fill cellulose insulation throughout any area of the home. The machine has wheels for easier maneuverability and transport and comes with 100 feet of hose (two 50′ sections with connector) to achieve optimum coverage.

The new Krendl 800-G processes 77 bags of cellulose per hour, thus allowing us to become faster and more efficient. That means we are in and out of your home in less time!

Moreover, the 800-G is the only dual power source insulation blowing equipment capable of switching from electric to gas, to assure TGC is NEVER without power. Krendl Machine designed the 800-G for the insulation contractor who may not always have a readily available power source.

Listen to her engine hum!

If you’re ready to start that insulation project you’ve been putting off, now is the perfect time. Contact us and one of us will get back to you right away!

Ice Dams and How to Prevent Them

Closed Cell, Home Maintenance, Insulation, R-Value, Roof Health

Does your house have icicles hanging from the roof during the winter? If so, there is something going on that could potentially cost you thousands of dollars. It is called an ice dam.

What is an ice dam?

If the attic isn’t properly insulated, during the winter the warm air will escape and melt the first layer of snow on your roof. Many uneducated contractors will tell you to increase your attic insulation to prevent ice dams. While this may slow down the build up of ice dams, it will essentially increase the speed of your heat loss. Consequently, the heat loss will make your home less efficient.

DIYers (do-it-yourself) like to solve the problem by putting heat tape on the roof, but that can be incredibly damaging to the shingles. Furthermore, the tape does not solve the problem, which is inefficient insulation and heat loss.

The layer of snow that is against the roof will melt and run down the roof shingles. You can’t see this happening because it is under the pile of snow. Once the water reaches the overhang where it is colder, an ice dam starts to form. This process happens over and over; the ice dam gets bigger; and the water gets higher. Eventually, water will get under the shingles!

As the melting continues, the ice dam and water lift the shingle more and more. Eventually, it hits the top of the shingle. That is when water can get into your house, and potentially cause thousands of dollars in damage.

How to prevent ice dams

Whether you are creating a conditioned or unconditioned attic, we recommend the same things.

Seal the gaps – First you need to air seal any gaps or holes in the floor or roof. There are several products that we suggest you use. Please contact us so we can help you decide which product is best for you.
Use correct R-value – Make sure you have enough R-value. Remember, fiberglass doesn’t have a constant R-value so we don’t recommend it. In southern New Hampshire, you need a minimum of an R-49.
Ventilate the attic – If you plan to insulate the attic floor, make sure to allow for proper ventilation to prevent condensation. If you are not sure you have adequate insulation, give us a call and we will come out and take a look.

Using a spray foam in the attic is the best choice because it fills the holes and crevices. We recommend closed cell spray foam for several reasons:

It has a higher R-value per inch than open cell spray foam.
Closed cell spray foam is a vapor barrier and water can’t permeate it.
It sticks to the walls and fills all the crevices and holes.

To learn more about Closed Cell Spray Foam, watch our video on YouTube.

Do You Need a Thermal Barrier When Using Spray Foam?

Closed Cell, Open Cell, Safety, Spray Foam, Thermal Barrier

There is a lot of confusion when it comes to thermal barriers regarding what they are and when they are needed with spray foam application. Luckily, we understand this subject and will explain the thermal barrier and the International Resi dential Co de (IRC) in a way that you can understand.

What is a thermal barrier?

A thermal barrier is a material that is applied between spray foam insulation and the interior living space. Moreover, the IRC says that all foam plastic insulations have to be separated from the interior of the building by a 15-minute thermal barrier. One such barrier is half-inch gypsum board (drywall). Because any type of spray foam is combustible, along with most other building materials, we need to protect the wall from the foam. By installing gypsum board over the foam, we have protection on the inside of the building for a life-saving purpose.

The IRC is trying to provide enough time for occupants to get out of the house in case of fire. A thermal barrier will give an occupant about 15 minutes to escape.

Not every area of your home has to have a thermal barrier. So, what needs to be covered and what can be exposed?

Can spray foam be left exposed?

The quick answer is yes and no, because spray foam can be left exposed in some areas of the home with other areas requiring a thermal barrier, according to the code.

If the area of the home that has been sprayed with foam is directly connected to the living space or used for storage, then it has to be separated by a thermal barrier. This would be your exterior walls and ceilings.

There are exceptions to the rule, which are the crawl space, attic, and basement rim joists. Rim joists never require thermal barriers, and attics and crawl spaces that are not used for storage or living space do not need a thermal barrier. They’re already treated with an ignition barrier. The only time a crawl space or attic needs a thermal barrier is when the space is used as an auxiliary living space or storage.

There are a couple of ways to omit or provide an alternate to the thermal barrier. One of those is large scale test using something like a cementitious-based product. If it passes the test, it can be used as a stand-alone thermal barrier.

You could also use an intumescent coating (swells up when heated). It has been tested over a specific spray foam to provide an interior finish system that acts like a thermal barrier. For example, if you’re going to install spray foam on the underside of a roof deck in an open roof assembly like in a restaurant, you would put the spray foam on the underside. You can’t leave it exposed to the inside of the building, so you’ll need to use a thermal barrier to go over it, such as drywall or thermal barrier paint. What do we do?

If you have an intumescent coating that has been approved, then you apply that over the spray foam. The coating is now an interior finish that we can leave exposed inside the restaurant, which meets interior standards.

Learn more about insulation code

In conclusion, you now have a grasp of thermal barriers, but you might have more questions about meeting insulation code in your area.

If you want to make sure your new home or remodeling project meets code, please contact us.

References

Spray Foam Advisor, Thermal Barriers, Sep 29, 2017, sprayfoamadvisor.com
Retrofoam of Michigan, What is a Thermal Barrier and When is it Needed with Spray Foam? December 26, 2018, retrofoamofmichigan.com

Homeowners Beware: Re-Entry Times and Your Safety

Green, Insulation, Safety, Spray Foam

How safe is it to re-enter my home after installing Icynene® spray foam?

Homeowners and building managers often ask us about a product called Icynene, a liquid spray foam insulation. Icynene Inc. claims people can re-enter the building one hour after installation. We decided to investigate that claim for ourselves.

The Green Cocoon follows OSHA’s and the manufacturers’ guidelines when using spray foam insulation. Those guidelines state that re-entry should only happen 24 hours after installation has been completed.

Let’s Do Some Math

According to icynene.com, “Low VOC Icynene Classic Max and Icynene ProSeal spray foam products allow for re-entry after 1 hour and re-occupancy after 2 hours of active ventilation (at 40 ACH) following installation, allowing for minimal impact on construction schedules.”

Let’s have a look at 40 ACH (40 air changes per hour). Take a small, 2-story house that has a 24’ x 36’ footprint, which is 864 square feet. If we figure it has two stories at 8 feet tall, the basement is 8 feet tall, and the band joists are 1 foot tall, that’s an overall height of 25 feet.

Now let’s take the square footage (864 feet) times the overall height (25 feet) and you’ve got 21,600 cubic feet. When multiplied by 40 ACH, you will have to move 864,000 cubic feet of air in an hour!

If we take the cubic feet of air moved in an hour and divide it by 60 minutes, we calculate that we’ll need to move 14,400 cubic feet of air per minute. That takes some pretty big fans, but the average insulation company uses fans that move 2,500 cfm of air (like the one in the photo). That means that you have to have six of these fans running while you are spraying and you’ll need to leave them running for an hour once you finish spraying. And this is on a small house! The larger the house, the more fans you will need!

TGC regularly works on homes that would require 12 or more fans to hit the number. That is a lot of fans to purchase, set up, take down, and move around from job to job.

Safety First

Ask your contractor how many and what size fans they are planning to use if they install Icynene. We suggest you stop by the home and take a peek to make sure the contractor uses the right number of fans needed (see math above). Your safety should come first.

TGC chooses not to offer Icynene spray foam as Icynene reps are only allowed to spray Icynene. TGC is an independent spray foam insulation company, so we spray the product that we think is the greenest and safest for our customers. We don’t like to be pigeon-holed into using one product that might not be the best fit.

Before you purchase any spray foam insulation, get a second opinion from The Green Cocoon.

The Green Cocoon Offers Financing Through Hearth

Financing

The Green Cocoon (TGC) has partnered with Hearth, a San Francisco-based company offering various financing options that can save consumers thousands of dollars during their home renovations. TGC is working with Hearth to help you find financing options that best fit your needs.

Make smarter financial decisions

The new financing options help homeowners make smart financial decisions about their renovations. Also, they show homeowners how to craft an accurate budget for their remodels.

Helping you during this pandemic

“We learned about Hearth while researching financing companies,” said James Materkowski, owner and president of The Green Cocoon. “Offering financing, especially in the midst of a pandemic, allows a homeowner to pay for their project with predictable, monthly payments without tapping into the equity of their home.”

The new financial tool can check rates in under two minutes and loans are typically funded in one to five days. One exciting feature is the no prepayment penalty option. You can pay off the loan early with no additional fees!

If you’ve been considering upgrading the insulation in your home, download our flyer to learn more about this exciting new financing option. Even though it is summer, now is the time to act. The cold months come in quickly and our schedule fills up! So, why not insulate and be warm this winter! Apply today!

Summer Safety Tip: Be “Fireworks Smart”

Safety

Fireworks safety is very important now that the Fourth of July weekend is here! That means sun, fun, and fireworks! The Green Cocoon wants everyone to be safe this holiday season. Follow these guidelines from the National Council on Fireworks Safety to ensure fireworks safety.

Stats to Consider for Fireworks Safety

In 2006, an estimated 9,200 people were treated in emergency rooms for fireworks-related injuries, 36 percent of whom were under 15 years old. Children between the ages of 10 and 14 were at three times the risk of fireworks injuries than the general population. About a third of the injuries were from small firecrackers, 21 percent from bottle rockets and 20 percent from sparklers. In 2004, fireworks caused $21 million in direct property damage.

The National Safety Council advises the best way to safely enjoy this 4th of July is to watch a public fireworks display conducted by professionals. However, if fireworks are legal where you live and you decide to use them, be sure to follow these safety tips.

General Fireworks Safety Tips

Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
Older children should use fireworks only under close adult supervision.
Light fireworks outdoors in a clear area away from onlookers, houses and flammable materials.
Light one device at a time; maintain a safe distance after lighting.
Do not allow any running or horseplay while fireworks are being used.
Never ignite devices in a container.
Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks; douse and soak them with water and discard them safely.
Keep a bucket of water and hose nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that don’t go off or in case of fire.

“Fireworks Smart” Before, During, and After

The National Council on Fireworks Safety urges consumers to be “fireworks smart” – before, during, and after their fireworks display.

Before: Choose an open area away from spectators, homes, buildings, and dry vegetation. Use a garden hose to wet down the area before firing.
During: As each device burns out, soak it using a hose or bucket of water.
After: Place all used items in a covered, fireproof container and leave it outside and away from homes and buildings.

Special Safety Tips for Sparklers

Children under the age of 12 should not use sparklers without very close adult supervision.
Always remain standing while using sparklers.
Never hold a child in your arms while using sparklers.
Never hold or light more than one sparkler at a time.
Sparklers and bare feet can be a painful combination. Always wear closed-toe shoes when using sparklers.
Sparkler wire and stick remain hot long after the flame has gone out. Be sure to drop the spent sparklers directly into a bucket of water.
Never hand a lighted sparkler to another person. Give them the unlit sparkler and then light it.
Always stand at least 6 feet from another person while using sparklers.
Never throw sparklers.
Show children how to hold sparklers away from their body and at arm’s length.
Teach children not to wave sparklers, especially wooden stick sparklers, or run while holding sparklers.

Don’t Make These Basement Insulation Mistakes

Closed Cell, Fiberglass Batting, Insulation, Save Money, Spray Foam

Basement insulation installed incorrectly is a common contractor error. The results can be disastrous as severe mold and mildew may become a problem, not to mention the loss of money on your heating bill. Since most basements are inherently moist, you need to keep all untreated wood away from the concrete surfaces. Moisture below the slab can wick up into the concrete and get to the base plates of the wall. Therefore, you need to make certain the bottom plate of the wall is treated lumber.

Avoid Using Fiberglass Insulation in Basements

As seen in the photo above, putting polyethylene over fiberglass insulation is a no-no as it doesn’t allow the insulation to breathe. Consequently, this homeowner had moisture build-up and ultimately mold growth!

For years contractors have been treating basements much like regular living space. It’s not uncommon to see fiberglass insulation in direct contact with basement foundation walls. Here in the northeast, we see several common mistakes, including:

Plastic vapor barrier against concrete wall, fiberglass insulation inside stud wall, then drywall
Fiberglass insulation inside a “bag” hanging from the rim joist down along the foundation wall
Stud wall filled with fiberglass insulation an inch or two away from the concrete wall^[1]

Those mistakes can increase the chances for mold to grow.

What Causes Mold to Grow in Basements?

Mold can grow on virtually any organic material as long as it has the right moisture level and oxygen. Because mold eats or digests what it is growing on, it can damage a building and its furnishings. If left unchecked, mold eventually can cause structural damage to building materials and can cause health problems. That’s why we don’t want mold in our basements! Specifically, we can prevent damage to buildings and building contents in the basement areas, save money, and avoid these potential health problems by controlling moisture.

According to the EPA, indoor relative humidity in homes should be kept below 60 percent — ideally between 30 and 50 percent. ^[2] In addition to preventing mold formation, maintaining the correct humidity levels may also have a bonus effect. It may discourage pests such as cockroaches, silverfish (bristletails), and dust mites from showing up where you don’t want them!

To measure the humidity of your home or basement, you need to buy a humidity meter and track the relative humidity level. That is the first part of understanding the mold problem in your home or basement.

Education Needed

If contractors are still using fiberglass insulation in basements, it means that we in the industry need to do a better job educating our builders. In order to understand the issues with basement insulation, you first must understand the role of vapor barriers in basements.

Use the Right Insulation

Over the years, we’ve come to rely on two main approaches for basement insulation projects and remodeling, including closed cell spray foam and rigid foam board. When installed in the correct thickness, these two methods result in a proper vapor barrier and superior insulation.

Get Educated – Be the Pro!

Today, the building industry and building science are changing rapidly. In order to stand out in the competition and provide a professional service to your clients, you need to stay educated on the latest methods. You can be sure that the team at The Green Cocoon is up-to-date on the latest insulation practices in order to bring our clients the best product possible.

If you have questions or need a quote on your next insulation project, contact us and we’d be happy to help.

^[1] Be the Pro. Avoiding Basement Insulation Mistakes. Retrieved from bethepro.com.

^[2] United States Environmental Protection Agency. Mold Course Chapter 2. Retrieved from epa.gov.

Did You Know? Insulation R-Value Changes

Closed Cell, Fiberglass Batting, R-Value, Spray Foam

In the world of building construction, improvement, and insulation, we talk about R-value all the time. Usually, we talk about it as if it’s a constant number. We see R-19 stamped right there on the product, so that’s what it is, right? Well, did you know that the R-value of insulation is not a constant?

What Is R-Value?

R-value is a measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material. R-value is important, but it’s just one of a few key factors that determine the effectiveness of an insulation material. The R-value is tested in an air-tight vacuum chamber, which means that typical insulation materials like fiberglass and cellulose do not actually perform with that value unless paired with intense air sealing measures.

^[1]

How Is R-value measured?

Because of scams involving R-value claims that didn’t match reality, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) devised the R-value Rule to protect buyers of insulating products. In fact, in 2013 the FTC handed down its largest fine ever ($350,000) to a company claiming that its paint had an R-value of 100.^[2]

So, the R-value Rule requires testing insulation using one of four American Society of Test Methods (ASTM) standards. The basic requirement is that the mean temperature must be 75° F (24° C) with a temperature difference of 50° F (28° C) across the insulation.^[3]

According to Building Science Corporation, most R-value testing is done with a temperature of 50° F (10° C) on the cold side and 100° F (38° C) on the hot side.^[4]

The Lowdown on R-value

The main point here is that R-value isn’t some constant number for a given material, and installation isn’t the only factor that affects it. As you can see above, temperature has a significant effect as well.

The team at The Green Cocoon knows that the performance of the insulation is affected by how well it is installed. Energystar.gov has developed guidelines for grading the quality of installation. Moreover, they’ve developed a table that shows what levels of insulation are cost-effective for different climates and locations in the home.^[5]

Compression

Improperly installed insulation loses its R-value. For example, fiberglass can lose up to 50 percent of its prescribed R-value when compressed. When you compress fiberglass batt insulation, the R-value per inch goes up, but the overall R-value goes down because you have less inches or thickness of insulation.^[6]

Fear not, closed cell spray foam is the only insulation material that has an almost constant R-value. The reason is because you cannot pass air through it or compress it.

[1] Building Performance Institute (April 4, 2017). What Does R-Value Mean? Retrieved from bpihomeowner.org.

[2] FTC.gov (January 31, 2013). FTC Action Leads to Court Order: Home Insulation Marketer to Pay $350,000. Retrieved from ftc.gov.

[3] Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (March 31, 2020). R-value Rule. Retrieved from ecfr.gov.

[4] Building Science Corporation (April 12, 2013). Info-502: Temperature Dependence of R-values in Polyisocyanurate Roof Insulation. Retrieved from buildingscience.com.

[5] Energy.gov. Recommend Home Insulation R-Values. Retrieved from energy.gov.

[6] Insulation Institute. The Facts About Compressing Fiber Glass Insulation. Retrieved from insulationinstitute.org.