In this section I researched the impact that even just changing out all the light bulbs in your home to led can make on your savings. Although led lights are far more expensive then regular inconsistent there life expectancy is far greater. So the savings can be seen both in energy and with the life of the bulb.
What got me into the energy audit was a survey of my own house with my thermal imaging camera and a friends blower door.The picture was at the return grill in the hallway for my A/C system and it was very hot outside and apparently the attic.I had not been in the attic since I bought the house.After viewing this image I went up and found the installers had pulled back the insulation to install the return and never put it back around the new opening.I did the repair myself and did notice a large difference in hot air leakage from the attic space.This would have been a recommendation of further evaluation by a licensed HVAC contractor for any of my clients.
Inspecting the HVAC System for Duct Leaks and Energy Loss,From an energy audit stand point this is probably one of the largest culprits for wasted energy.In my area they put the HVAC systems in the attic and aside from picking up additional load from an attic space in summer,a small hole in the duct or a loose seam could bring in very hot attic air that also needs to be cooled,making the system work that much harder and decrease the cooling capacity.Houses along the shore are so expensive that every little square foot of usable space is taken forcing the relocation of the HVAC systems to the worse part of the house.The cold air in the winter also has the same effect on wasting energy.
During the energy audit, the blower door test will depressurize the house to enable the auditor to inspect for leaks at seams of walls, doors, windows, etc. However with the blower door attached to the outside door, that door will have to be inspected individually once the blower door comes off. As you can see in this photo, there is an air gap at the bottom of the door, letting in cold drafts during the winter weather.
Home energy audits are very technical and require specific training. A lot of the training overlaps what home inspectors are required to check during a standard inspection, such as common points for moisture intrusion, air leakage, and proper firing of appliances. Many of the things energy auditors do can be incorporated into a home inspection, such as smoke testing and sniffing for explosive gasses and carbon monoxide.
I read the article on blower doors. Blower doors are a valuable tool in energy audits to find leaks from the exterior to interior of the home. It can provide data about how air tight a building is. The three variables involved in this test are pressure, flow and holes or leaks. A change in one will result in a change in at least one other factor. Air pressure in the home must be maintained at 50 pascals to have useful data. Using a smoke device to test around doors, windows and fixtures can show us where leaks are occurring.
Doing a home energy audit can Be a great help in determining how to increase the efficiency of your home heating and cooling. Finding spots like under this patio door that is leaking a great amount of air through the bottom opening. Using a smoke device along with the door blower fan you can determine trouble areas like attic hatches, leaking fixture and seals around windows and doors.
This image involves testing the gas line and fittings for leaks. There were none found and everything was in workig order. The only issue discovered that required correction was the air filter which had been installed wrong. It was leaning left allowing the air to enter the system on the right unfiltered.
Inspecting furnaces:
This article was chose because of the importance it will have in a home inspection. Clients will undoubtedly want to know where their new furnace stands. The biggest take away I had from this article was the AFUE rating. I had not heard of this before and will consider it a valuable tool when explaining howv efficient or inefficient the furnace should be.
The existing water heater is a 50 gallon electric storage tank/water heater. The
water heater is getting old and is definitely a good candidate for early replacement.
To help you identify the best way to improve your water heating system, I have
compared a few options for you. A popular choice is the On Demand Water Heater.
However the Heat Pump Water Heater is my personal favorite. And you have the
opportunity to tie in your water heating to your space heating with a new boiler
and an Indirect Water Heater.
Why use space heaters?
Small, portable space heaters are often used when the main heating system is inadequate, or when it would be too costly to operate or install central heating. They can also be useful to supplement adequate central heating in certain instances, such as heating one room that will be primarily occupied while lowering the thermostat on the central system so that heat is not wasted in unoccupied rooms. In some cases, it is possible to lower total heating costs by up to 10%, as well as reduce CO2 emissions by up to 800 pounds, by using space heaters in this manner.
This is the draft diverter for the hot water tank. It is properly attached with 3 sheet metal screws. There is significant dust settlement on the top surface of the hot water tank. There is effluence present on both water lines but no immediate signs of active water leakage.
Custom Home Maintenence Book. The Custom Maintenence Book is an invaluable add-on for the home inspector to provide to the customer. Providing a reference that allows a homeowner the ability to check and maintain home items in the proper way ensures happy ownership and the ability to keep the home safe.
The photo you see is a furnace you also see a natural gas line. Part of the BPI technical standards require you to check the furnace for proper drafting as well as spillage. making sure that combustible appliances are working safely is a required.
If your energy bills too high, or your home is not as comfortable as you want it to be, or even if your just want to protect the environment. Whatever your situation, a home energy audit is a way to find out where to start.
There are many ways a homeowner can increase home energy efficiency. Heating and cooling can be reduced by adding insulation to ceilings, walls, floors and heating and cooling ducts in the home. Using energy efficient appliances can reduce energy use. Sealing holes and cracks in the home’s envelope reduces energy loss. Some of the common places to seal are around windows and doors, attic hatches, around wires and pipes and electrical outlets such as receptacles, switch plates and lighting in the ceiling.
Looking in this home for energy loss, there were numerous items found that could be improved for more efficient energy usage. The weather stripping around all doors was failing. There were many areas in the attic that had compressed, missing or inadequate insulation. Can lighting in the ceiling was not sealed. Some soffit vents were clogged with paint, obstructing proper ventilation. Recommend further evaluation by a certified home energy specialist.
this picture shows an attic that the insulation has setteled. this may contribute to higher energy heating costs as the insulation value has most likely been reduced. the air flow through the fixture openings will probably also be effected. this probably will effect the air flow from the interior of the house to the exterior through the attic.
energy home audits are designed to be able to advise a home owner of the possible areas that may contribute to the air movement and heat or cooling losses in a home. the auditor can then suggest possible corrections that the home owner can perform to correct these problem areas.
When performing an energy audit on a home, it is important to check areas where planes or faces of the home meet. The picture above shows a poorly sealed insulated space around the area where the floor and rim board meets. There is also a plumbing running to the exterior of the house in this space which could allow for even more air to enter the home if the pipe is not properly sealed to the outside. All of this will allow outside air to penetrate the envelope of the home and allow for warm air to escape to the outside, reducing efficiency.
