Energy Smart

10/16/2026

Is it possible the coldest room in your house isn't a furnace problem?

Mid-October is when that room makes itself known. The one over the garage, the one at the end of the hall, the one above the unfinished basement. The furnace reaches it last and loses it first. That's not a heat supply issue. It's a heat retention issue, and it lives in the walls, floor, and ceiling of that room.

EnergySmart serves Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Dunmore, and all of northeastern Pennsylvania. Insulation, air sealing, and concrete leveling.

Call 570-558-0941 for a free quote.

10/16/2026

Last week we completed one of our largest commercial jobs to date.

By the numbers:
• 5 sets closed cell spray foam
• 2,602 bags of cellulose applied to exterior walls (R21)
• 1,176 bags of cellulose applied to ceiling flats (R60)
• 636 bags of unfaced fiberglass
• Most importantly, 83 days worth of work!

10/15/2026

September is NEPA's wettest month, averaging over four inches of rain at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton station. October is when the ground tells you what that water did.

Saturated clay soil swells, then shrinks as it dries. Downspouts that dump beside a slab wash out the base beneath it. Tree roots, poorly compacted fill, and last winter's freeze-thaw all add up to the same result. A slab that's lower than it was in spring.

Knowing the cause decides the fix. Lifting without solving drainage only buys time.

Tap Learn More for the 7 causes of sinking concrete in Northeast PA.

Sinking concrete can lead to cracks and tripping hazards. Learn how concrete sinks in NEPA and how to fix it.

10/13/2026

Most homes in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton were built long before anyone thought about insulation. Heating one through a NEPA winter takes a plan, not just more material.

Old houses were built to breathe. Stuff the wrong insulation in the wrong place and moisture gets trapped, which leads to rot and mold. The right order is attic first, then basement, then air sealing, using breathable materials like dense-pack cellulose that manage moisture instead of holding it.

Done right, an old house can be as comfortable as a new one.

Tap Learn More for the 5-step guide to insulating an old house.

Learn how to properly insulate an old house in NEPA. This 5-step guide covers air sealing, moisture control, and the best materials for older structures.

10/12/2026

The U.S. Energy Information Administration released its Winter Fuels Outlook last week. For NEPA, one line stands out.

Homes heating with oil, most of them in the Northeast, are forecast to pay about 21% more than last winter. Heating oil prices are up roughly 30%, with a milder forecast winter absorbing part of that.

Nobody controls the price per gallon. Every homeowner controls how many gallons the house burns. Insulation and air sealing are where that number gets smaller.

10/09/2026

Would it be unreasonable to want a house that's actually warm in February, not just heated?

There's a difference. A heated house runs the furnace hard and still has cold corners. A warm house holds its heat, so the furnace rests and every room feels the same. The gap between the two is almost always the attic, the rim joists, and the walls, not the equipment.

EnergySmart serves Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Dunmore, and all of northeastern Pennsylvania. Insulation, air sealing, and concrete leveling.

Call 570-558-0941 for a free quote.

10/08/2026

A foundation that settled a little over the summer will settle more once fall rain saturates the soil around it.

Waterlogged soil pushes against foundation walls and washes out the base under footings and slabs. Cracks widen, doors stick, floors tilt. The fix doesn't have to be piers and excavation.

Polyfoam injection fills the voids under a settled foundation slab through penny-sized holes, lifts it back to level, and cures in about 15 minutes. Less invasive, far less cost, and done before the ground freezes.

Tap Learn More about affordable foundation repair with polyfoam.

Need fast and affordable foundation repair? Polyfoam may be the answer you’re looking for. Here’s how it works.

10/06/2026

Ice dams don't start on the roof. They start in the attic.

When heat escapes into a poorly ventilated attic, it warms the roof deck, snow melts, and the water refreezes at the cold eaves. The result is a ridge of ice that backs water up under the shingles. Adding insulation without fixing ventilation can make it worse by trapping even more heat and moisture up there.

Ridge vents, soffit vents, and baffles keep the attic cold and dry, which is exactly what a winter roof wants.

Tap Learn More for why ventilation and insulation have to work together.

Discover why attic ventilation is essential when insulating in NEPA to prevent ice dams, stop mold growth, and maximize your home’s energy efficiency.

10/05/2026

The National Weather Service puts the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area's average first measurable snowfall at November 15.

That's about six weeks. Six weeks before the roof is holding snow, the furnace is cycling all night, and any gap in the attic shows up as a melt line or an ice dam.

The projects that matter most before then are the unglamorous ones. Attic air sealing, topping off insulation, and getting the basement rim joists closed up.

Six weeks is plenty of time. It's also exactly enough.

10/02/2026

October in NEPA. Leaves down, furnace on, first frost close.

Is it fair to say your house has a few spots that never quite warm up? A bedroom over the garage. A basement that leaks cold up through the floor. A hallway draft nobody can trace.

Those spots aren't a mystery. They're missing insulation or unsealed gaps, and both have straightforward fixes.

EnergySmart serves Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Dunmore, and all of northeastern Pennsylvania. Insulation, air sealing, and concrete leveling.

Call 570-558-0941 for a free quote.