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

Evergreen Home Performance shows its expertise from start to finish. Evergreen did three house projects in winter/spring/summer 2020 for me, attic insulation, crawl space under a porch insulation, and basement foam/vapor barrier. From my initial discussion with Bryan, I understood the reasons for choosing different types of insulation, the associated costs, and time estimates. Evergreen scheduled in advance, came when they said they would, and the crews were highly professional in their work and demeanor.

Iris S.

Portland

Update 12/2018: Evergreen has completed Phase II of my house (insulating and installing air/moisture barrier on exterior walls, replacing old windows) and now that heating season is upon us, the difference is astonishing. The house is tight as a drum and so easy to keep warm. Worth every penny. Thank you all! Working with Evergreen was a positive experience from start (no charge energy audit) to finish (a MUCH more comfortable home). Brian Robinson spent a lot of time with me on the audit, explaining clearly what he was finding in my ca.

Rebekah W.

Rockport

I had gotten estimates from several other companies, but Evergreen was in another league entirely with their professionalism. If you want the job done correctly, I couldn't recommend this company enough.

Rayna Mayo

Freeport

We needed basement encapsulation to stop moisture coming up into the house from our regularly flooding basement. We had mold growing on windowsills and furniture. All the staff were friendly, respectful of our home, and easy to work with. Humidity has gone from 70% down to 40% and mold has not grown back after two months. Very grateful.

Sarah C.

Belfast

Thanks Evergreen Home Performance for helping to make our home more efficient. Many thanks as well to Bryan for the initial walk through and recommendations to make our home more efficient and to Dave, Roland, and Jacob for a job that was done professionally and courteous.  We were amazed at the level of efficiency and everyday they made sure to protect our floors, carpets, and furniture. We had daily discussions with Dave about progress and what was being done and where they were at in the project.

Carol Fink

We just finished a large project air sealing and reinsulating our 1890s basement and attic. It had been completely renovated 8 years ago, but still felt cold, and lacked proper energy assessment and corrections. We met with Justin in December and were very impressed with his knowledge, professionalism and communication skills and knew Evergreen was who we wanted to work with. Dave was our on hands project manager and was excellent. The office staff has been quick to respond and helpful as well when needed.

E Gallant

Kennebunk

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

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

Several years ago Brian Robinson evaluated the crawl space at my summer home on Islesboro where I knew moisture was becoming a problem. I had done quite a bit of work in the space many years prior with mixed results. When Brian offered some suggestions, they were ideas that incorporated work previously done, and would be a relatively low cost effort to improve the situation. He offered this advice over several phone conversations of some length, informally, and at no charge.

Cliff R.

Islesboro

Evergreen has just completed Phase 2 of 2 at my home. They are professional, hard-working and courteous. They communicate well..no surprises. They've gone above and beyond to make my home comfortable and were very respectful of my home.I recommend them unequivocally!!!Many thanks to Brian, Brian, Rick, Eddie, Dawson and the rest of the Evergreen crew!!

David Henry Feldman

Evergreen is the "go-to" company for improving the efficiency of your home. There are others to choose from but none so effective, honest, and capable as Evergreen. They did a great quantity of dense packing cellulose to improve our home (both for energy efficiency and for sound insulation) and it was totally successful. They are on-time, helpful, and caring. They clean up to a level that can't be over emphasized. This was the second time we employed them and we'd use them again if the opportunity came. You'll not be sorry to select Evergreen.

Dirk F.

Belfast

Great team!

George S.

Bath

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

Very easy process, start to finish.  Friendly, professional, and really know their stuff.  They made some improvements to our condo and we were very happy with how it played out.  Would definitely recommend them.

Clayton Eames

Greetings one and all! I am writing to express my gratitude to all involved in my insulation project.  From start to finish, I appreciate the universal theme which was maintained by each and every one of you, to ensure that my home was insulated and protected from freezing pipes as if it was your home. Andrea, thanks for helping me navigate my way to the project. Nate, thanks for the thorough initial assessment and the time you took to explain this project to me, step by step. Brian, thanks for setting up my project - so happy

Michele

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