E3-NC

Solar Thermal Water Heating Systems

2010-07-16T15:55:00.000-07:00

Ever want to use the sun to heat your water? If you have you are not alone. Solar water heating got its start in 1767 when Horace-Benedict de Saussure discovered the green house effect. He observed that it was always hotter when the sun light passed through a glass covered structure, such as a coach or building, than it is when it passes into an open area. He went on to prove this theory by creating a box that is very similar to today’s panels for a solar water heater.

While the De Saussure discovered the science behind today’s solar water heaters it wasn’t until 1891 when Clarence Kemp became the first person to patent a solar system that solar water heating came to the masses. The first system was a simple system called the Climax that heated the water using an insulated box that contained metal cylinders covered with glass. This system was typically mounted on the roof. Kemp originally marketed his units to the east coast but by 1897 1/3 of the homes in Pasadena, California had solar water heaters.

The invention and use of solar water heaters continued to climb until the 1920’s when the discovery of natural gas began the gradual decline of solar water heaters. After World War Two the increased cost of materials and decrease electrical rates the use of solar water heaters was effectively killed. It wasn’t until the energy crisis of the 70’s that the use of solar water heaters began to rise but this was short lived as in the late 80’s we experienced a second drop off.

In the past few years we have experienced another rise in the use of the solar water systems. This is due to the increase in energy cost and individuals consciousness of their environment. As the interest in solar thermal systems increase the general public’s need for knowledge about the systems also needs to increase. For that reason we will review some of the different types of systems that are available today.

Solar systems can be classified by the combination of two classification groups:

1. Water heating: This classification focuses on two different ways of heating the water.

a. Direct: The water is directly heated by the sun

b. In Direct: A transfer fluid is heated by the sun and transfers the heat to the water. In this case the water is never directly heated by the sun but rather a transfer fluid.

2. Water Movement: This classification focuses on how the water or transfer fluid is moved in the system.

a. Active: The water or fluid is moved using pumps and electricity.

b. Passive: The water moves using the natural properties of water in which cold water falls pushing warm water up creating a current or flow.

By combining either of the classifications from group one with group two you can define every type of solar water heating system on the market. While these classifications can define all types of heaters there are some types that are more prominent than others.

Drain Back System: (Active In-Direct) This system is one of the most common because it has very good freeze and over heating protection. This unit uses water as the transfer fluid and will drain the water out of the solar panels when it is not heating. This way during times of freeze or inactive use the unit does not have water in the panels. These units do use more power than other units and they can be noisy due to the need for larger pumps.

Pressurized Glycol System: (Active In-Direct) This system uses propylene glycol as the transfer fluid. These units use the glycol as the freeze protection of the system. The pumps are smaller because the fluid is pressurized and because of this a PV panel can be used to run the system. The disadvantages to this system are primarily due to the use of glycol as the transfer fluid. There is a reduction in the efficiency of the fluid to transfer heat and maintenance can be required to ensure the fluid has not deteriorated.

Drain Down System: (Active Direct) This system differs from the above systems in that it directly heats the water that is used. The system is not as complicated as other systems and the heating efficiency is good. The downfall of this system comes from the freeze protection. This system must be manually drained and refilled every time the temperature falls to a point in which the water could freeze. Also the water for the home must be good so that it doesn’t cause corrosion and mineral deposits in the system.

Direct Thermosyphon: (Passive Direct) Passive systems are the simplest systems on the market. Passive systems can use a storage tank and panels or heat the water in the tank itself. A thermosyphon system uses panels and a tank. The panel is installed below the tank and uses the natural flow of water to move the hot water into the tank for storage. As the water cools off it falls to the panel to be heated again. Passive systems are simple and reliable but they can be unappealing to some individuals.

Each unit has its application based on the site and user preferences. Prior to purchasing a unit it is highly recommended that you consult with a knowledgeable installer and have you site assessed to determine which unit is best for you.

Reuse your spray foam cans.

Spray foam is a great addition to your tool box when sealing up your home. One of the largest problems is that you can’t keep it in your tool box after you have used it. This is because the tip is hard if not impossible to clean once it has been used once. With this little tip however you can return the can to your tool box after the first use. Keep some tubing in your box as it can be used as the tip to the can. The tube can be a recycled such as the outer liner to 2 wire electrical wire or it can be water line tube with the correct inside diameter to fit over the can tip.

What HVAC system should I use?

2010-06-04T14:39:00.000-07:00

In most homes the HVAC energy use makes up the largest percentage of the home’s energy consumption. This information is becoming common knowledge as more individuals become energy savvy but many individuals still wonder which system is the best for them. There are various systems that can be used to heat the home but as certain system types are being phased out due to technology, such as boilers, other are beginning to rise to the top. These systems are heat pumps and furnaces. In most cases people are familiar with these systems but they may not realize which is better for them or what the differences in them are.

The first bit of information that a homeowner should understand about a system is that no matter what system is installed it should be installed properly. This is especially critical for the air conditioner. All systems must be sized and designed properly to provide quality and efficient heating and air. To start a load calculation must be performed. This is referred to as a Manual J calculation. Beyond sizing the system the ducts and registers must be sized to the system to properly provide conditioned air to the home. This is a lengthy process and for more information regarding proper installation please refer to my previous blog Why HVAC isn't just a lot of hot air .

Your system selection will depend on your climate location but here is some information about each popular system type.

1. Air Source Heat Pump: Air source heat pumps have the benefit of providing both heating and cooling function and are essentially an air conditioner that can work in reverse. Heat pumps do not create heat but rather transfer it from place to place. For this reason they are extremely efficient and can actually transfer more energy than what they consume. Air source heat pumps draw their energy from the outdoor air. Because of this they are not appropriate for areas of extreme cold. Also heat pumps can require a back up heat source for colder days. This is typically done with an electric backup. This electric back up can be extremely costly and therefore should be avoided as a heat source much as possible.

2. Hybrid Systems: A hybrid system is an air source heat pump with a gas backup. This is a good system for areas in which a heat pump is a good choice for the majority of the time but there may be short periods of extreme cold in which the backup heat strips on conventional heat pumps my run for extended period of times. Hybrids are most efficient in transition areas between warm climates and cold climates.

3. Ground Source Heat Pump: Ground source heat pumps work exactly the same as air source heat pumps but they draw their energy source from the ground. Since the ground stays at a constant temperature the heat pump is able to be more efficient. Ground source heat pumps are more expensive than air source heat pumps and extremely efficient air source pumps can come close to the same efficiency as low efficiency ground source systems. One bonus to ground source systems is many of them have the ability to heat water as well.

4. Furnaces: Furnaces are generally efficient than heat pumps but they are better in cold climates. This is due to heat pump efficiencies decreasing as the outdoor temperature decreases. Heat pumps require the use of electric heatstrips to make up for this deficiency. Due to this furnances are a better fit in the colder climates. In considering a furnace one must consider the climate they are in and if it is a better fit than a heat pump for their home.

5. Mini Splits: Mini splits are the same as air source heat pumps but they do not require the installation of ducts. This has several benefits especially for retrofits. Small units are placed in each conditioned space and can be individually controlled. By eliminating ducts you also eliminate the losses associated with ducts.

6. Air conditioners: There are little options available for air conditioners. If you are not using one of the heat pumps you must also install an air conditioner. If you are in a climate in which you must install an air conditioner choose one that has the highest efficiency appropriate for your area. For areas in which cooling is only needed for a few days a year an extremely high efficiency system may not be appropriate where as in areas of extreme heat the highest efficiency system will have a relatively quick payback.

Don’t turn up your thermostat more than 2 degrees at a time.

While this really only applies to heat pumps it is good information to know. By turning up the temperature more than 2 degrees the heat strips on the system will cut on. This is extremely expensive heat and will quickly run up your electric bill. If you have a programmable thermostat make sure you have one with adaptive recovery. This will prevent your system from trying to raise the temperature too much as one time and cutting the heat strips on.

When Windows are an Appropriate Selection

2010-05-23T07:43:00.000-07:00

With the onset of energy-conscious consumerism, there has in turn been the creation of energy-oriented marketing campaigns. One of the most prominent campaigns has been those of window manufacturers and installers, with most of these campaigns focusing on window replacements. There have been varied opinions on whether the replacement of windows is warranted. Ultimately, the numbers prove that unless your windows are extremely leaky or in disrepair the replacement of windows has an extremely long payback. This extended payback makes window replacement one of the last items on a proper energy conservation list of improvements.

However, window installation in new homes takes on a different perspective. Due to windows playing a large part in the energy consumption in a home, they are one of the most important factors to consider when building a home. This may seem counter to the above perspective, but one must consider that when building a new home, one must install windows. The additional cost for improved and more energy-efficient windows are minimal compared to the amount of savings they will produce.

In new energy-efficient construction, window selection should be considered just as important as selecting your HVAC system or site layout. For that reason, it is important for you to understand the different types of windows available.

While there are many different types of windows, and their structure affects how they function, there are basic components common to each one. Besides the type of window, to make a wise decision in selecting windows, one must understand the basic components of a window. These are the frame, glass, spacer (for multiple pane windows), coatings, and gas fill.

Frames
Wood
Vinyl
Aluminum
Glazing
Coatings
Gas Fill
Spacers

Frames
The frame is the material around the glass, and essentially makes the window. The frames can be made from various materials, and the frame material affects the amount of heat the unit can conduct around the glass. There are several different types of frames and they range greatly in price.

Wood
Wood frames have long been considered a sign of quality and performance. There are some issues with wood frames, such as the susceptibility to rot. This has been improved by cladding the exterior with aluminum or vinyl. Overall wood frames are a good selection, especially with the cladding. The U-Factor of the frame is around 0.3 to 0.5. (The lower the U-Factor, the better, when selecting a window)

Vinyl
Vinyl has been a mainstay for cost conscious builders and for this reason come in a wide range of quality. Vinyl is similar in U-Factor as wood and does not have the problem with rotting. However, vinyl does expand and contract greatly, affecting the leakiness of the window; in lower-quality windows, vinyl can degrade with exposure to UV light.

Fiberglass
These frames are stable and energy efficient. The frames can even be filled with foam to increase the efficiency. The U-Factor of fiberglass frames range between 0.2 and 0.3.

Aluminum
Avoid them! While aluminum windows are available, they should be avoided for new construction.

Glazing
Glazing is simply the glass in the window. Glazing can be found in single, double, or even triple pane. Each additional layer of glass increases the efficiency of the window. To truly take advantage of the window panes, the spacing between panes needs to be at least ½ “.

b>Coatings
The most common coating is Low-E. This works by reducing the amount of infrared energy that enters the home. The coating reflects the energy away from the home. Additional improvements can be made to the coatings by using Heat Mirror technology. This is film adds additional surfaces for Low-E coatings and creates the effect of triple glazing.

Gas Fill
Gas fill helps reduce the convection heat transfer in the glass. The temperature difference on the glass can create convective flow within the panes of glass. This movement of air and transfer of heat can minimize the benefits of multiple pane glass. By adding heavy gas into the spaces the potential for convective loops are reduced.

Spacers
Spacers are what separate the panes of glass and are often overlooked. There is little that needs to be known about spacers other than when possible select a spacer that has a lower conductivity.

The better the combination of these components the more efficient windows will be. There are even windows being developed that will have R-values close to those of the walls they are placed in.

Install your windows correctly!
There is more to installing windows than just setting the unit into the opening. One must properly seal, flash, and set the window. When installing a window, ensure that you have the window properly set into the opening, the window and opening is flashed to prevent water intrusion, the building wrap is properly installed around the window, and the gap between the window and the rough opening is properly insulated. Having an efficient window does you no good if it is poorly installed!

Basics of an Energy Audit

2010-02-27T02:03:00.000-08:00

In this era of energy conservation and sustainability the home energy audit is quickly becoming a common service. What many people don’t realize is that this service has been around for several years but it has just recently come to the attention of the mainstream media. With this new found attention, like many of the sustainable services, the demand for energy audits is increasing at an accelerated pace.

With this increase in demand and as you may be considering using this service yourself it may be beneficial for you to learn a little bit about the basic ideas behind the energy audit. This includes a few terms, the purpose of the audit, the main goals and what knowledge a auditor must have to perform the task.

Two Important Terms

There are two main trains of thought typically considered when discussing energy use. The first of these and the most commonly used terminology is energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is the thought of giving consideration to maximizing the economic benefits of wise energy use. Examples of this would be the purchasing of more energy efficient appliances, CFLs or a higher SEER HVAC system. While this is the more common term these improvements tend to require a larger investment at the beginning.

The second train of thought is energy conservation. Energy conservation is the process of reducing non-renewable energy use and its resulting environmental damage. Conservation includes items such as behavioral changes and improvements that reduce your energy consumption such as insulation upgrades. The improvements in this category will typically have very short payback periods.

When considering recommendations improvements in both of these categories are important. It is the auditor’s responsibility to consider all the improvements and create a comprehensive plan outlining these improvements for the homeowner. In order to do this the auditor must first understand their purpose when performing the audit and the major goals.

The Purpose of an Auditor

When performing the audit an auditor is to objectively perform certain task. These tasks may vary slightly in execution but in the end an auditor should perform all of these items with the possible exception of two. The most important concept of these tasks is that in order to perform them properly the auditor must perform them objectively.

1. Identify the energy consumption in the home.
- This is the main concept of the audit. The auditor is to view the home and determine the primary areas of energy consumption in the home so that recommendations can be made.

2. Note current and potential safety problems.
- An auditor must identify any health or safety issues in the home that they come upon. This is imperative as some problems such as combustion back drafting may be increased with recommended repairs. The auditor must also predict any possible issue that may arise due to performing the recommended improvement.

3. Recommend appropriate measures
- The auditor must formulate recommendations based on their findings and these recommendations should be made according to their payback, return on investment or carbon footprint reduction.

4. Estimate Cost
- Some auditors may help estimate the cost of repairs. While this step may be performed while determining the recommendations an auditor may not chose to supply the actual cost to the homeowner for various reasons.

5. Explain behavioral changes
- This is a key part of an audit. Behavioral changes are some of the most cost effective improvements a homeowner can make. While these may be very hard for an auditor to observe they can make some assumptions and make recommendations off of these.

6. Provide a written record
- An auditor needs to provide a written report of some form to the homeowner so they have a record of what improvements to perform.

7. Quality Assurance
- This is another step that the auditor may not perform. Depending on the wishes of the homeowner an auditor may return to verify repairs were performed properly.

Major Goals of an Audit

There are four major goals of the audit

1. Conserve energy, increase efficiency and save money
2. Reduce the carbon footprint of the home by reducing energy by products
3. Increase comfort in the home
4. Enhance the buildings health and safety

Use a low flow shower head

Low flow shower heads can help you save in two ways. The first is the most obvious in that it reduces the amount of water you use. For everyone on a public water system this reduces not only the cost of the water but the sewer charges as well. This can be beneficial to some people but others on a well may not see a monetary savings in this way.

The other method of savings is one that everyone can receive. This is savings through the reduction in water heating. As you use less hot water for showers you in turn can save in the heating cost of your water.

Many individuals will complain about the reduction of the water flow but several advancements have been made to minimize the perceived difference. This minor difference is certain acceptable considering the new shower head can potential reduce your consumption in half.

How to seal your ducts

2010-02-20T02:00:00.000-08:00

Your duct leakage can account for up to 20% of your leakage in your home. This is considerable amount in itself but is even more of a concern when you consider that in most homes the majority of the ducts are located outside of the conditioned space in the attic or crawlspace. The leakage into these spaces is costly and can create unwanted pressure differences in the home.

Locating the Leaks

The first step in eliminating the leaks in your duct work is to find them. This can be done in several ways but some are easier than others.

1. Visual inspection: All steps in finding the leaks will involve this process. You need to visually inspect the ducts to find any visible separations, penetrations or dislocations in the ducts. Some may be obvious while others may be hidden. Look for areas where duck tape may be failing (yes is it duck and no it should not be used to seal duct joints.), at locations where two ducts meet, around the boots in the floor or ceiling and at the trunk line.

2. Duct blaster: You can have a professional perform a duct blaster test on your duct work. This will let you know how much leakage is in the duct work but by itself it does not tell you where the leaks are. You can however have the professional use theatrical smoke to fog your duct work. This will allow you to see where the leaks are as the smoke will exit at the leaks.

3. Panning: Again a professional is needed for this. A professional will use a blower door and a pan to test your ducts to see which ones are leakier. This method can help isolate problem ducts but it does not have the ability to locate the leak itself.

Fixing the leaks

Once you have located the leaks you need to fix them. First you need a few supplies. These are:

1. Mastic- a material used to seal the ducts
2. Cheep paint brush-used to apply the mastic
3. Fiberglass tape-used with the mastic to seal the joints
4. Large zip ties- used to secure the inner and outer layers of the duct work
5. Duct-you may need to replace torn sections.

Duct Joints:

If you have leaks at the joints of the duct work you will need to seal these joints with mastic. This will be where the majority of your leaks are so this is the most common fix. First remove any old tape form the joint and then remove the outer layer of the duct. This is if you have a flex duct. If the inner plastic layer of your ducts is not secure you can use a zip tie to secure the inner duct. Next apply a large helping of mastic to the inner layer of the duct. You can then slip the outer layer back over the duct. Some individuals like to also secure the outer layer as well using the zip ties. You will then mastic the outer layer as well using the same technique you used on the inner layer. Make sure you pull the insulation (outer layer) over any boots or collars.

Disconnected Ducts:

If you have any fallen or disconnected duct work you will reconnect the duct work in the same manner as described in the above step.

Metal ducts:

This covers both the metal supply ducts and trunk lines. You will follow similar steps as in the duct joints section however you will use metal sheet screws to secure the duct if needed. Also you may have some gaps larger than ¼” and will need to use the fiberglass tape along with the mastic.

Torn ducts:

Unfortunately flexible duct work will tear. If this happens you may not be able to repair the duct and will need to replace the whole run or just a section. If you are repairing just a section make sure you use metal joints at both ends of the patch and use the same techniques as in the duct joint section.

Alternative methods:

There are alternative products and methods to sealing your duct work. These include mastic tape and foil tape. Mastic and mastic tape is best used on duct work but foil tape can be used to seal items that need to be routinely opened like your air handler.

There is also an alternative method of sealing that a professional can do. This involves spraying an adhesive/sealant through the duct work. The sealant finds its way into the leaks and seals anything up to a ¼”. This can be a cost effective way to seal the duct work if you have several small holes.

Don’t “crank” your dial on your thermostat.

Moving the temperature setting higher up on your thermostat does not make you home heat up any quicker. If you have a heat pump move your thermostat 2 degrees at a time to help conserve energy. If the thermostat setting is raised greatly the heat pump will use your heating strips to heat the home costing you a lot of money.

How to seal plumbing and electrical penetrations

2010-02-13T03:38:00.000-08:00

If you have been following along for the last few weeks chances are you may have already addressed the penetrations that we will talk about this week. Plumbing penetrations, vent fans, chimneys and other major penetrations may be obvious leaks or they may create leaks in other parts of the home and you don’t realize where the source is.

There are two types of leaks direct and indirect.

Direct leaks are leaks that occur directly at the wall penetration. An example of this may be a dryer vent or door.

An Indirect Leak is one in which the leak occurs at one location and the air exits at another. In this situation the air flows through holes and spaces in the wall cavity. An example would be a leak that occurs where a plumbing drain line enters the home but exits at an outlet.

Indirect leaks are one of the most common and problematic because you don’t know where the entry point is. To eliminate this you must seal all openings to the home.

Plumbing and Electrical:

In newer homes most of these penetrations will already be sealed due to code. However some may have been missed and there are a lot of older homes so we will visit how to correct them.

Electrical are the easiest. Using some fire caulk or silicone caulk depending on the situation you just have to locate the holes and put in some caulk. Fire caulk is required by code in new construction where wires or pipes penetrate floors and ceilings. If you have a larger hole you can use foam to seal it but in most cases electrical holes will not be much larger than 3/4”. Most of your penetrations are going to be in the crawlspace, basement or ceiling. Very few will be on exterior walls.

Plumbing penetrations may require a variety of fixes. If the hole is small, like with supply lines, you can caulk but if they are larger will need to use foam or rigid foam board to cover the gap. Foam will usually be fine around drain lines and vent pipes. You may find a large hole under your tub though. In this case you can use rigid foam board to cover the hole and use an adhesive or spray foam to affix it.

Vents and Fans:

If you have vent fans in your bathroom you are likely to have a large leak at this point. Often times the drywall will be cut larger than the fan box. This can be sealed using either spray foam or caulk depending on the size. Hopefully most will only need caulk but if yours needs spray foam (larger than ½”) then be careful because the spray foam may bend the fan housing if the metal is then.

Once you have the ceiling sealed you may need to look at the vent. Newer models will have a damper at the unit so that it closes and creates a seal from the outside when not in use. If yours doesn’t have this or if you still feel a leak you can install a damper in the vent at the end. This is rather easy if you can access the line as it exits the home. The dampers are rather inexpensive but they can help with this pesky leak.

Dryer vents and most other exhaust fans can also have the same problem and you can typically install a damper in them also to help out. If you do this make sure that it is not against building code or manufacturer recommendations.

Seal up your fireplace

Chimneys can be a major point of leakage in a home when the fireplace is not in use. In these situations you can do two things to help reduce this costly necessity. You can install air tight doors to prevent the chimney from drawing air out of the home or you can use a chimney pillow. The pillow is the less expensive fix and relatively easy to install. The pillow is inserted into your chimney and is inflated to seal up the opening. This prevents air from moving through the chimney when not in use. When you want to use the fireplace just pull the cord and remove the pillow.

Sealing leaky doors and windows

2010-02-06T03:55:00.000-08:00

Doors and windows make up about 20% of your home leakage. They are also some of the easiest leaks to find and most of the time the easiest to fix. There are however a few misconceptions when dealing with them though.

First let’s take on two misconceptions with the windows and then we will look at how to fix the leaks.

1. Not all that feels like a leak is a leak.

This is especially true with windows in the winter. Because of the properties of the windows what we truly fell is the heat radiating from our bodies and the convective flow created around the window due to heating and cooling of the air. The leaks are often time minimum around the window, usually around the joints between the jamb and sash. The largest “draft” or “leak” is created again from the thermal transfer occurring between the room, windows and our bodies. This leads us to “feel” a leak when one is not there. HVAC ducts are often times placed in front of windows to stop this from occurring but we often times place furniture over the ducts and prevent this effect. Below is a drawing showing the transfers.

2. It is not always better to replace than to repair a window.

I have discussed this many times before but to once again address this, payback on replacement windows can be anywhere from 15 to 30 years. This means it takes that long to get your investment back from the savings the windows create. A good pack is 0 to 5 years and acceptable 5 to 10. Also if replacement windows are not installed correctly you may end up with windows leaker than the ones you started with. If your windows are not in that bad of shape a little caulk, glazing and weather-stripping can get them back to new.

With that taken care of let’s move on to how to correct the leaks you feel. Most of the leaks you find are going to be around the joints in the doors and windows, this being the areas where the slabs or sashes join the jambs. This can typically be fixed with a little weather-stripping. Below is a diagram showing different types.

Doors:

Most new doors have weather-stripping already installed but it can wear out sometimes. The best thing to do in this case is to remove and replace the weather-stripping. This is an easy task and material is inexpensive.

Sometimes the door does not have weather-stripping. If this is the case you can replace it with a metal tubular strip. This strip installs on the door stop/jamb and allows you to adjust the strip a small amount to the door to get a good fit.

Sometimes the door will not have a good fit in the jamb or against the weather stripping. This can be corrected in most cases by adjusting the striker plate to allow the door to close further in the jamb.

When repairing the door don’t forget the sweep. Some doors have them and these can easily be replaced if needed. Others will need on installed. This is a simple process and there are a wide variety of them. The most common can be seen above in the diagram. One of the most efficient but difficult to install is the spring loaded. These are hard to locate and require some expertise to install.

Windows:

Like doors windows tend to leak at the joints. If you have old single pain windows with individual lites you will probably want to consider having them re-glazed and a storm window if they are leaky. The storm window will also help with the energy efficiency of the window and they typically have a better payback than replacement.

The first step with windows is to ensure that you have a tight fit against the top and bottom jambs. Weather-stripping is easily installed and there is a variety of types. You can use a peal and stick foam or a tack on metal strip. If you are using the peal and stick make sure you have a clean surface before applying.

If you have a leak in the middle between the two windows you can again use a peal and stick or tack on depending on the window. Your clearance will be less than the top and bottom so the weather-stripping cannot be as thick.

Finally for the sides, your fix for this will depend on the manufacture. For older windows you may have to use a spring metal. If you have older style windows that still have weights you can get covers for the holes where the ropes go through. For newer windows it may simply be a leak in the track and manufacturers have caps that can stop these leaks.

Also don’t forget to make sure your lock is in good shape and closing tight on your window. Your lock can help keep the window sealed at the top and bottom.

Use Solar Powered Lights

Most of your landscape lighting is used for accent lighting or safety. You can commonly find these lights powered by photovoltaics in your local home stores. The lights work well in areas that receive sunlight and can cut your electrical cost. They also are easy to install and don’t require any wiring.

How to Seal the Home Envelope

2010-01-30T04:16:00.000-08:00

After you've taken the time to find all the leaks in your home you have to get rid of the leaks to make a difference. In most cases this is as simple as sealing the leaks using caulking, weather stripping or spray foam insulation. I typically recommend starting with your ceiling and then working your way down.

To help you with this process, here are some typical leaks sites, based on location, and how to correct them:

Ceiling:

1. Recessed lights: In most newer construction homes, recessed lights will be at least insulation-contact approved, but some may be ICAT- or insulation-contact air tight. This means that they don’t allow air to leak. One of the problems with recessed lights is that they may be ICAT rated, but the wrong trim kit installed. Most of the time, if your light is leaking, you can replace the $5 trim kit with an airtight one, and it makes a huge difference. If this is not the case, you can either replace the light with an ICAT or install a preformed cover that creates an airtight seal around the light. These covers can be ordered typically from the same Websites that sell battic covers.

2. Attic Stairs: Like recessed lights, your attic stairs are a large leak site. To seal these, and insulate, you can install a battic cover. These covers can be bought or built. If your stairs are old and don’t fit tight you may also want to consider replacing the stairs to help get a better seal

3. Bathroom Vents and Lights: The leaks at these typically occur due to a gap between the boxes and the drywall. You can simply caulk or foam the gap. Bathroom vents can leak at the duct. In newer models, this is reduced with a damper that opens and closes with operation. This damper can get stuck or may not seal completely. If you don’t have the damper, you can replace the fan with a newer model, or you can install a damper at the end of the duct where it exits the home.

4. Chimney Chases: Chimney chases often go from the first floor all the way to the attic without being sealed. While it is not advisable to insulate around the chimney due to fire hazards you can seal off the top of the chase using metal and fire caulk.

Interior/Floor:

1. Doors and Windows: Most of the leaks in the walls will occur at either the doors or windows. This can be corrected with weatherstripping and a few other techniques. Due to the various ways to correct, I will address how to correct these leaks in a separate article.

2. Plumbing: These leaks are simple to correct. They will typically occur at gaps between the pipes and drywall. You can correct this by caulking or foaming the gap depending on the size.

3. Electrical Outlets: These only account for 2% for your total leakage, so I typically say not to worry about them at first, but they are an easy to fix. Special gaskets can be installed behind the cover. To get a full seal, you have to use safety covers to seal the outlet holes.

4. Duct boots: Ducts will get their own article, but the boots fall under the envelope. The boots are the metal items that you see coming through the floor or ceiling (yes, these can also fall under the ceiling section). Since the leak is occurring due to the gap between the boot and the floor/ceiling, these leaks are not really in the ducts themselves. To fix this leak, you can either caulk, use foil tape, or mastic the gap.

Unfinished Basement/Crawlspace:

The basement will have a lot of the same leaks as the home, so you can follow a lot of the same steps as above. Also, if the insulation is on the basement ceiling, you may want to treat it more like a crawlspace. My advice is to seal the basement as if you were going to finish it, but time and money may dictate otherwise.

1. Rim Joists: If your rim joists are not insulated, you can seal and insulate them using spray foam. The amount of foam required is more than the standard can foam is capable of handling, but canister kits are available for large jobs. Rim joists in the crawlspace are typically going to have insulation in contact with them, and you can sill penetrations in the floor so sealing these may not be as high a priority in that situation.

2. Foundation Penetrations: These are easy to see and can be corrected by filling the gaps with spray foam. Again, depending on the construction, these may not be as important for air sealing when in the crawlspace. However, they should be sealed to help prevent pests from entering the crawlspace.

3. Floor penetrations: In the crawlspace, these may be a little harder to find (due to the insulation), but all electrical, plumbing, and HVAC penetrations should be sealed using fire caulk or spray foam, depending on the size of the gap. You may have already sealed a few of the gaps from the inside, but it still helps to seal from this side, also. Most of these gaps are going into wall cavities. The air in the cavities can find more than one exit, so stopping the source of the air helps tremendously.

Use a rain barrel.

While this energy tip may not relate to electricity or gas, it relates to another resource that can be overlooked. It can also save you money if you pay for your water! Use rain barrels to collect water from your roof or other collection systems, and use this water to water you plants and yard. Barrels can be purchased or constructed.

How to Find Air Leaks in Your Home

2010-01-23T04:08:00.000-08:00

You will most often notice leaks in your home in the wintertime, as most of us are more sensitive to the cold. These leaks are typically noticed in the form of drafts around doors and windows, but can also show up around plumbing and HVAC ducts to the most sensitive homeowners. There are several sites in the home in which air can enter, and it doesn’t just enter the home in the winter! So how does a homeowner go about finding these leaks?

First, you need a way of finding them, and I have heard several different methods. Here are just a few:

1. Feel for the leaks.
You can simply feel for the leaks. This may not always be the most efficient method for finding the small leaks, but larger leaks can be found by doing nothing more than running your hand around the area that you suspect to be leaking. This is especially true on days when the temperature outside is drastically different than the inside.

2. Use a wet rags to wet your hand and then feel for the leaks around known locations.
I have never personally performed this method and don’t know how useful it actually is, but supposedly the water will help you feel for the temperature changes. Just don’t be fooled by the temperature of the water.

3. Use a candle or other smoke emitting device.
This is very similar to what the professionals do. I have seen several items used, including candles, cigarettes, cigars, and incense. With all of these, you must be careful of the burning end of the item - and this may not be the best for indoor air quality. Professionals will often use smoke-emitting devices that are made specifically for this and do not burn.

4. Have a professional find the leaks for you.
This may defeat the whole purpose of saving money by performing the task yourself, but you may find it beneficial to have a professional use their blower door to depressurize the home and help you find the leaks. Often, I can find leaks without the use of smoke by just feeling for them. You will find more leaks this way, but again, you must consider the cost. Some professionals will perform just a blower door test without an energy audit for a reduced price.

Now that you know how to find the leaks, it helps to know where to start looking. Below is an image of where some common leaks are found in the home:

As you can see, most of the most of the leaks come from the basement and attic. These are two great locations to start! Here are some other areas to scan when you are looking for leaks in the home.

- Behind kneewalls (walls that separate the attic and living space like in a bonus room)
- Attic hatch
- Wiring holes
- Plumbing under sinks
- Bathroom fan vent
- Recessed lights
- Furnace flue or duct chaseway (the hollow box or wall feature that hides ducts)
- Basement rim joists (where the foundation meets the wood framing)
- Windows and doors

These are just a few sites, so take a look around and see what you may find. Next week, we'll begin covering how to seal these leak spots.

Use timers or motion sensors to turn off lights when not needed.

Motion sensors have become a common item on exterior flood lights, but they aren't often used in the home. People tend to leave lights on when they are not in the room; by installing motion sensors or timers in rooms such as the bathroom, storage rooms, garages and closets, you can save money and worry.

Sealing Up Your Home

2010-01-16T03:20:00.000-08:00

Sealing air leaks in your home can have the quickest payback of all the energy saving repairs that you do! According to the EPA, you can save up to 20% on your heating and cooling bill (10% of your annual utility bills) by sealing and insulating. Most of the work can be performed by a handy homeowner on a Saturday with some caulk, foam, weather stripping, and sweat.

When you look at the air leaks in your home, they break down something like this:

As you can see, the perimeters of your home have the most leaks, and the outlets have the least. To group all these items into a short article would not do them justice, so over the next few weeks I will go over how a homeowner can locate these leaks and correct them.

This week, we will go over some of the basic items that you will need to correct these items; in the energy tip of the week, I'll quickly cover what is, in my opinion, the least important but sometimes the easiest to fix: electrical outlets.

Supplies:

1. Spray foam: This comes in convenient cans that make application, while somewhat messy, rather easy. Dow is the manufacturer of the most commonly seen cans. They make three basic types: big gap, regular, and low expansion. Each of these has its application; the directions on the cans are rather self explanatory, but for sake of being thorough in explaining the uses, I will give a brief synopsis.
Big Gap: This is used to fill large gaps typically over 1 inch.

Regular: This is the basic foam type and will typically be used more than the others. It can be used in most all applications; however, there may be other types better-suited, depending on the use, such as the big gap or low expansion.

Low Expansion: This foam does not expand as much as the others and will typically be used in small gaps, especially around windows and doors. Doors and windows are susceptible to sticking as the foam expands and deforms the frame. It helps to prevent this from happening.

2. Caulk: There are 3 basic kinds of caulk, ranging from silicone, a silicone polymer mix, and latex. I recommend silicone, as it lasts longer and is flexible.

3. Backer Rod: This is an item that is used to fill large gaps for caulking when spray foam will not work. Simply insert and caulk over.

4. Weather Stripping: This will vary by application, with there being several different types. As I'll be going into doors and windows more in-depthm I'll keep this short. Below is a picture of a couple of types:

5. Foam gaskets: There are several gaskets that can help seal around objects in the home. The majority of them come on trim kits, such as fan covers and recessed light trim kits, but you also have items such as the outlet cover gaskets. These do pay a crucial role; other than using this as a lead-in to sealing outlets, it is worth mentioning because many individuals will forget to install the gasket or will tear it in the installation.

Seal your electrical outlets.

As you see the outlets only make up 2% of your total leakage in the home. While this is very small (and I typically recommend these as a last step), they are rather easy to fix - especially if you are building a home.

To stop this leak during construction, there are two steps. One is to seal the penetrations in the walls (which I'll cover later), and the other is to seal the penetrations of the wires into the outlet box. You can also use air-tight gaskets around the box.

If you have an existing home, you can seal the outlets using the gaskets many are familiar with. However, these will only seal around the outlet and not the outlet holes. You will typically need to use the child proof covers to totally prevent air leakage into the home through the outlets.

Program Your Thermostat and Save

2010-01-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

While most individuals already know about the programmable thermostats, you'd be surprised how many people either don’t have one or don’t use them. This is one of the easiest things you can do to save money in your home! It's a set-and-forget item with which you rarely ever have to interact.

First things first: How much can you save? For every 1 degree setback, you can save 3% on your heating and cooling cost. This translates into a 10% savings for every 8-hour setback of 10 degrees, which is a good amount of savings for not doing anything but going to work for 8 hours! The EPA figures that a standard homeowner will save $180 per year following their guidelines for setbacks. These savings translate into a payback of around 6 months for the installation of a programmable thermostat if you do it yourself.

Do you want to put a new thermostat in, but you don’t know which to use? There are three basic types, and each family will have a different preference. Here's the breakdown:

1. 7-day: If you have different schedules for every day of the week, then this is for you. This type allows for customization for every day.

2. 5+2 day: If you have the same weekday schedule and another for the weekend, then this is your selection. This type allows you to make one setting for the weekdays and another for the weekend.

3. 5+1+1 day: This one works for individuals who have one schedule for the weekdays and another for Saturday and Sunday. You can make one setting for the weekdays and then separate ones for both Saturday and Sunday. This works well for individuals who have activities on the weekends but have set schedules during the week.

Now that you have one picked out, how do you install it? You can either have a licensed HVAC technician perform the work, or you can do it yourself. Evaluate your skill level and read the instructions. Most thermostats will only require you to unplug the wires from one unit and reinstall them in the same spots on the new. Remember, this is low voltage, but still turn off your power to the unit.

Once it’s in, you need to know how to program it. I typically recommend setting temperatures at 68 F in the winter and 78 F in the summer when you are home, and cut them back as much as possible during the day and at night. Below is an example of a weekday schedule.

Seal your duct work.

Duct leakage is one of the most costly leaks in the home. Have a professional check your ducts and properly seal them using mastic - not tape. Duct tape was created in WWII to use as a means to keep ammunition cases sealed and dry, not to seal ducts, as many believe. It can become brittle over time and lead to severe leaks. If you have duct tape, get your ducts checked and properly sealed using mastic.

Covering Your Attic Stairs

2009-12-28T03:28:00.000-08:00

One of the most overlooked areas for leakage in your ceiling is your attic access. While “overlooked” should probably more appropriately stated as “homeowners don’t know how to correct,” the outcome is the same. Homeowners live with the attic access being leaky.

Your stairs cover a small area, typically around 8 square feet, but there can be a large amount of leakage around the opening if they don’t fit correctly, and this is 8 square feet of little to no insulation. It's an area that is most typically unconsciously perceived as an uncomfortable area - but most homeowners don’t know why.

Also, most homeowners don’t realize that they can purchase or build an item called a battic cover that will seal and insulate their access stairs. A purchased battic cover typically consists of a cover that can be lifted or unzipped, and possibly insulation. Several companies make these items out of a reflective material that gives the added benefit of a radiant barrier. Typical costs are around $100. Some can be found for less, but they usually don't have insulation included.

You can also make one using rigid foam board. This is relatively inexpensive and easy to work with. The cover should be made so that it sets inside the framing for the stairs and allows for clearance of side hinges and folded stairs when it closes. Insulation can also be added to this to beef up the inherent R-value of the material. If preferred, a homeowner could also add a radiant barrier to the exterior of the surface or construct it out of foil-backed foam board. I usually recommend ½” board, but your stairs may allow for more. This can all be built for around $50 unless you want to add the radiant barrier afterwards.

So how does a homeowner choose which one to do? It depends on you. Both products require some amount of skill, as the purchased cover still has to be installed. However, the built cover is relatively simple to construct and can be done by someone with moderate to little construction skills. Payback can be a big factor in choosing. Payback will vary by location, but for an area of moderate climate, such as central North Carolina (and assuming R-30 insulation is used), you will see a return of about 1 to 3.5 years, depending on what you use to heat your home, gas, or electricity. Current pricing and efficiencies of the various fuels result in a longer payback for heat pumps. If you live in a colder climate, like Maine, then you'll see a payback of 0.5 to 2 years.

Set your thermostat to proper temperatures.

Each degree to lower or raise your thermostat can save you 3% in cost! It's recommended that you set your thermostat to 68 degrees in winter and 78 in the summer. You can increase your savings by getting a programmable thermostat.

Improper Operation of a Crawlspace

2009-12-19T03:35:00.000-08:00

Over the last few weeks, I’ve focused on the sealed crawlspace and what goes into one. This week, I will review why you shouldn’t leave a crawlspace open and what is not a proper solution to a vented crawlspace. The reasons for sealing a crawlspace have already been discussed in the previous post; however, here's a review of what a vented crawlspace will typically have:

Higher moisture content in the wood
Increased fungal growth
Higher relative humidity
Overall less energy efficient for the home
The need for more pest control
Lower indoor air quality in the home

Since most homeowners know about these issues, some are looking for alternatives to the sealed crawlspace. While there are possibly individual solutions to each one of these problems, none of them solve the problem like a sealed crawlspace.

There is one solution - the foundation fan - that I have seen used time and time again in an attempt to control moisture. However, it not only fails to eliminate the problem, but will actually increase the issues in the crawlspace. There are several variations to this product, ranging from simple humidity-controlled fans that install in the vents to larger, more powerful fans that are run on timers. Most individuals will sell these fans on the premise that the crawlspace needs more ventilation to “dry” the space. This is the concept on which the foundation vent was based: By providing ventilation under a home, you are able to keep it dry. Here in the South, this is not the case, especially since we began installing plumbing and HVAC in the crawlspace. By exposing the crawlspace to the exterior air and having surfaces in the space with lower temperatures, you are just providing an optimum situation for condensation.

Condensation occurs when the temperature of the surface is below the dew point of the air. This is the same thing as dew in the morning. When we have surfaces such as plumbing pipes and ducts that will consistently be below the dew point of the outdoor air, we will get condensation of these surfaces. This condensation can wet the other surfaces and cause even greater problems.

Wood surfaces can also be affected, and since fungal growth can occur with a humidity over 60%, you increase the risk of providing an environment conducive to growth when introducing the outdoor air. This brings up another aspect of introducing outdoor air, because as you lower the temperature, the relative humidity rises. We can all assume that the crawlspace will typically be cooler than the outdoor air in the summer time, so as the outdoor air comes into the crawlspace, you will actually increase the air's relative humidity.

Originally, the idea of a foundation vent fan was to increase the ventilation of the crawlspace; however, all it does is actually increase the moisture content of the space by pulling in more exterior air. Therefore, the fan actually increases the relative humidity and the potential for condensation. Many will argue that the air will help remove the condensation, but as you lower the temperature and raise the humidity, you will actually decrease the amount of moisture the air can even hold. Adding more moisture to it will only increase the dew point temperature. There are several cases I've seen in which a vent fan has been installed to combat a small amount of fungal growth, and actually ended up causing the floor structure to rot!

So, if someone tells you that a sealed crawlspace is a bad idea, and that you should instead install a foundation fan, take the time to consider the negatives.

Reduce your air leakage.

If you have a leaky home, think of it as spilling money through the cracks. Most of your loss is through the ceiling, so start looking there first. Seal all ceiling penetrations you can; these include recessed lights, attic stairs, and even standard lights. Next, look to your walls and floors. Last should be your outlets, as they only account for about 2% of the leakage in your home.

Need help finding the leaks? As a homeowner, you can feel for drafts, use a candle, or have a professional set up a blower door.

What Goes Into Sealing a Crawlspace?

2009-12-12T03:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I discussed why to seal a crawlspace, so how about now looking at what goes into properly sealing the space? There are a large number of variations on how a sealed crawlspace is installed; while most just vary by quality, not all of them are proper. A sealed crawlspace is intended to provide 5 things:

1. Moisture management
2. Pest control
3. Combustion safety
4. Fire safety
5. Radon safety

There are a few items that are required to make sure your crawlspace is properly sealed and that you will get all the benefits that are intended:

1. Installation of a vapor barrier with sealed joints on the floor, piers, and foundation walls.
A minimum of a 6-mil vapor barrier should be installed, with all joints sealed via mastic or an approved tape. It is highly recommended that a higher mil plastic be used because the 6 mil will tend to tear and wear easier.

2. Seal all foundation vents.
No vents or openings to the outside should be present, other than an access door. Porch penetrations should also be sealed with an access panel or permanent material.

3. Provide a foundation drain.
A foundation drain is needed with a backflow preventer. It is a good idea to allow the drain to accept moisture from above and below the vapor barrier.

4. Insulate the floor or foundation wall.
Insulating the foundation wall is more efficient, but either the floor or wall is acceptable. Evaluate the situation and choose accordingly.

5. Air seal duct and floor penetrations.
Air sealing the ducts will help improve your home's efficiency, and sealing them and the floor penetrations help prevent air transfer between the home and crawlspace. This also helps with fire safety.

6. Vent appliances to the exterior.
Gas appliances should be direct vented or two-pipe vented in the crawlspace. Most vented spaces do not have enough makeup air for single vent appliances, and a sealed one definitely won’t. Direct venting is recommended.

7. Mechanical Moisture Control
There are several variations on this, including the use of HVAC ducts and dehumidifiers. If an HVAC supply duct is to be used, a backdraft damper is needed and no return ducts. This can affect the efficiency of the system, so check with an HVAC contractor prior to doing it. I tend to recommend a dehumidifier, as it is the least problematic.

Additional Item:
A relative humidity monitor is good addition to help you know that the system is operating properly!

Use CFLs!

This is pretty rudimentary when it comes to energy savings, but there are still a lot of people who are not aren't doing this! Incandescent bulbs convert 90% of their energy to heat and only 10% to light, so they are good heaters but poor light generators. CFLs not only use less energy, but they last longer, too. A 14-watt CFL is equivelent to a 60-watt incandescent. The CFL uses around 75% less energy, and therefore costs 75% less to operate. Also, because the CFL lasts 10x longer, you buy one CFL for every 10 incandescent, which increases your savings. Many will argue that you can't use a CFL everywhere, but they are also becoming more versatile in their uses. So look at your light use and install CFL’s where you can!

To Seal or Not to Seal, That is NOT the Question!

2009-12-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

There are still individuals in the construction industry who will question a sealed or conditioned crawlspace, but this argument should be put to rest: Studies have shown significant improvements in a home's efficiency and environment with the installation of a sealed crawlspace! According to a study conducted by Advanced Energy, sealed crawlspaces, when properly installed, will perform better with relative humidity, wood moisture content, and energy efficiency than a traditional vented crawlspace.

The study has shown that during the summer of 2003, the studied sealed crawlspaces only exceeded 70% relative humidity only 5% of the time, while the vented crawlspace stayed above 70% almost all the time. The wood moisture content in the sealed crawlspace stayed below 12% during the study, while the vented crawlspace wood moisture varied greatly. Also, the sealed crawlspaces showed an annual energy use reduction of 15% for sealed crawlspace with insulation on the floors and 18% for sealed crawlspace with insulation on the foundation wall.

Here are some of the main benefits to having a sealed crawlspace:

1. Improved Moisture Control
A sealed crawlspace improves the moisture content of the space by preventing transfer of moisture through three of the main entrance points, the foundation wall, the soil floor, and the foundation vents.

2. Pest Control
By removing moisture from the space, the appeal to subterranean termites is reduced.

3. Improved Efficiency
As already stated from the study, results a sealed crawlspace can improve the efficiency of the home.

4. Improved Indoor Air Quality
A good number of contaminates can come from your crawlspace. By cleaning up the space, you may be able to improve the air quality of your home. A sealed space can reduce the mold content in the crawlspace and can be used or modified to prevent radon intrusion.

5. Improved Maintenance
This is an unintended benefit, but due to the increased visibility and improved environment, homeowners are more likely to “visit” the space, leading to better home maintenance. Also, if the insulation is installed on the walls, the floor structure is visible and individuals are more likely to find problems around plumbing or HVAC.

Increase your ceiling insulation.

Most of your heat loss is through the ceiling of your home; by adding insulation in the attic, you can save energy. Insulation in the attic is relatively easy to install when compared to insulation in other areas, and it can have a greater impact. Here in North Carolina, we are required to have R-30 insulation in the ceilings, but I can see a benefit by increasing this to R-38 or beyond. Be careful, though - there will come a point in which the cost of the additional insulation will not outweigh the benefit of installation!

Technorati: TRARQRDRRVDN

Top 5 Findings on a Home Inspection

2009-11-28T04:23:00.000-08:00

I have found there to be little information available regarding the most common findings during a home inspection. While there are some Top 10 lists available, the ones that I have found are only general, listing such categories as minor structural repairs, plumbing leaks, or grading/drainage problems. To be honest, these general categories are not Top 10’s, but rather a summary of what the home inspector will be looking for during the inspection. When performing an inspection, though I will be looking for items that fall into each one of the categories mentioned, I don’t find that providing this list to the homeowner is very helpful. If everyone knew what to look for within these categories, then the person buying the home wouldn't need to have a home inspector to perform the inspection! In realization of this, I have compiled a Top 5 list from my experience that are relevant to the homeowner.

1. Improperly operating interior doors.
This is typically a door that rubs slightly on the jamb or drags the carpet. It is usually a minor repair and is caused by an improper installation, settling, or installation of new flooring. The door is usually easily repaired by trimming or shaving the door slab.

2. Rotten or damaged trim.
This can be anywhere around the home, but the most common problems tend to be around exterior doors that are on the ground or not covered, such as a garage or deck entrance. Repairs vary from replacement to repair in some situations.

3. GFCI is not working properly.
Surprisingly, this item actually comes up a lot. While it is a simple fix, most individuals do not realize that the safety feature on their electrical system doesn't work, or they would have repaired it. These outlets are in place to prevent an electrical shock, but if they don’t trip, this can’t happen. The solution is typically a new outlet.

4. Improperly operating garage door opener.
This is another home safety feature gone awry. Most of the time, the problem is the pressure feature that will return the door if something is under it, but sometimes the sensors that return the door if something has crossed under it are not working either. This is typically a simple adjustment or sometimes replacement of the motion sensors.

5. Fungal growth in the crawlspace.
This item can be a discussion all of its’ own, but it is still one of the most common findings in my area of the country. To keep things simple, because the crawlspace is exposed to the environment and has conditions that are conducive to growth, it may have mold in it. How this affects the home and should be treated is again a discussion all of its own and too long for this brief explanation. Repairs for this item will vary significantly based on the scenario.

Replace your old Christmas lights with LED lights

The holidays are upon us, and as the many Christmas trees begin to go up over the next few weeks, everyone can save a little money by using LED lights. If you are anything like me, you have a few strands that aren’t working anyway, but yet you still fight with them every year - trying to find that one bulb that will make that strand work! While savings may be short-term and worth a small amount, they are still savings, and the new lights will last for years to come. Savings will be even greater for all the individuals who take the time to dress the entire home in the festive spirit by placing lights on every eave, doorway, tree, and bush around their home. To all those individuals, thank you for making my holidays a little brighter - both figuratively and literally - as I am still a kid at heart, but take the time and do yourself some good by getting those LED lights.

How Can Saving Water Save You Money?

2009-11-21T12:28:00.000-08:00

Often, many homeowners - and unfortunately, some energy auditors, as well - overlook the benefits to reducing water consumption in the home. Just like reducing your electrical needs, reducing your water needs can also save you money. The benefits you will receive by reducing your water consumption will vary depending on how you receive your water, but ultimately, there are benefits no matter what the situation!

If you are on a well, you may not see the same, direct monetary benefits as someone who pays for their water. However, there are still benefits, primarily in the form of reduced energy consumption through reduced pump use. If you use less water, you will use less energy. Also, in times of drought, you may be able to make it through without your well going dry, saving you the cost of drilling another well.

There are several areas in the home where you can reduce water use, and some of the reductions are by habit alone. Here are some tips for the water-using rooms of your home:

Kitchen:

Use the dishwasher instead of hand washing dishes. This may sound counterintuitive, but this does reduce water usage when washing full loads - according to the EPA, as much as 5000 gallons a year!
Install a low flow aerator on the kitchen sink.

Laundry:

Wash full loads of clothes only!

Bathroom:

Get rid of the old high volume toilets. Old toilets used 3.5 gallons or more per flush. These can be replaced with low volume or even dual flush. Don’t want to spend the money to replace the toilet? Look for tank flush valve that converts an existing toilet to a dual flush.
Install an aerator on the bathroom sink.
Install a low flow shower head. Old units can use over 4 gpm. Newer units can help reduce flow to 1.5 gpm without sacrificing power and comfort.

Yard:

Don’t use :"set-and-forget" yard sprinklers. These are the ones that you always set in the yard and leave for hours at a time while you are doing something else. These will overwater the yard and waste your money, not to mention make one section of your yard greener than the rest! Consider automated sprinklers or timers.
Use rain or moisture sensors on sprinklers. For those of you who do have automated sprinklers, make sure you have moisture sensors on your units so they don’t come on in the rain or directly after one. Let Mother Nature do her job!
Use rain barrels to collect your water for indoor and potted plants.
Use spot watering or soaker hoses for your gardens. If you’re not watering by hand, use direct watering means for your plants in the garden. These can be either be soaker hoses or drip irrigation directly at the base of the plants, which eliminates unnecessary watering of the soil (which promotes weed growth, anyway).

Set hot water temperature to 120 degrees.

Setting your water temperature over 120 degrees can not only cost you money, but it is also a safety hazard. We do not typically use the full temperature of our hot water, so why pay to heat something up when you are only going to cool it down?

Basics of Mold Testing

2009-11-14T03:56:00.000-08:00

Once you have had your home tested by a professional, how do you determine if the results are accurate? Hopefully, you have hired an ethical professional who has the proper training and expertise to perform the testing; just in case, as a homeowner, you should have a little understanding on how to interpret the sample results.

While there are several different types of samples used in the industry - and just as many sampling devices - two kinds of samples are the most common. These are the non-viable air sample and the surface sample.

Non-Viable Air Samples
The non-viable air sample is collected by pulling a known amount of air over a sticky slide. Contents of the air are deposited on the slide. This includes mold spores, insect parts, fibers, and anything else in the air. Some labs report on the other contents of the slide, while some only report on the mold. Several things can be inferred from the additional contents, but to keep this simple, we will concentrate on the mold spores.

The spore counts will be listed in the number of spores of a category, spores per cubic meter of a category, total spores, and total spores per cubic meter. The number of spores is the actual number of spores on the slide, while the spores per cubic meter is derived from a formula based on the amount of air pulled over the slide.

Both findings are important along with the location of the samples. An outdoor control sample should always be taken, and an air sample should never be taken in an unoccupied zone such as an attic or crawlspace. The sample taken from the investigated area is to be compared to the control sample.

There is a lot to interpreting non-viable spore samples, and a homeowner cannot be expected to understand all the aspects of the testing. A lot comes from experience and dealing with a large number of samples. I always recommend that you remember the following and don’t be afraid to ask questions or even another opinion:

In most situations, spore counts in the home should be similar to or below the outdoor control;
The type of mold spores in each sample should be similar;
Variations in the samples can occur, but this doesn't necessarily mean there is an abnormality in the home - you must look at the amount and type of spore in the variation;
Just because spore levels in the home are higher than outside does not mean there is a problem - levels must be considered significantly higher to cause alarm;
Actual counts of spores should also be considered - one spore in the sample can read as 13 spores per cubic meter or more, depending on the amount of air passed over the slide when the sample was taken. One spore may not indicate a problem!

Surface Samples
I have found surface samples to be one of the most misused samples out there. A surface sample can be used to determine the type of mold present, or if there are a large number of spores on a surface due to cross contamination. However, many people have been using surface samples to indicate abnormal fungal growth. This should not be the case if mold is visible.

A surface sample can be taken using a swab, tape lift, or stick slide. All are proper methods of sampling; the only difference is how you record the area sampled. The area sampled is only in question when quantitative results are desired; in most cases, the samples are qualitative and only used to determine what type of mold is present.

How results are reported vary by lab, but most use a scale, such as "occasional, few, moderate, numerous." Wording and categories may change between labs, but in this case, "occasional" and "few" would be viewed as normal, while "moderate" and "numerous" would be viewed as abnormal. The scale is typically listed at the bottom of the results.

Here are some items to remember when reviewing surface samples:

Surface samples do not indicate how much growth is present on a surface, just in the sampled area;
For the most part, surface samples are only for mold identification;
All surfaces may contain some amount of spores, even if everything is normal;
Generally, surface samples should not be used to determine abnormal conditions or remediation protocol.

The final item of this list is the most important, and should be further explained. The best example that can be given is as follows:

There are two walls in the home, Wall A and Wall B. Wall A has one square inch of mold on it that is very dense, and Wall B is fully covered (80 square feet for an 8x 10 wall), but it is not very dense. Two samples are taken from each wall. The results from Wall A come back with "Numerous" spore levels for one genius of mold, where Wall B comes back with "Moderate" and "Few" spore levels for several genera of mold. According to the samples, Wall A has a problem, while Wall B does not. Someone could determine based on the samples that Wall A needs remediation more than Wall B. In actuality, Wall A has had all the mold removed by the sample, while Wall B has a significant problem. The variation comes from the density and area sampled.

This just gives a rudimentary example of why surface samples cannot be used to determine the need for remediation. I see this happening the most in crawlspaces, with recommendations being made over the density of the growth - not the actual coverage area.

With surface samples, only take them for what they can actually tell you. Again, as a homeowner, don’t be afraid to ask questions or get a second opinion!

Install weather stripping.

This may seem like a simple item, but many people forget about it. Check around your windows and doors and see if they are leaking, or if you can see daylight. If so, install weather stripping to seal this up! There are various types, and each one has it use. Ask someone at your local hardware store which one works for your situation or you can research your options online. Also, while door socks can help, many people will remove them in the summer. Just because you are not uncomfortable in the summer with the draft under the door, it's still there and costing you money! If you do this, also remember to pick up a door sweep while you are at the store getting your other weather stripping supplies.

How Do I Prevent Mold?

2009-11-07T04:12:00.000-08:00

This is a very common question among homeowners. Concerns for fungal growth or mold often arise when an unfamiliar odor is noticed or a small leak occurs, and at that time one starts to investigate how to prevent the growth from occurring! I am often asked if there is a special treatment or construction product that can be used to prevent fungal growth in the home. While there are products on the market that are resistant or retard growth, there are even simpler solutions to prevention.

Before even looking at how to prevent fungal growth, what must first be understood is whether mold is ubiquitous to the environment. No matter what we do, we cannot keep mold spores from being in the air! It is the nature of our world and part of the air we breathe. With the understanding that these spores are everywhere, we can look at how to stop them from growing. In order for fungal growth to occur, there are four items that need to be present; removal of any of the four will prevent growth:

1. Mold Spores
Common sense would prompt the thought that for if spores are everywhere, then why even discuss this? Of course, spores are one of the four items that are required for growth, and there is little that can be done to prevent them from being in the air. What should be understood is that if you have some growth in the home, remove it - you don’t want to increase the number of spores that are there. I have had several individuals ask if they could just leave the mold growth if they removed one of the other three items required for growth; the answer is no. If you leave the growth, you have left spores on the surface; if you reintroduce optimum conditions for growth, you have just created a bigger problem because there are more spores present than under normal conditions. The bottom line is that you can do little to prevent the number of spores in the home; however, if you have growth, no matter how little, remove it before you just create a bigger problem if the conditions that are conducive to growth become favorable.

2. Temperature
This is the one item that is hard to control, and in all actuality, you really can’t. Though there are some species of mold that like to grow outside of our comfortable temperature range for living, many grow in the same temperature range that we like to inhabit, so there is not much that we can do. I am often asked if someone can cool or heat a home to help with the growth. There is some possibility to this, but often the range that inhibits (or prohibits) growth is out of our comfort range, so this is difficult to do.

3. Nutrition Source
Like all living organisms, fungus needs something to "eat" to grow. This comes down to organic material, which is often drywall paper and wood in our homes. Things that are not organic and will not support fungal growth for the most part are bricks, stones, and fiberglass. These objects do not have nutritional value for the fungal growth, and for the most part will not support it. However, dust and dirt collected on these items can have nutritional value, so there can be an exception to this rule. If we build our homes primarily out of material that supports growth, how do we eliminate this item? For the most part, we can’t, but this is where all the new materials on the market can help, such as fungal-resistant wall board and the variety of products that have Microban as a component. We can limit the nutritional value in the products we use, but again, this is something that comes along with the construction of the home, so it is less of a preventative measure in older homes.

4. Moisture
This is the most preventable of the four items in preventing fungal growth from ever occurring. Stop the moisture in the home! If you have a water leak, correct it and dry out the area. If you have water intrusion through your basement wall, stop it. Plain and simple, keep your home dry. Most homeowners understand this and do well with stopping the large water intrusions. Some of us could do a little better at doing maintenance inspections to find leaks, but again, for the most part, active leaks are typically corrected. Sometimes catastrophic damage occurs from a water line breaking or when piece of equipment malfunctions, such as a dishwasher. This cannot always be prevented, but there are items on the market that can help reduce the likelihood of the damage being significant, as well as good practices with preventive maintenance.

The one moisture source that most homeowners overlook is humidity. We all know how high humidity affects us, especially in the south, but mold likes a relative humidity above 60%. If your air conditioner is not properly operating and removing the moisture from the air in the summertime, or even in some cases putting more moisture into the air, you can have a mold problem without ever having water damage. The solution to this is to monitor your relative humidity and make sure the air conditioner is functioning properly.

Install a Radiant Barrier

A radiant barrier in your attic does not add to the insulation value of the attic, but it does help manage radiant heat. Radiant heat is the warmth we feel when standing in the sunlight. In the summertime, we want to keep this out, and in the wintertime we want to keep it in. Depending on the installation of the barrier, you can achieve both of these functions and reduce the heating and cooling cost of the home.

Can I Test My Home For Mold Myself? Do Self Test Kits Work?

2009-10-31T05:17:00.000-07:00

Mold is a very common concern when dealing with indoor air quality. Many homeowners will believe that an odor or the reason they are feeling sick is due to mold without ever seeing the growth. The truth of the matter is that I find mold in only about 30% of the "unknown odor" cases I investigate! Often, the odor is coming from other sources, or it eventually goes away and the source is never discovered. The percentages are even smaller when it comes to a sickness in the home. Often times, these are truly resulting from work stress, lighting, or other factors in the home.

While it is not as common as it used to be, I still come across scenarios in which the concern has been increased due to the use of a home test kit. These test kits typically consist of two petri dishes that are set out for a period of time. One is used as a control outside, and one is the sample of concern. These tests work off the idea that spores will settle out of the air over a period of time and grow on the auger in the dish.

So you may ask, "Why doesn't this test work? If there is mold in the dish, doesn’t that mean I have a problem?" Here are some answers for you:

1. Mold is ubiquitous to the environment
Mold is everywhere! Contrary to what many homeowners may believe, there are many spores in your home. These spores are brought in through the air exchanges in the home, on your clothes, the HVAC system, and anything else that has air in or around it. Just because there is mold in the dish does not mean that there is a problem in the home. A control of the outside is needed for comparison. In a normal environment, the indoor sample and the outdoor sample should have a similar composition; spore levels in the indoor sample should be equal to or less than the outdoor one, and any variations from inside should be small or of a type that is not considered a water damage mold. Self-test kits did get one thing right by providing the exterior control, but there are other flaws.

2. A known volume of air must be passed over the samples.
Using petri dishes as a collection media is not a problem, as it is used in viable testing (living specimens are able to grow). However, the issue with the self-test kits is that there is no known volume. You know the time, as the homeowner will write down the hours the dishes were left out, but how much air passed over the dishes? Were fans on in the room, was an HVAC duct blowing on the dish, was there a lot of movement in the room, was the wind blowing outside? All these are factors that will impact the amount of air moving over the dish and the spores it may be exposed to. Some could argue that these are settled dishes and movement of air will lessen the amount of spores; however, this is still an issue with the accuracy of the dishes, as we don’t know the volume of air sampled and therefore do not know if you can accurately compare the interior and exterior sample.

3. Non-viable vs. Viable
This test is only looking for viable or living spores. What about the non-viable ones, or total counts? When looking at the indoor air quality of the home, all spores are of a concern because even non-viable spores can have health effects. While this is a minor concern with the self-test kits, it is still a concern, because looking at only viable samplings can misconstrue findings. Typically non-viable samples are taken first to determine if there is a problem, and then viable are used if further investigation is needed for specific species of mold.

4. Result interpretation
The home test kits are usually interpreted at the lab. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, I have often seen any variation in levels labeled as abnormal. When someone is interpreting results from a lab, they have not seen the home and cannot make assessments based on conditions in the home. I will say that their assessment may not be incorrect; I just caution that there may be other influences in the home that are causing a variation and are not attributed to actual growth. I will often review samples taken by other individuals and make comments on them, but I always caution that in order to make an accurate assessment you have to be at the home at the time of the sampling. I have intentionally taken samples as less than optimum locations in the past to see how sample results vary. A specific one that comes to mind is one I took near a bowl of rotting fruit. The fruit had visible growth on it, and the results showed elevations as compared to the outdoors. Had someone read these in a lab and had not been present in the home, they may have said there was an abnormality - when in actuality, someone just needed to get rid of some fruit!

Install Low Flow Fixtures

This saves in several different ways, depending on your situation: By installing low flow faucets and toilets, you can save money on your water bill, you can save power by not running your pump as often, and you can save by not using as much hot water.

The Basics of Energy Star

2009-10-24T04:00:00.000-07:00

Many people are becoming familiar with Energy Star certification for their home, but I still have conversations with individuals who aren't sure about the process or what it really means. It is really great that everyone is interested about Energy Star, but we really need to get adequate information out so that everyone is familiar with the process and how you go about having your home certified!

The first thing to know is that building a home that is Energy Star compliant does not cost significantly more than constructing a standard home. There are only a few items that need to be done, depending on your climate zone, that your builder may not already be doing. This is usually a air sealing and just a few insulating techniques dealing with air barriers. These items, again, do not add a significant amount of money.

Secondly, having your home certified does incur a fee. The party that verifies the construction and certifies it will charge a fee for their service. The individuals that perform this service are HERS raters. A HERS rater has been trained and tested to prove that they understand the building process required by Energy Star and how to properly test the home. The fee ranges, but there are some programs available depending on your location that provides assistance or rebates for this service.

To get your home certified as Energy Star, you have to score an 85 in the southern part of the country and an 80 in the northern. A detailed chart and more information are available at http://www.energystar.gov/ that shows which region you are in. The score means that you are respectively 15% and 20% more efficient than a home that is built to code. Again, this is relatively easy to achieve. A lower score is a better score.

Step 1: Thermal By Pass Inspection

The certification for energy star requires two inspections. A thermal bypass inspection occurs pre-drywall, and a final that tests the tightness of the home. I have had several builders miss the pre-drywall due to them not fully understanding the process and not being willing to let you know or ask questions. I have also had several homeowners contact me because they were informed that they only needed the final. This is a very critical point and evidently there is a large amount of misinformation out there as to how the process works.

The thermal bypass inspection is to verify the insulation and air barriers are installed correctly. Also, at this time, the HERS rater will evaluate the air sealing and give any tips on what else can be done to make the home tight. Air sealing is not specifically on the checklist and does not have to be inspected, but it is important, so we still tend to make comments regarding it. If the HVAC contractor is ready, the duct test can be performed at this time so that any leakage can be fixed prior to drywall.

Step 2: Final Inspection

The final inspection will consist of the blower door and duct blaster, if it was not done at thepre-drywall stage. The blower door checks the tightness of the home and the duct blaster does the same for the ducts. The equipment pulls air out of the home and ducts and we are able to measure the amount of air that flows through, telling us how leaking the home or ducts are.

The final step that you will not see is the modeling. There are two paths that you can take to get Energy Star certification: the Performance path and the Builder Option path. With the performance path, you must model the home, and with the builder option, you must meet certain requirements. Most individuals go with the performance path, as it is more flexible; with this path your home is modeled using software and given a score.

This is a very brief overview of the process, and there are other details that you will need to know if you are to construct an Energy Star home. However, this provides more than many know about the basics, and it allows you to get started with the process. If you are going to build an Energy Star home, contact a local HERS rater prior to starting construction to discuss the process with them!

Insulate Your Water Pipes

Many people know about this, and most do it if they have a chance of freezing their cold water pipes; however, you can benefit by insulating all water pipes, and the biggest gain actually comes from the hot water pipes. Just like I discussed last week with the water heater, the temperature difference between the hot water and the ambient temperature is significant no matter where the pipes run. By insulating the pipes, you slow the cooling of the pipes and therefore conserve energy and water.

Attic Ventilation: What Most People Don’t Know

2009-10-17T03:28:00.000-07:00

Most individuals believe that the more ventilation, the better when it comes to the attic, and others wonder why they even have to ventilate the attic. The truth to all this is that it varies between regions of the country and systems that you see installed every day may not actually be functioning the way they were intended.

In the north, attic ventilation is used to prevent ice damming. This is when the snow on the roof melts at the higher regions of the roof and then refreezes at the gutters. This can lead to water damage in the home. In the south, the attic ventilation is used to reduce the temperature in the attic to help with the cooling load on the home. The main idea that needs to be taken from this is that with traditional construction the attic needs to be vented no matter where you are located.

Building code will typically requires a certain ratio of net free ventilation area (NFVA). Depending on where you live, this can be anywhere from 1 to 300 to 1 to 150. There are several methods of venting the attic, but the most common methods that I see are ridge and soffit vents, gable vents, and powered attic fans or ventilators. Each of these systems are used as standalone systems, and at times they are used in conjunction with each other.

As with almost any system in the home, there are some issues that you should be aware of when evaluating your attic ventilation or looking to modify it:

1. Soffit and Ridge vents must not be used with gable vents.
This comes directly from the Cor-A-Vent installation instruction. “COR-A-VENT ridge vents should always be installed with soffit/eave/intake vents of equal or greater area. All other vent openings (except soffits) should be closed off. The air passageway, or “Ventilation Chute,” between the inlet (soffit/eave/intake) and the outlet (ridge) vent must not be blocked or restricted.”

2. Powered ventilators may not save you money and can cause problems.
A study conducted by the Bureau of Standards found that the cost of operating power ventilators did not outweigh the minimum savings in cooling cost due to the decrease in the attic temperature. The use of solar-powered ventilators may correct this issue, but then you must weigh the cost of the unit vs. the savings in cooling cost. Powered ventilators have other issues that include depressurization of the home. This can cause backdrafting and moisture problems in the home if there is not enough ventilation in the attic to accommodate the fan or if the ceiling in the home is not tight. Even if the fan is not powerful enough to depressurize the home, it can still pull conditioned air out of the house through leaks in the ceiling and therefore cost you more money to cool the home. Powered ventilators must be used with caution, and I do not recommend them except in extreme situations.

Ventilation is important if you intend to stay with a vented attic. Shingle manufacturers may void warranties, and you can cause damage to the roof sheeting if the ventilation is not sufficient. The important item with any system you install is to make sure that it is installed per manufacturers instruction and local building codes. As mentioned before, a good source of information regarding natural ventilation and the various types of vents is the manufacturer Cor-A-Vent. The Energy Star Website and Advanced Energy also have resources regarding attic ventilation.

Insulate Your Water Heater

Many people will argue on this subject for various reasons, but the most common two arguments are that the water heater doesn’t feel warm and the water heater is in the home and therefore doesn’t need a blanket. The truth is that at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, your 75 degree home looks really good to the heat in the tank. No matter where the tank is, it will lose heat. As for the argument that it doesn’t feel hot to the touch, the truth is that tanks are becoming more efficient with their insulation, but they will still lose some heat. If you don’t believe this, put some towels on the top of the tank, come back after a day, and put your hand under them to see if they are warm.

A water heater with R-7 insulation at 130 degrees Fahrenheit can potentially save $33.10 a year based on a $0.10 kWh electric rate. This is not a bad return on a $15 blanket!

If you are going to wrap with a blanket, make sure you do it right and follow any instructions from the manufacturer. If your tank is fueled by gas, there are additional measures you need to be aware of, so make sure you take the time to learn how to install the blanket safely on your system, or have someone experienced install it for you.

Who Should I Trust? Green Washing in the Marketplace

2009-10-10T04:24:00.000-07:00

Over the past few weeks while researching ideas for this blog, I have noticed a trend in the media sources I have consulted. Often times, these sources are online; as we all know, online sources may not always be that reliable! With trends being what they are today, many people turn to the Internet to gather information regarding potential purchases and to educate themselves on topics of interest. As energy efficiency and sustainability are hot topics at the moment, many companies are trying to capitalize on this.

Many companies are trying to market their products as sustainable and energy efficient. However, at times these products are only at most slightly better than a standard product, and in some situations, they might actually be counterproductive to what you are trying to achieve - especially when it comes to saving energy. So what is one to do? Here are just a few recommendations to try and keep your head above water when finding out the facts:

1. Any time a research paper is cited, find that document.
In an attempt to prove my stance on powered attic ventilators (of which I will go more in-depth at a later time, but for now let it be know I am against them), I discovered a disturbing trend among marketing material. Several companies used quotes from a research study conducted by the Bureau of Standards. In this study, the bureau found that the attic ventilators did not create a significant enough reduction in the attic temperature to offset their power usage; however, several companies have cited this research paper as a reason to use their product.

2. Don’t trust a single statement.
This is not meant to imply that you should be skeptical, but consider all arguments! For some products, there are several opinions by very reputable individuals - just because they are different doesn’t necessary make one right or wrong. Products have different properties, and what one individual may consider a poor product another may consider a good choice for their situation. This argument can range anywhere from radiant barriers to concrete countertops, but the best one I can use to prove my point in bamboo flooring. While the majority of the people consider this to a very green product, it may depend on who you listen to. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, with maturity at 7 years compared to hardwoods at 30+. However, the bamboo is mostly grown in Asia and must be shipped, causing it to have an extremely high embodied energy. Is bamboo sustainable? It all depends on how you look at the big picture.

3. Look at the source.
This ties into the previous two statements and can also be stated as "what makes an expert." There are times in which the various components of the building community disagree with each other. So how do you determine who is the expert in the whole process? Look at the source, determine their experience, and use your own judgment. Just because someone has been building houses all their life, they’ve been to school for 30 years, or they write an article or blog on the Internet doesn’t automatically mean they have all the right answers! I was once told a story about a class that spent an hour lecture listening to the professor explain how the sky was actually orange and not really blue. This class never once questioned the professor because he was perceived as the expert. The next day, the professor quizzed the individuals on the previous lecture and they all failed because they answered that the sky was orange. The professor wanted to prove a point - just because he was perceived as an expert doesn’t necessarily make him right! The class learned an important lesson to use their own minds and never be afraid to question even a perceived authority.

Wash Clothes in Cold Water

This is a simple little tip, but many individuals don’t realize how much heating your water can cost! Clothes don’t necessarily have to be washed in hot water. There are many detergents on the market that work just as well with cold water as they do with hot, and some are becoming specialized for cold wash cycles. As with all recommendations, there are exceptions that require the use of hot water - and I have come across some of these, including the need to reduce certain allergens - but for most laundry cycles, cold water can be used. This alone could potentially save you quite a bit on your utility bills!

When Should I Go Green?

2009-10-03T03:33:00.000-07:00

The answer to this question is, AT ANY POINT AND TIME YOU WISH, but you can start today! During a recent home show, I had several conversations with individuals in which the final statement always went something like one of these: “I really want to do some of these repairs, but I don’t have time,” “I want to put in some upgrades and improve my efficiency, but I’m doing a lot of remodeling right now,” and finally, “I’m sure my home is really inefficient, but I really don’t want to know how bad it is!”

If only the individuals who made these statements just took the time to look into energy efficiency and sustainability, they might realize how wrong these statements are! To keep you from making the mistake of believing these statements, let’s look at each one and see how we can really act to correct these problems:

“I want to put in some upgrades and improve my efficiency, but I’m doing a lot of remodeling right now.”
If your walls are open and you are performing repairs, why aren't you at least adding a few efficiency or sustainable features? I always tell my clients that the time to make adjustments is while you're working on your home! For years I worked in insurance restoration, and we always told homeowners that you can turn a bad situation into a good one by making improvements you had always wanted to do. The same goes for any type of work when you are considering sustainable improvements. I understand that when someone is performing a remodel that there can be big cost associated with it, but some items cost little to nothing to perform. Here are five items to consider - and remember there are hundreds more. Just look at your situation and make improvements accordingly.

1. Increase your insulation.
If your walls are open, make sure your insulation is correctly installed, and beef it up a little if possible. This cost: little to nothing more than what it is costing you to replace the insulation, anyway.

2. Caulk joints and seams in the walls.
Make sure you limit the air leakage in your home. Having the walls open is an opportune time to stop leakage, even if it is one or two walls.

3. Donate old materials
Don’t send your old materials to the dump if they are reusable! Someone may have a good home for that old toilet or cabinet.

4. Use low or no VOC paints
Almost all remodels include paint. Make sure you use one that will not emit gas.

5. Consider future use
A lot of individuals look only a few years down the road. Consider what you would need if your family grew or an unfortunate accident caused someone to be handicapped, and make adjustments or plans for the future (i.e. block for handicap bars in the bathroom, increased door sizes to allow for a wheelchair, or make adjustments for a office to be easily turned into a bedroom).

“I really want to do some of the improvements, but I don’t have the time.”
This is a classic excuse, and believe me, I understand how people may feel! However, this is easier than you think. You don’t have to take a lot of time to make these improvements; in fact, many improvements are as simple as changing your habits. Here are five items that you can start today.

1. Use CFL’s
This one is self explanatory, but you would be surprised how many people still don’t do this!

2. Label your appliances with replacement information.
This one plays right into individuals who don’t have a lot of time. Often, when an appliance goes, we don’t have time to find the replacement we want. Take that time now and place a label on the back of the appliance with the replacement model, cost, and place of purchase, with a backup in case that store doesn’t have it. (However, remember you need to update this every so often with new information!)

3. Turn off your ceiling fans when not in the room.
Again, this one is self explanatory, and for those of you who already know me, you won't be surprised at this one!

4. Adjust your thermostat.
Just a small change in temperature on your thermostat can make a big difference in the cost to heat and cool your home. Set the winter temperature to 68 degrees and the summer to 78 degrees.

5. Adjust your freezer/refrigerator temperatures.
Setting the temperatures on your refrigerator can help make it run more efficiently. The refrigerator should be between 36 and 40 degrees and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees.

“I’m sure my home is really inefficient, but I really don’t want to know how bad it is.”
I have no explanation for this comment. If you thought your HVAC wasn’t running correctly or you had rotted siding, you wouldn’t ignore them and not call professionals just because you were worried how bad it really is. If you don’t have the funds for an expert to assess your home, then educate yourself and look for the deficiencies, but please don’t ignore them! There are plenty of things you can do to improve your home that don’t cost a lot.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Many people still do not have a programmable thermostat, and some that do still aren't using them to their full potential. According to the EPA, a programmable thermostat can save you $150 a year. Based on current prices, if you can install the thermostat yourself, this give a 6-month payback; if you can’t, the payback will still only be one to two years, which is still great!

If you already have one, then make sure you have it programmed correctly. Have it adjust the temperature while you are out of the home and at night. If you are not doing this, then you are not saving yourself the money that you could be. Many people have them programmed incorrectly because they have different schedules than what their thermostat may have allowed for, such as working Wednesday thru Sunday instead of the standard work week. The thermostats are becoming more flexible, with some allowing for day-to-day changes instead of the week and weekend schedule many people are used to. So, if you have this situation, check into a different model to see if it can work with your schedule.

Have You Ever Seen a Home With Lungs? (Why Your House Doesn’t Have to Breathe)

2009-09-27T04:45:00.000-07:00

Every day, I am presented with the argument that a home can not be sealed tight because it must breathe. A long time ago, a friend and colleague of mine answered this comment by asking,“Have you ever seen a house with lungs?” Of course, the answer to this is no, but many people still believe that their house must get fresh air to breathe.

What you must remember is that it is not the house that needs fresh air, but the occupants of the home. Also, you have to realize that everything we put in a house doesn’t need to be there, so we need to get it out. You may ask, “Isn’t this basically the same thing as the house breathing?” The answer to this is yes and no. Currently, many builders believe that fresh air needs to enter the home, but don't really care how or where. This can be a real energy buster for you if your home gets too leaky! What you want to do is control how much and where the fresh air enters - and let’s not forget about getting rid of the stale air.

You do this by creating a tight home that has few uncontrolled air leaks or air changes. Air changes are the number of times the air in your home is exchanged with fresh air over a given period of time. Typically, this is figured over an hour. Often times, air exchange rates are amplified for measurement purposes. This is done with a blower door that decreases the pressure in a home, and is usually measured at 50 Pascals. Most new homes that I see range between 5 and 8 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals (ACH50). However, there are the exceptions in which they have leakage below and above this range. I like to see homes around 3 ACH50, with controlled ventilation. The most efficient homes that I see are in this range and will typically have ERV’s or other means of air changing. (An ERV is an additional piece of equipment for your HVAC that can exchange and condition air.)

Once the home is tight, you need to get air in and air out. Building codes may state how much air you need to bring in and out of a home, so check there first! They may also limit the amount that can be brought in by natural means, such as leakage or passive ventilation. Once you have checked with someone who knows about the codes, you will want to get someone who is knowledgeable about exchange rates and how to achieve them. This is done by various means, and each has its own pros and cons. You may see the use of any of the following types or a combination of them:

1. Passive ventilation
This is ventilation that operates on natural forces and is most commonly seen in crawlspaces and attics; however, you may see it on exterior of walls as well. This is used to lower temperatures and humidity levels in these areas.

2. Spot ventilation
This is used to remove contaminants/stale air from a central location. An example of this is bathroom exhaust. Spot ventilation is very important to remove unwanted moisture in bathrooms and kitchens, but it can produce a negative pressure on the home. Just make sure you don’t go overboard on the size of the fan.

3. General Ventilation
This is simply the ventilation of the entire living space using fans. It may be broken down into sub categories or considered supply only or dilution ventilation, depending on the source. Dilution ventilation is achieved by only pumping in air to dilute stale air, and it can create a positive pressure on the home. The exhausting of air is not controlled. It can be achieved via a standalone unit or through the HVAC.

4. Exhaust Only Ventilation
Exhaust can be sub category of general ventilation, and it is achieved through exhausting of air only. This may seem like spot ventilation, but it is for the whole house and not just a certain location. It can be achieved through an exhaust fan in a central location, the HVAC unit, or through a bathroom fan that is designated to permanently stay on. This can cause a negative pressure on the home, because the intake of air is not controlled. A negative pressure can cause back drafting.

5. Balanced Ventilation
This is also called supply and exhaust ventilation. The air taken in will typically equal the air exhausted. This is often achieved with piece of equipment, such as an ERV or HRV. It keeps a balanced pressure in the home, and both sides of the air exchange are controlled and possibly conditioned to help lower heating and cooling loads.

There are several systems and variations on the ventilation types mentioned above. If you are building a home or just working to better your current one, talk to your contractor or someone knowledgeable about ventilation to work out a system that best fits your home, needs, and budget.

Install Energy Star Appliances

Since we are taking the time to talk about ventilation this week, I thought I would just mention Energy Star appliances. Many people will probably say that they already know about this, yet wouldn't understand its connection with ventilation. Many people don't realize that there are appliances and fixtures approved by Energy Star other than the typical dishwasher and refrigerators!

In respect to the topic on ventilation, there are Energy Star ventilation fans. When looking at a system that may be using one of these fans to provide ventilation, it is a good idea to have one that will save you energy.

So next time you’re looking for a new appliance or fixture, check to see if there is one that is Energy Star approved, because you just may be surprised by what you find!

Infrared Cameras - Can You Really See Through Walls?

2009-09-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

Many people have heard of an infrared camera and the wonderful, amazing things that it can do, but have you taken the time to really find out the truth behind the use of one? You may have heard people claim that they can see what is in your walls or if you have mold hidden in your home; while there is some truth to this, these cameras have their limitations and can’t do all that is claimed. At the same time, they can be an extremely powerful tool, and be used in applications that you would have never have imagined!

To start off explaining an infrared camera, you must first understand a little about infrared (IR). William Herschel first discovered IR back in 1800. He used a prism to refract light onto a table. While he was measuring the temperatures of the various colors, he realized that the temperature on a thermometer sitting outside of the red light was higher than that of one inside the light. Upon further study, he concluded that there was energy above the red spectrum, therefore discovering infrared. Over 200 years later, we have now taken this knowledge and created cameras that can be used by individuals to see this energy.

Put simply, IR is the energy emitted by objects based on their temperature. The higher your temperature, the more energy you emit. Everything in the world emits this energy; however, some things emit better than others - and there are also objects in the world that act as reflectors. This is where the limitations of the camera can come into play. First, the cameras are not able to "see through" objects. However, it does show what is in your walls by way of heat on the surface of the wall. For example, the studs heat up or cool down differently than the insulation, which allows us them to show up on camera. If the insulation and the studs are the same temperature, then they can't be seen. Likewise, the camera will now show mold in the wall; however, the camera may be able to show the water that has caused the mold, because the water heats up or cools down differently than the other objects around it. Also, the camera can't see through objects such as windows, or tell the true temperature of shiny metals or other reflective objects. This is because they have a very low emittance and they would rather reflect your energy than emit theirs.

So you may be asking yourself, "If IR can’t be used to see in my walls, what good is it for my house?" Because objects in the home heat and cool at different rates, and they transfer heat differently, the camera can be used to show subtle differences in the temperatures and draw conclusions from that. Below is a simple list of some of the items that can be investigated around the home with an infrared camera:

1. Whether or not there is insulation in the walls.
If enough of a temperature difference between the interior and exterior can be created, it can be seen (200F or greater is optimum.) The insulation, studs, and voids will show up as different colors or shades, and a thermographer can draw conclusions based on this.

2. Whether or not your have air leaks.
When air movement is forced around the home, with as little as a 50F difference the camera can begin to show the temperature differences caused by this air. This can help with finding air leaks around the home.

3. Whether or not you have an effective air barrier.
While you may not know what an air barrier is, having one is important for efficiency! An air barrier stops air movement through insulation, which increases its efficiency. To get a better idea of its benefit, a leak in the air barrier is kind of a leak around your windows, but it is in the wall, and the air may never enter the living space.

4. Whether or not you have water leaks.
Water heats up and cools down at a different rate that most items in the home. Because of this, the camera can detect the temperature differences between the water and the wall or floor.

These are just a few of the items that the thermal camera can be used for around the home. Depending on the applications, the camera may be able to be used to "see" - or really detect - a variety of items. The cameras are being used in everything from building to electrical to medical. There are a variety of uses for this type of camera! If there is something in your home that you can’t see or wonder about, ask a thermographer - because we might just be able to find it for you.

Use Blinds and Shades for Your Windows

Last week, I touched on replacement of windows and how the payback is so long. This week, I will touch on a simple way to help save energy around your windows. Blinds, shades, and drapes can all help conserve energy. By closing your blinds in the summer, you can help reduce the amount of energy gained through solar radiation; by closing your drapes in the winter, you can help retain the heat in your home. Your window dressings were not made just to look good - they do serve a function, so use them! Also, the bug screen is not just for bugs. By using it you can also reduce the solar gain through the windows.

Why HVAC Isn’t Just a Lot of Hot Air (or Cold, Either)

2009-09-12T03:14:00.000-07:00

Ever since I started my career in the construction industry, I have always seemed to run into problems with HVAC systems. This shouldn’t be that surprising, since the HVAC system is the primary system responsible for the living conditions in your home and can have the most impact on how a building functions. I have seen systems that are contaminated with fungal growth, systems that you would think had been installed to provide irrigation to the crawlspace, systems that my 8 -year-old niece and nephew could have installed, and systems that are a piece of art. However, out of all of these, the latter is the rarest of them all.

In the past year, I have dealt with systems that

increased the gas bill after the system was installed,
caused the homeowner to pay more per month than they were per season before it was installed,
were not cooling or heating the home equally. The excuse for this was that two systems should have been installed, when the contractor installed only one - however, that one unit was not properly installed (twice), and ended up causing damage to the ductwork.

These are only three of the multitude of cases where I have seen of improperly sized, installed, or designed units. Why is this? The only explanation I can come up with is that homeowners - and unfortunately, most HVAC technicians - do not understand the impact the system can have on the home, and that it is not as simple as a fan moving air through some round tubes.

There is a standard of practice set forth in both the building code and by industry organizations that state how a system should be designed. This process takes into account how each component of the system works with the other, and combines them to provide efficient delivery of your conditioned air. This whole process starts with what is called a load calculation, or Manual J calculation. This takes into account the construction of your home and how heat is transferred between the exterior walls, ceiling, floor and the exterior environment. The next step covers the system selection or Manual S. This outlines the proper method to select a system to accommodate for the required load calculations. Next comes Manual D, which is another critical step as this is the duct design. Each system must have the ducts designed for the unit to be installed. Finally is Manual T, which is the register and grill sizing. Even grill sizes can impact your comfort levels!

Properly designed systems can increase your comfort and decrease the cost of your utilities. Next time you are going to have your HVAC system replaced, take note of these simple reminders, and hopefully, you will have your system properly installed:

1. Make sure Manual J, S, T, and D calculations were performed for your system.
Of all of these, Manual J and D are the most critical. Whether you are having your home system replaced (ducts and system) or just the unit, these calculations are critical. There is no such thing as rules of thumb or matching the system with what you previously had. Each home is unique, and the system you had before may have been improperly sized.

2. Your ducts impact your system’s efficiency.
While most people will try to just install a new unit and keep using the old duct work, this can actually cost you money. If ducts are improperly sized for the system, they can cause the system to operate inefficiently. Why pay for the more efficient system if it is going to operate at a lower efficiency than the one you just replaced?

3. Manual J has safety factors already figured in.
There are some companies that will perform Manual J calculations, but they will not use the weather data provided in the back. Instead, they will design the system for hotter temperatures. You don't design systems for newsworthy days! By raising the design temperature, you oversize the system. When you do this, you size the system for 1% of time it is in operation - and oversizing for 99% of the time.

4. The lowest or highest price may not be the best.
It's hard to judge an install on just the price of the system. HVAC installs can vary greatly! ACCA (Air Conditioning Contractors of America) has produced a document that allows you to compare bids so that you get the best value. However, remember that if the contractor doesn’t properly design the system, it doesn’t matter how good their price is! You can get the document here: Quality Installation Specifications

Do NOT Install Replacement Windows!

The tip this week is more of a what not to do instead of a what to do. Every day, I see a commercial advertising replacement windows and how much money they can save you; and every day, I know someone has invested a lot of money into their home that they will not get paid back.

Many people are advertising 50% savings with the replacement of new windows. This is completely true. You may save 50% on the amount of energy the windows cost you, but this translates to only about 10% to 15% of your total bill. With this limited savings as compared to the cost of the windows, you end up with a very long payback period. If 10 windows cost you between $6000 and $7000 and you save a gratuitous 20% on a utility bill of $200, your payback will be between 12 and 15 years. This is almost a best-case scenario. In most cases, the paybacks for replacement windows are going to be between 20 and 30 years, because the savings will not be that great for such a small investment.

Most homeowners are not going to be in the home for 15 years, and if they are, there are several other items that can be done to the home that have a quicker payback. I will only recommend replacement windows in extreme cases. In the majority of the homes I see, I would more likely recommend installation of storm windows (for single panes), or repair of the windows currently in place, typically because those are the best scenarios when windows are involved. So next time you have someone suggest you replace your windows or you see the commercials, remember that those windows will save you money, you are better off investing in other, similarly effective improvements that have a much shorter payback period.

Energy Audits - The What’s and How’s

2009-09-05T03:25:00.000-07:00

As a homeowner, you may have heard the term "energy audit" by now, but you may not know what one is or how it works. Many people think an audit is something done by the IRS or given freely by their utility companies. Some even think it's a gimmick made up by “tree loving” individuals. The truth is that an energy audit can be a very useful tool to aid you in saving energy - and ultimately, money!

The complex definition of an energy audit is “an evaluation of the energy flow through a building with the objective of understanding the energy dynamics of the system.” To break this down into simple, understandable terms, an energy audit is just the objective evaluation of a home or building’s energy use.

There are various methods of performing the audit, and even more individuals who are trying to break into the industry. Because of this, you as a homeowner must take time to understand the steps in an audit, learn what you should expect from it, and obtain the knowledge to empower yourself to choose the most qualified professional in your price range. In doing all this, you may even gain enough knowledge to perform a basic audit of the home yourself.

The first bit on knowledge you should obtain is that an energy audit should consist of six primary categories. These categories may have several sub-categories depending on how extensive the audit is but an audit should always have these six main areas of concentration.

The primary areas are:

1. Home Sealing (Building Envelope)
2. Insulation
3. Lighting
4. Appliances and Phantom Loads
5. HVAC (Heating and Air)
6. Occupant habits

As mentioned before, each area may have sub-categories (i.e., "building envelope" will usually include windows and doors, and "appliances" will usually include water usage), but the sub categories will depend on the auditor and the building. The most difficult category for a professional auditor to observe is the occupant’s habits, and this portion of the audit will consist of generalized recommendations. This category, however, is one that you will be able to best analyze yourself, but may not want to admit.

As stated before, a homeowner or building owner can perform an audit themselves. However, an energy audit for a building is more difficult, and it is typically best to hire someone to conduct an audit of a business. If you would like to perform an audit of your home, you first need to gain a little knowledge on the subject. This can be gained through reading books on the subject or visiting Websites. Cut Your Energy Bills Now: 150 Smart Ways to Save Money and Make Your Home More Comfortable & Green by Bruce Harley is a good book to get some how-to knowledge and learn about areas for consideration with an audit. You will not only learn about the areas of the home you need to check out, but also how to perform some of the repairs if you are so inclined to do so. The N.C. Ag Extension Agency’s E-Conservation program is also great for online and local education events. They will hold information sessions and training events periodically. Check with your local extension agent for more information if you live in North Carolina. The DOE Energy Savers Website is also a good resource.

Once you get a little background information, you may want to use a checklist to help with the audit, or you may choose to just look around your house. You can make a small but noticeable impact on your energy usage by performing an audit yourself, but to get an even bigger impact, you may look to a professional auditor. In choosing an auditor you must be careful, because there can be wide range in the quality of the audit. Some individuals provide little more than what you could do in performing an audit yourself. Others provide professional insight into the home and how it functions. Above that, they provide cost-saving tips that may be able to save you the cost of the audit in as little as one year.

As mentioned, a professional audit will vary, but all audits should consist of a blower door test, a visual inspection that covers the 6 main areas, and the results should be generated in a report that makes recommendations based on your return-on-investment or savings-to-investment ratio. For those that may not know, a blower door is a piece of equipment that helps an auditor determine the tightness of a home and where leaks are occurring.

More advanced audits may include thermal imaging of the home using a thermal imaging camera and duct testing. While thermal imaging is a great benefit and it is becoming more commonplace as prices of equipment decrease, this one particular item does not necessarily make an audit better. Duct testing is another item that is not necessary, and often times as far as you will be concerned, the information needed to make a decision regarding the tightness of the ductwork can be determined using certain techniques during the blower door test.

When selecting an auditor, you should remember that one week-long class does not make a good energy auditor! There are several places to start when looking for an energy auditor, and one that many people recommend is the EPA Energy Star program. While being a HERS rater (Energy Star rater) is a good indication of an individual understanding the basics of a building environment, it also does not necessarily mean the individual is qualified to perform an energy audit. The process of certifying a home for Energy Star and performing an energy audit are two very different things, and sometimes you will find a HERS rater will not perform audits.

So how do you find a qualified auditor?

1. Search the Web for auditors in your area, ask neighbors or relatives who may have had an audit, and check trusted resources for certified individuals.As mentioned, HERS certification is a good place to start, but it doesn't end with that! Referrals are a great source of information because you can see the outcome of the audit before you ever have one.

2. Talk with the person who will perform your audit and get some insight into their process.Ask about their qualifications, certifications, audit experience, and general knowledge of the subject. As mentioned, a professional audit should always consist of a blower door, a visual inspection, and the results should be generated in a report that makes recommendations based on your return-on-investment or savings-to-investment ratio.

3. Ask to see a sample report.
You can learn a lot about an auditor from the information a sample report contains. Does this report explain the “whys” of the recommendations? Does the report give an overview of the location of the findings? Does the report give an easy-to-read summary of the recommendations in a usable, cost-conscious and informative format?

4. If the auditor is to use a thermal camera, ask them if they are a Certified Level One Thermographer.This is a good indication if they have a basic knowledge of how the camera works. A thermal camera is a complex piece of equipment, and the information gathered from one can be very useful; however, the individual should have some training on how to use the equipment.

5. Finally, do they also perform repairs?While this is not always problematic, it can sometimes lead to questions regarding an auditor’s objectivity. Ask the individual how they plan to stay objective and ask for references from previous audits.

Overall, an energy audit is a very useful tool in beginning the process of becoming more energy efficient and sustainable. You may choose to perform an audit yourself, or you can hire a professional. If you should hire a professional, take the time to make sure that they understand what they are doing, they have the correct equipment, and they are going to provide you with information that you can use to save money. Finally, take time to educate yourself on the subject, because a smarter homeowner is always a happier one!

Use of Energy Monitors in Your Home

With all the talk about saving energy, I think it is best to introduce two items that I believe a homeowner will find to be very beneficial in saving energy. Both of the items are energy monitors. Neither one of these units will save you energy themselves, but they will make you more aware of your energy use. The first unit is from Blue Line Innovations. I have personal experience with this, and have watched its use change the habits of an individual who didn’t always believe the items I recommended, such as washing clothes with cold water. This unit is easy to install. You simply place the sensor over the power meter and sync up the base unit. After a few minutes of entering the power cost information, the unit will begin to track your energy usage, displaying current usage and total usage. You must reset this every month to keep a monthly tally, and you must replace the batteries in both units every so often - though this can lead to some sync issues, overall this unit will really make you aware of the usage in your home.

The second unit is The Energy Detective, or TED for short. This monitor hooks up to your electrical panel and can track usage from one circuit or the entire house. A homeowner may be slightly intimidated by the way the unit hooks up and may want an electrician to perform the work. I don’t have personal experience with this one, as I am awaiting the release of the 5000 series to make up my mind as to which unit to try, but I can say I have heard great things about it, and the features look really great. Like the Blue Line Innovations model, the unit tracks both real time and monthly usage, but you get additional features if you use your computer. The system can graph usage, showing peaks and valleys to allow a homeowner to see when certain items may be coming on or going off. This information may be more beneficial to an energy auditor, but alas, it is more information to improve your energy habits!

Both units are great additions to any home, as the hardest thing to get a homeowner to correct is their habits. These units make the homeowner aware of their energy usage and can help modify habits. With both units selling for around $120, they are both comparable in price and features, but if a homeowner wants to spring for the additional $45, they can get the footprints software for their 1001 series TED and up the information they get. The TED 5000 series will start at $200, but it appears to be coming with a lot of additional features. Regardless of which unit you may choose, you will find them to be a cost saving purchase as long as you pay attention to them!

Welcome to the E3 Building Concepts Blog!

2009-08-29T03:34:00.001-07:00

Since this is the first blog from E3, I feel that it is only fitting to introduce the company. First and foremost, what does E3 stand for? It stands for Building Elements, Environment, and Efficiency. These are the three key components of any building that work together to provide us a comfortable, affordable and safe living and working space. E3 is a consulting firm based in building science that understands how each and everyone of these components work together. Our services currently include indoor air quality investigations, green/sustainable consulting and verification, energy audits and Energy Star verification.

While many companies are popping up around the area providing one or more of these services, I assure you that E3 you will provide the most professional, educated, and thoughtful service each and every time. As the owner, I have been in the construction and building science industry since 2002 and have worked on projects of various sizes investigating and correcting issues with the building environment -- well before energy efficiency and "green" became a catchphrase! I have attained multiple professional certifications and hold a Bachelor's degree from N.C. State that all benefit me in my daily work with building science.

Each week I will post my thoughts, knowledge, and opinion on related items and events, as well as a new recommendation for reducing the energy consumption of your home. I hope you will find this blog helpful and insightful in an ever changing industry!

Cut off ceiling fans when you are not in a room!!!

This is one item that I constantly go over with individuals in an energy audit. A ceiling fan is a great way to help reduce your cooling cost in the summer time, but only if you are in the room with the ceiling fan! Ceiling fans cool the person, not the room, by air movement across your skin. The air movement generated by the fan causes you to cool down, not the room. If you leave the fan on when you are not in the room, you are actually generating heat through the motor and wasting electricity. Below are two thermal images showing the heat generated by the motor. The image on the right is blended so that you can see more of the fan. The room temperature is 78 and 80 degrees at the ceiling. You can see that the fan motors are 139 and 130 degrees. This is adding an ample amount of heat to these rooms and not cooling anything down. So next time you leave a room, remember to not only cut off the lights but the fan too!