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February 10th, 2012

Posted in General |



 

KANSAS CITY REMODELING SHOW!

February 7th, 2012

Come visit our booth at the 2012 Kansas City Remodeling Show and receive a $100.00 voucher toward any in stock fireplace unit. The show is February 10, 11 & 12 @ the American Royal Center, 1701 American Royal Ct.(18th & Genesee), KC, MO!! The hours are Friday and Saturday 10-9, and Sunday 10-6!!

Posted in General |



 

Bipartisan Bill Introduced in the U.S. Senate to Account for Energy Costs in Mortgage Underwriting

October 26th, 2011

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) introduced a bipartisan bill that would enable better mortgage underwriting, reflect the value of energy performance in the appraisal, encourage investments in energy efficient homebuilding and create more than 80,000 construction jobs.

Under the Sensible Accounting to Value Energy (SAVE) Act, federal mortgage loan agencies would consider a homeowner’s expected energy costs when determining the homeowner’s ability to make monthly mortgage payments.
There are two main elements of the proposed legislation. The first is the recognition of the energy as an housing cost. This would change the current PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance) into PIETI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance plus Energy). This means that with every dollar the home saves in energy it would increase the buyer’s ability to afford the efficient home by the same amount. This has been a structural reform advocated by RESNET since 2006 (see RESNET Policy on Energy Efficient Mortgages)
The second main element of the SAVE Act is the Loan to Value Adjustment, which incorporates the Net Present Value (NPV) of expected energy savings into the home’s appraisal.
Both elements will allow homeowners to invest in improved energy performance and finance it through the traditional mortgage.
The proposed legislation would recognize home energy ratings for calculating the energy savings for the mortgage loan.
According to the legislation’s sponsors, the average homeowner spends more than $2,000 each year on energy costs  more than on either real estate taxes or homeowners insurance, both of which are regularly accounted for in mortgage underwriting. On average, these energy costs amount to more than $60,000 over the life of a 30-year mortgage. The SAVE Act would address this blind spot, giving a more complete picture of the costs of homeownership and borrowers capacity to service debt.
Under the SAVE Act, lenders would account for expected energy costs along with other recurring payments in the debt-to-income qualifying ratios, which test the borrower’s ability to afford regular monthly mortgage payments. According to a new study from The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the SAVE act is predicted to create 83,000 new jobs in construction, renovation and manufacturing by 2020.
“It is rare to have such diverse interests come together, and that’s because this is a common-sense bill,” said Bennet. “The Save Act would help provide access to useful information about energy usage that home owners, buyers, appraisers and underwriters want and need. It would lead to more complete and accurate mortgage underwriting, would encourage investments in home energy improvements, create more than 80,000 jobs and lighten the load for Colorado families budgets.”
“As someone who has 30 years of experience in the resident real estate industry and who has lived through multiple recessions, I understand that recovery in the housing market and job creation in the construction sector is pivotal to getting our economy back on track,” said Isakson. “I place my support behind this bill because it has the potential to create jobs without any cost to taxpayers, and it will also improve mortgage underwriting in this country by including energy as a factor in the process.”
The bill has support from a broad coalition of real estate, business, building trade and conservation groups, including RESNET, Leading Builders of America, Appraisal Institute, U.S. Green Building Council, National Association of Manufacturers, International Code Council, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, ASHRAE, Efficiency First, Alliance to Save Energy, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, and National Association of State Energy Officials.
“The SAVE Act creates private sector jobs while making our homes more energy efficient,” said Ross Eisenberg, Environment and Energy Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “And by accomplishing these goals without the need for major federal spending, the SAVE Act will spur job growth in the private sector without adding to the federal deficit. That is a win-win for the business community, and is the kind of realistic, commonsense policy everyone should want to get behind.”
“This bill is a win for homeowners, the economy, and a cleaner environment. The legislation would empower homeowners and lenders with better information about energy bills so they can make more informed decisions. This proposal would enable increased investment in the energy efficiency of homes, leading to lower energy bills. At the same time, it also would help create jobs and reduce toxic pollution from wasted energy,” said Philip Henderson, senior financial policy specialist, Natural Resources Defense Council.
“We strongly support this legislation because it will improve mortgage underwriting performed by federal mortgage agencies by ensuring that energy costs are included in the process,” said Appraisal Institute President Joseph C. Magdziarz, MAI, SRA. “It would require use of qualified, competent appraisers and would help ensure that appraisers have access to data needed to analyze the effects of energy-efficient home improvements in the marketplace. Consumers would benefit from the bill’s efforts to help ensure they receive a reliable, credible opinion of value.”
“With this act in place, we believe it is possible to substantially increase the energy efficiency of new homes over the next decade while retaining affordability for our customers. This truly is a win-win opportunity for our customers, the economy and our environment,” said Ken Gear, executive director of Leading Builders of America, Inc.
Posted in Energy News & Tips |



 

Happy Anniversary to Doug Grogman- celebrating 33 years with Henges Insulation.

August 20th, 2011

Way to go, Doug. Thanks for your hard work and dedication.

Posted in General, Testimonials |



 

Insulation basics

June 8th, 2011

Ever wondered how insulation works?  We found a great article on buildinggreen.com that explains the basics:

Choosing the right insulation can be confounding. No other building material comes in so many forms—from ground-up newspapers to foam boards to translucent gel. Understanding how insulation works can help us find the right material for a particular project.

 The word insulation comes from the Latin insula—an island. Insulation attempts to create a climate-controlled enclosure by slowing heat flow—quite a trick, since thermal energy will always keep moving until equilibrium is reached, and your “island” of conditioned air is tiny compared with the outdoors. It gets even trickier when you consider that heat moves in three different ways: through conduction, convection, and radiation.

 Thermal conduction is the movement of heat through direct contact: one molecule, literally vibrating with thermal energy, bounces into an adjacent molecule, transferring some of that energy. If you touch a hot wood stove, your hand will rapidly gain heat through conduction. Convection, by contrast, is the movement of molecules through a fluid or gas. It transfers heat because differences in temperature tend to cause air to move, carrying its heat energy. Air is warmed by a wood stove, becomes buoyant, and moves upward through a room, spreading its energy. Radiant heat flows by way of infrared waves. You can stand several feet from a fire and feel its glow. We are heated by the sun’s radiation, 93 million miles away.

R-value measures resistance to thermal conduction; a material with a higher R-value per inch is a better insulator. Most types of insulation work because they have millions of pockets of gas trapped within their structure. These pockets slow heat transfer from high-energy, warm air molecules to low-energy air molecules on the other side of the wall. Fiber insulation, such as fiberglass and cellulose, relies on trapped air. The R-value of some foam insulation is enhanced by trapped gases: low-conductivity blowing agents. The insulation materials themselves—plastics in foams or wood fiber in cellulose—are also inherently resistant to conduction.

Insulation materials stop convection in two ways. The material itself interrupts the air movement, and the individual pockets of trapped air are small enough that air currents don’t form within them. Some insulation materials also form an effective air barrier, stopping air from flowing through the building enclosure and carrying heat (and moisture) with it.

Materials differ in their emissivity—their ability to radiate heat. Low-emissivity (low-e) coatings such as foil facings, when adjacent to an air space, help slow heat radiation from a warm object to cooler objects. Radiant barriers have a place in specialized applications, as the low-e coatings in windows and the underside of roof sheathing, but paint and insulation manufacturers are notorious for exaggerating their benefits.Choosing the right insulation can be confounding. No other building material comes in so many forms—from ground-up newspapers to foam boards to translucent gel. Understanding how insulation works can help us find the right material for a particular project.

Original article can be found at http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2011/6/1/How-Insulation-Works/

Posted in General, Insulation Facts & Advice |



 

How Spray Foam can save you money

May 26th, 2011

A poorly insulated home hits homeowners where it hurts the most–their wallets. And, dollar for dollar, according to SprayFoam.com, “with its energy efficient R-value, green value, effectiveness and installation ease, spray foam insulation is a money-saving home improvement that will pay for itself season after season and year after year, simply by reducing energy bills. You may even qualify for an energy tax credit that could save you additional money.”

As we’ve reported on an earlier blog, Henges Insulation is now carrying Spray-Foam insulation. “When you couple new insulation with additional energy efficient measures, such as sealing gaps in windows and doors and switching to energy-efficient heating and cooling mechanisms, the savings can really add up.” Make sure you’re not throwing away good money by clicking here.

Posted in Energy News & Tips, General, Insulation Facts & Advice |



 

Build Green, Kansas City!

May 20th, 2011

The Kansas City Home Builders Association has established a Build Green Council and membership is open to anyone with an interest.  Below is information about building green taken from NAHBGreen at www.nahbgreen.org.

The home building industry coined the phrase green building in the late 1980s, turning a niche movement of resource-efficient homes into a quiet revolution – one that is increasingly becoming a preferred way to build and remodel. Whether you’re a home building professional looking to go green or a prospective green homebuyer, the reasons for going green are numerous.

Green building means incorporating environmental considerations and resource efficiency into every step of the home building and land development process to minimize environmental impact. It’s a practical response to a variety of issues that affect all of us – like increasing energy prices, waning water resources, and changing weather patterns. It means making intentional decisions about:

Energy efficiency improvements such as high levels of insulation, efficient HVAC systems, high-performance windows and energy-efficient appliances and lighting.

Water conservation measures such as water-efficient appliances and fixtures, filtration systems, and drought resistant or low-maintenance landscaping.

Resource conservation using materials and techniques such as engineered wood and wood alternatives, recycled building materials, sustainably harvested lumber, and more durable products.

Indoor environmental quality considerations such as effective HVAC equipment, formaldehyde-free finishes, low-allergen materials, and products with minimum off-gassing or low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Site design planning such as minimizing disruption and preserving open space Homeowner education through manuals and operating guides.

Green business practices that adopt ideas from other industries for saving resources and money in the home office The first official green home building program began in 1991 in the city of Austin, Texas. The movement has grown slowly but surely since then and today, new homes are significantly more energy and resource efficient than they were even 20 years ago. A past survey of NAHB members showed that more than two-thirds are incorporating at least some of these green features into the homes they build — and that as the home building industry begins to revive, it will be significantly greener. With the 2009 ANSI approval of the ICC 700 National Green Building Standard, builders, remodelers, and homebuyers now have a clear definition of green residential construction and a credible certification to that standard by a qualified third party.

Posted in Energy News & Tips, General, Insulation Facts & Advice |



 

Replace your woodburning fireplace with a gas insert

May 13th, 2011

Majestic 40ILDV shown with optional Iron Age surround with filigree

Is your wood-burning fireplace becoming too much of a chore every winter? A wood-burning fireplace is considered to be one of the most inefficient heat sources available according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Updating it with an easy to use gas insert will bring warmth and efficiency. 

Inserts fit in the opening of an existing wood fireplace and the variety of surrounds available close any gaps. Fans and blowers are also available to help push the heat out into the room and optional remote controls make it as simple to use as a traditional gas fireplace. To hear about all of your options, contact Henges and we’ll come out for a free estimate.

Posted in General |



 

Spring, the season of….fireplaces?

May 3rd, 2011

May Day, Mother’s Day and Memorial Day all remind us of Spring and the upcoming warmer weather.  While we look forward to it immensely, most of us have that one permanent piece of furniture that gets neglected this time of year: the fireplace.  While we bask in the heat of it during the late fall and winter, we simply glance over it as soon as the weather gets warmer.  Henges can provide you with a beautiful fireplace, however, we’re not designers and what you put on the surrounding wall is not something we deal with in general.  That’s why we’ve borrowed ideas from our friends at DIY Life.  Check out the link below for some great ideas for your fireplace during the upcoming months when it’s not in use.  Happy decorating!

http://www.diylife.com/2011/04/29/fireplace-ideas/

Posted in Fireplace Designs, Fireplace Facts & Advice |



 

And the award goes to….

April 21st, 2011

Congratulations to the winners at the KCH&G Home of the Year Awards and the HBA American Dream Home Awards!  For a full list of all winners please visit www.kchandg.com and www.kchba.org.  Robert, Doug, Courtney and Keith (pictured left to right) had a great time at the American Dream Home event while General Manager Greg Kudrna attended the Kansas City Homes and Gardens presentation.  Please remember that the Spring Homes Tour, a Kansas City tradition for 49 years, is underway April 16-May 1. To request information, please call 816.942.8800 or email info@kchba.org.

Posted in General |