Article
“Anti-Tip Brackets for Freestanding Ranges”
It is pointed out in this article how simple it is to check if the Freestanding Ranges has an anti-tip bracket. Both visually and physically, this test / inspection can take just a moment and it could save a life. This standard for safety was required in 1991 so remember to check the Freestanding Range.
Article
“Biowall Inspection”
Biowalls can be an interior or outdoor wall. There are passive biowalls and active biowalls when used indoors a passive wall filters the air naturally and emits fresh oxygen, the active wall uses fans to draw polluted air to the biowall. The benefits pointed out in the article of a biowall exceed the disadvantages. Like all systems, maintain the wall is what becomes important to limit hazards involved.
This photo shows exterior lighting that illuminates exterior steps. The Homeowner has installed a Florescent light bulb, however the light has a photo sensor and illuminates during all periods of darkness, which can include overcast days. It is recommended that this homeowner install a motion and/or heat sensor so that the light only activates when needed.
The first article I read was 10 easy ways to save money&energy. There are many east steps a homeowner can take to reduce energy use, such as installing ceiling fans throughout house. Ceiling fans can cool in summer and can be reversed in winter to push warm air down. Programmable thermostats are another easy way to reduce heating/cooling costs that the homeowner can do themselves and may have tax incentives as well.
The second article was on Bat Infestation which can be fairly common in my inspection area. Bats can fit through openings 1/2 inch in size and are known to carry disease such as Rabies. Some signs that you might have Bats are the presence of Bat Guano which is feces that can be built up and have a shiny speckled appearance. If Bats are present, Identify the entry points, then seal all but one. At night when the Bats are gone, seal the last hole. The homeowner may place a Bat House on or near the house to provide alternate housing.
IC (Insulation Contact) Recessed Canister Light Fixture
When a light bulb that generates heat is turned on inside a recessed canister fixture the metal exterior of the fixture housing becomes hot. When the exposed canister is in contact with attic insulation there becomes a risk of fire. IC rated canister lights were developed to eliminate this problem. IC recessed canister fixtures have an outer and inner wall. The outer wall will protect the insulation from combustion when it is in contact with the fixture. IC-rated recessed canister light fixtures have a shiny metal interior where as Non-rated recessed canister light fixtures have a painted white interior.
Article #1
10 Easy Ways To Save Money And Energy In Your Home.
Becoming more energy efficient benefits everyone as well as our country and the world. Energy efficiency has shown to save money, which improves our economy and enhances our quality of life. Efficient energy is good for the environment and it reduces our dependency on foreign oil.
Article #2
Ice Dams
Ice dams are caused by inadequate attic insulation. In cold climates ice dams can be a problem. Ice dams are formed when snow that has accumulated on a sloped roof melts. When the melted snow (water) reaches the cold air at the eaves and freezes it causes a dam that prohibits proper drainage. Without proper drainage the ice can back up under the roof covering and cause damage to the roof, walls, insulation, and ceiling of the home.
This is an image of a water heater equipped with a Energy Smart self diagnostic control panel. This panel makes adjustment for temperature easy to access and control and allows for setting to standby mode for vacation or extended absence in which water consumption will not be utilized. In addition to the ease of accessibility the location is at an interior closet which helps to reduce exterior unit heat loss.
10 easy ways to save money and energy in your home.
This is a good simple quick fix guide to making some fairly easy and affordable changes to your home in order to save money. Everybody likes to save money, but i think the most effective changes will come from the lifestyle change discussed in the article. The changing of ones habits are absolutely cost effective. They are free. Implementing these changes, however, does not quite fall into the category of simple or easy for most people. I agree that having a professional come in, evaluate, and layout a tangible list of actions is probably going to be most effective, even if the homeowner opts for the cheapest route to energy saving.
Blower Door Testing
During the course of a project I was involved in with the DOE, I was able to help install and run a blower door test on my own home. It was a truly eye opening experience to say the least. After a very quick evaluation and walk through I was able to make enough small, inexpensive changes to make a noticeable difference in the comfort level inside the home. A thorough evaluation could really be a game changer.
I read an article on green roofs and energy conservation. Both these articles highlight the need to make living spaces more energy efficient. The amount of money a homeowner can save by making small changes is large. Things such as programable thermostats or LED bulbs can add up to more efficient homes.
This 1960’s house I inspected was missing quite a bit of insulation on the underside of the subfloor in the crawl space. In Southern California we can get high summer heat and the lack of insulation will increase the cooling cost dramatically. I recommended insulation be added throughout the crawl space.
This is a photo of a furnace that was installed in 2014. The client was if it would be cost effective to change it out for a high efficiency model. I recommended that being as new as it was the fact that they kept it well maintained and filters cleaned, their money would probably be better spent in other areas such as changing to more energy efficient windows, replacing a door and adding some insulation. I believe in this case that some air sealing would save them the money they were looking for.
For the reading writing assignment in this course I read enhancing energy efficiency in historic homes and energy efficient space heaters. There are a lot of older homes in my area and people that buy and live in them want to keep them as close to original as they possibly can. In the article it was mentioned that the older homes were built to withstand the environment in which they are located with the materials and technology that was available at the time. I would say the most common issues that I have found is settling or slipping of insulation and single pane windows along with lack of or deteriorated weather stripping around door. Usually with a little added insulation and either replacing windows with ones that are made to look old or if windows are in good shape adding storm windows and some heavy drapes or curtains along with weatherstripping around doors along with an energy efficient in wall heater in some cases the occupants can reduce energy costs and have a comfortable home that will last for many more years.
I haveinstalled a Sun Tunnel in a bathroom that has no windows or Skylights. We wouldhave to always turn on the lights at any time of the day. I just didn’t makesense. It would be the Sunniest day outside but we had to rely on turning onthe lighting during the day. People have asked about it since it was in use.They too, have also installed tunnel skylights also. It does cost a bit, butthe long-term savings will justify it. It actually, it provides more light then thestandard fixtures.
P.S. It was a cloudy day of this picture.
Occasionally, it might be noted in inspection where an idea that has merit has unintended consequences when put into practice without proper consideration.
The example shown is this - a bathroom skylight retrofitted into an older home with the intention of implementing a daylighting strategy. The location of the skylight created some issues due to its placement directly over the shower enclosure. Although the home was older and the wall envelope consisted of lathe & plaster, ventilation of moisture produced during use of the bathroom was an unconsidered factor.
As there was no fan installed in the bathroom and the window was rarely opened due to low outside temperatures during winter months, warm moist air rose to the available height and created ongoing mildew & condensation issues for the skylight. In time, this could lead to internal moisture damage of the assembly that may allow moisture intrusion from outside, should proper flashing & caulking procedures on the skylight’s roof opening not have been performed.
We note R20 batt insulation over 10 Inches on loose fill insulation. This allows on R value greater than R40 and consistent with local building codes. This additional R value can lower energy heating bills. A blower door test will also provide information relating to the efficiency of the home air flow and energy efficiency.
Green Building Inspection
Improving the energy efficiency of your home improves comfort, saves money, produce less pollution and may qualify for tax breaks. Tankless water heaters save energy by not warming standing water in the tank. CFL and LED us much less energy than incandescent and also last longer. Low flush toilets and Energy Star appliances also reduce utility costs. Daylighting is also a way to provide natural light in the home via skylights, light tube and light shelves.
This is a photo of a Heat Recovery Ventilator in a “Green” house in Truckee, CA. The house is a straw bale construction, with very high insulating values, and a very tight envelope. Because of this tight envelope, the HRV was installed to introduce fresh air into the house, while recovering the heat lost from ventilating the house to the exterior.
There are many ways to make your house more “green”. Some of those include changing out incandescent light bulbs, changing your heating and cooling habits, and installing the proper insulation in your attic and crawlspace. Since heating and cooling accounts for such a large percentage of energy usage, making these small changes could add up to big energy savings if they were more widespread. Things as simple as buying a programmable thermostat and setting it so that your house is not being heating when nobody is home or in the evening is one basic step. Everybody can make a difference.
This point of use water heater is properly sized and functioning correctly. The temperature is set low, as is appropriate for hand and face washing. Point of use presence coupled with appropriate water temperatures saves significant water and energy resources, an environmentally and economically friendly practice.
10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home
Composting Toilet Inspection
Essay:
Composting toilets have a long history at this point, since they have been available commercially for more than 30 years. The resultant hummus is often 10-30% of original size, and they can reduce overall water use (of a residence?) up to 50%. Although there is a risk of unpleasant odors and cleaning activities of composting toilets if they are improperly designed or maintained, they can be an unintrusive way of significant resource savings when working correctly.
