If Your Home Was Too Cold During the Winter, It’ll Be Hot This Summer — Here’s What To Do

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Though summer in Maine is perhaps as perfect as the season can get anywhere in the world, we’d all be lying to ourselves if we said there’s never a single need for air conditioning. From Rockland to Portland, summer temperatures can climb into the 90s or even higher, and we’ve already had a few days this year that have made doing anything more than sitting on the beach an uncomfortable experience. Naturally, AC serves a place throughout the Maine summer, but it can also drive your energy bills through the roof if you’re not careful.

There are a number of things you can do to reduce your monthly energy bills without having to sacrifice summer comfort, but it all starts with an insulation upgrade, and the team at Evergreen Home Performance is here to help.

Insulation…in the Summertime?

One of the biggest misconceptions associated with insulation is that it only matters when the snow is falling. Of course, most of us would spend the Maine winter freezing if we didn’t have insulation in our homes, but that doesn’t mean the material is a one trick pony. In fact, insulation works in the exact same way during the summer months as it does during the winter, reducing the amount of heat transfer that occurs.

Think of insulation kind of in the same way you might a sweater (if it’s winter) or a koozie that fits around a cold can (if it’s summer). The bulk of the sweater helps to keep your body heat from escaping in the same way that the koozie keeps your beverage ice-cold throughout the day, and the same scenario applies to how insulation aids your HVAC system.

According to the EPA, homeowners can expect to save an average of 15% on heating and cooling costs by installing high-performance insulation and air sealing their homes. The more well-insulated a home, the more comfortable it will be no matter what the weather looks like outside.

Evergreen Home Performance: Your Coastal Maine Insulation Specialists

At Evergreen Home Performance, we’ve seen firsthand just how much new insulation can do in terms of making older homes dramatically more comfortable when the summer heat and humidity hits. We offer materials such as spray foam, cellulose, mineral wool and Thermax rigid foam insulation, all of which represent the best the market has to offer and have their own specific uses throughout the home.

It all starts with a home energy audit, where we determine exactly which parts of your home can benefit from adding new insulation. From there, we’ll work with you to come up with a plan that fits both your budget and your needs.

Boost summer comfort this year with an insulation upgrade! Contact us or call 207-594-2244 today to learn more or to schedule an appointment.

Contact us today to learn more!

207-594-2244

First we have Evergreen do a BIG project worth about $20K (windows, basement, insulate & rebuild an entire wall, a door, attics, and air sealing). They were so great we had them come back later when we decided we did want to do our other door. They are professional and do great work. They take care of your home and are trustworthy, and on top of all that friendly! I highly recommend you call them!

Garreth C Debiegun

This team of individuals was professional at all times. They set up barriers that kept the dust at a minimum. They conducted an air flow audit and cut the draft circulation from the outside in half by sealing cracks. They hauled out the old insulation and replaced it with blown in insulation with an R - 60 Value. They also did the rebate paperwork so that I could get my $1500.00 rebate from the state of Maine. I highly recommend Evergreen Home Performance!

Daniel B.

Rockland

I cannot say enough great things about working with Evergreen Home Performance. Everything including the initial consultation, the fabulous work crew, the office support and the final resolution was handled in a caring and professional manner. My only regret is that I did not know about them earlier. I enthusiastically recommend Evergreen to anyone with concerns about home energy use.

Darlene R

Bath

Evergreen has insulated two homes that we've owned now and both times we experienced exceptional service and craftsmanship. Our rep, Justin, went above and beyond answering questions and the installation team was attentive to every detail, including pulling out old poorly installed insulation and redoing a bathroom fan that wasn't up to current code. They also left the place spotless every day! Our home is already so much warmer this fall and we are looking forward to using less oil this winter.

Eva G.

Falmouth

We had Evergreen redo the insulation in our roof. The team handling our project did a great job. They left the house spotless. We've already noticed the difference in how much better our house is retaining heat. I would definitely recommend and will use them for future projects.

Ffej C.

South Portland

I never leave reviews, but had a great experience with Evergreen and wanted to spread the word! In short, we worked with them to insulate our roof this winter and have noticed surprising immediate results. The constant ice dams I have wrestled with are completely gone, and the home is noticeably more comfortable. It's a little too early to tell if our oil bill is going to reduce, but I imagine we will see an impact there as well.

Joel W.

Portland

Thorough, smart, informative, integrated, and communicative -- that's how my experience was with Evergreen even with the covid interruption midstream. The team picked up where they left off, insulated basement and air sealed attic and knee wall in 100' temps under the eaves! This business group was a pleasure to work with.

Karen W.

Gray

I highly recommend Evergreen! 1st, I had a home efficiency inspection (that was free) & Bryan P. was great! He took the time needed, asked & listened to what I thought were priorities, explained clearly what he thought were priorities & why, then gave me numerous options. No pressure whatsoever. Then I had my attic sealed & insulated as the 1st step & Bryan came along on day 1 to introduce everyone & make sure we were all on the same page. Bruce's team (inc. Kelsey & Roland) did the work - they were exceptional!!

Melissa M.

Kennebunk

Professional, friendly and hard-working staff. The product/approach they use for insulation is top notch. We felt the difference immediately, both from added warmth and eliminating drafts. The team and management were easily available to answer our questions or coordinate meeting times. Highly recommended.

Kevin J.

Yarmouth

In the final stages of selling our home, and with a closing date set, an inspection came across an unanticipated issue in our attic. We quickly called in contractors, but nobody was able to identify the source of the problem. Then we thought of Evergreen. Brian Robinson was on site the next morning and immediately identified the source (a faulty roofing job completed three years earlier which had effectively sealed up portions of the ridge vent and restricted air flow - not easily visible with a quick inspection).

Robin McIntosh

Camden

We are thrilled with the job Evergreen did to transform our 213 year old home into a warm, draft-free, cozy space. The entire team led by Bruce was prompt, courteous, knowledgeable, and hard working. If Evergreen could transform our home in this way, we are sure they would make a comparable difference in YOUR home!

Jonathan M.

Bridgton

Our house still the most efficient home we’ve ever lived in. And we have you folks to thank for that! A special howdy to Brian Robinson please!

Bruce O’Donal and Eva Butler

I used to spend winters in the bathtub because my house was so cold. This was my first winter roaming around my whole house comfortably. This even led me to decorate a little. My heating oil usage has been reduced by over a quarter: I rarely have to boost the thermostat because the temp stays at a constant. The Efficiency Maine rebates, together with the energy savings, make it affordable for me to pay for the loan I took out to finance the project. I do not worry about my pipes freezing.

Claire Helene Bevan

Camden

The Evergreen crew who installed insulation in my attic were fantastic! They were very professional, worked exceedingly hard, and they did an excellent job. They were very pleasant and friendly to be around. They cleaned up beautifully after each work day, and left my home in great shape on when they walked out the door for the last time. I can't believe they were able to accomplish all that they did with heat soaring into the 80s and 90s. It was pretty unbearable up there! They have my highest praise and my gratitude.

Cynthia F.

South Portland

Awesome company. It was a few years ago that they did the audit and then we commissioned them to do the work. We subsequently sold our house and moved to South Africa, but their level of service and expertise will live on.

Odette Brown

Portland Buy Local
Efficiency Maine
EPA Lead-Safe Certified
Building Performance Association
BPI Certified