GizMag reports a new roof and attic system developed by the Dept. of Energy that can be retrofitted to existing homes could save homeowners $100 a year, offsetting the $100 to $300 typically lost annually because of poorly sealed heating and cooling ducts that leak conditioned air into attics. Developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the passive ventilation system moves air from the underbelly of the attic that normally goes into the house, and carries it up and out. Featuring a foil-covered polystyrene insulation that fits over and between rafters in new construction, or attached to a shingled roof on existing homes, the system also has controls for radiation and convection. MHproNews has learned the $2000 for installation is far less expensive than spray foam in reducing the average household’s energy consumption.
