10-Easy ways to save money. This was a good summary article. It summarizes most aspects of home energy use and not just the thermal envelope. I have implemented most of the recommendations in my own home. I continue to advise others similarly.
Low hanging fruit includes electrical and water use reduction. When appliances have met their expected useful life, then it is time to replace them with more energy efficient appliances. This includes water heaters and boilers.
Insulation and air sealing improvements can be more expensive. I was able to pay back improvements to my basement insulation in 5 years by utilizing incentives offered by my state electric provider. This provider managed fuel-blind funds made available from implementation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
This is a photo of me measuring the attic insulation thickness in an attic. The average depth of cellulose insulation was 6.5 inches. giving an R-value of R-20-R-25. This is much less than the R-50 there should be.
Read a number of the inspection articles under the energy heading. Found the Energy Star criticized to be interesting even though old. Difficulty with Energy Star as well as other energy efficiency programs around government and associations are in over-site. I really like the methodology with ASTM in regards to credibility. With energy programs the need for third party certified over-site is desperately needed in all disciplines with better standardization. “Energy Efficiency” Energy Star/BPI/RESNET??? Where is it going, how will it succeed or is it destined to failure??? Will be interesting to follow over the next few years.
Personal opinion is that the energy programs of the future will be driven by educated value driven consumers buying through creditable ratings. Unfortunately I do not believe that those rating service currently exist, but will emerge likely following ASTM standards.
When assessing property conditions it is always interesting to evaluate designs and installation of the abstract envelope components. With today’s focus leaning more towards energy consumption and thermal efficiency evaluating older buildings really becomes interesting combined with challenges to energy improvement engineering.
Image depicts thermal wash behind bate insulation in an end wall in a gathering area. The wall opens into an attic space. Improvements would be use of properly installed insulation preventing wash. Un-bated insulation would be a better choice.
This picture shows batt insulation that has fallen down out of the floor joist space. This creates a direct avenue for heat loss and is a simple fix for a homeowner.
The above listed article was an excellent source of information for a homeowner or someone building a new home. The article stress the importance of selecting the proper heating and cooling system but also the importance of proper insulation. These 2 items need to go hand and hand inorder to have an efficient home. The article also explains nicely the way in which air enters and exits a home. There are several items listed in the article explaining how to improve energy efficiency quickly and affordably.
The two articles that I read for this course were “Installing Attic Insulation” and “Insulation R-Value”. These articles improved my knowledge and vocabulary which will help me when dealing with clients.
Air leakage? While this just maybe be one in a building that has many, combined they add up to a lot of wasted energy.
Also for my reading I chose “Energy Star Program Criticized” and “Window Films”.
After reading the Energy Star Program Criticized I must say that I believe that all government workers should also be “CERTIFIED” as they require the rest of us to be in what we do for the public!
Here are 2 pictures of a great way to lose energy, not insulating the perimeter of the band board around the basement, especially when you have such easy access to it. It’s like throwing money out the window!
Here is an excellent example of moisture intrusion…the ductwork has rusted to the point of needing to be replaced. This is showing how moist air when coming into contact with the metal has oxidized, leaving the rust that you see.
If we took these basement walls which are presently at an R-1 rating (8" of concrete equaling an R factor of 1), then added Z bar (to hold foam in place) and 2" of foam insulation, we could achieve an R-11 insulating factor. This would be the most bang for the buck or also the best SIR. Trying to raise the R factor on any other pre-insulated area does not have the same effect as it only reaches 50% of the previous R rating.
I took these pictures of the attic in the house that I am renting. As you can see the attic in insulated with 2 rows of non-backed batts of insulation with several inches of loose fill cellulose on top. I would say that this attic is properly insulated but improperly ventilated. There is only one gable vent and no sign’s of any venting pipes for the bathrooms, kitchen or dryer. There is also a large exhaust fan installed upstairs but it is only vented into the attic and not out of the house.
During the visual inspection of the house I am renting I found that both the front and back doors showed lack of weather striping. One window showed signs of condensation and old and diminished calking around all of the windows. In the attic there was 2 layers of non-backed fiberglass batt insulation with news paper on top and several inches of loose fill cellulose on top of that. I was not actually able to enter the attic because of the insulation and no place visible to walk. From what I could see from the ladder there was no vent pipes for the upstairs bathroom or the exhaust fan installed upstairs and only one gable was vented.
