There are plenty of easy and inexpensive ways to reduce energy costs in any home. Some of these include sealing and caulking around windows and doors, increasing insulation levels in crawlspaces and attics and simple things like turning off lights and opening south facing curtains and drapes during the daytime. Other more labour intensive and costly solutions may include upgrading or replacing appliances like water heaters and furnaces and air conditioners.
Blower Door Test
A blower door is a machine used to measure the airtightness of buildings. It can also be used to measure airflow between building zones, to test ductwork airtightness and to help physically locate air leakage sites in building envelope.
Blower Door Test
Blower Door Test
A blower door is a machine used to measure the airtightness of buildings. It can also be used to measure airflow between building zones, to test ductwork airtightness and to help physically locate air leakage sites in building envelope.
After using my knowledge learned in this course I took an image of weak colored flames in a furnace. Flames of the furnace should be sharp crisp blue flames. Yellow and greening of the flame can indicate poor combustion & be a potential source
for carbon monoxide leaks.
I studied the an article on 10 easy ways to save money & energy in your home. The 10 things I learned in this article were finding better ways to heat and cool your home like opening windows, Installing tankless hot water system, replacing incandescent lights, sealing & insulating home sufficiently, installing energy efficient taps and toilets, using appliances & electronics responsibly, Installing daylighting as an alternative to electrical lighting, Insulating windows and doors, changing the way you do laundry & cooking efficiently to all help save money and create a better green footprint on the environment.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Professional energy assessments generally go into great detail to assess your home’s energy use. The energy auditor will do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills. Many professional energy assessments will include a blower door test. Most will also include a thermographic scan. There’s also another type of test – the PFT air infiltration measurement technique – but it is rarely offered. Check out the Energy Saver 101 home energy audit infographic to get an idea of what energy auditors look for and the special tools they use to determine where a home is wasting energy.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Professional energy assessments generally go into great detail to assess your home’s energy use. The energy auditor will do a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills. Many professional energy assessments will include a blower door test. Most will also include a thermographic scan. There’s also another type of test – the PFT air infiltration measurement technique – but it is rarely offered. Check out the Energy Saver 101 home energy audit infographic to get an idea of what energy auditors look for and the special tools they use to determine where a home is wasting energy.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Performing a Home Energy Audit…The importance of a home energy audit cannot be stressed enough and should be requested by a purchaser especially if purchasing an older home. The safety aspects alone are worth the expense. The buyer should know what the conditions will be, when living in his new home getting. This picture show a very small aspect of conditions that can be remedied to make a big difference in energy costs. Note the air gap where the doors meet at the top.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Just read…10 Easy Ways to Save Money & Energy in Your Home. Good practical advise that most new home owner’s need to consider. I like how you point out the simple, less expensive solutions that will make a big difference. Such as change the way you do laundry and cooking on the top shelf. As this article suggests…look at your home closely and make numerous small changes for larger results.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The insulation in this attic did not cover the top of the ceiling joists when I inspected it. Adding insulation could reduce energy consumption and electrical bills for the homeowner. I recommend having an HVAC contractor add insulation to achieve a higher R-value.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I read the article “Energy Star Program Criticized” and there were claims, in 2010, that the government program did not test all the approved products but instead took the manufacturers word, and that the program was easy to defraud. Outside of this article I have read that the program was proposed to lose funding from the federal government in 2017. Today the energy star program still exists, although it has been proposed that in 2019 it would be administered by the EPA and funded by manufacturer’s user fees. In short whether federal or private The Energy Star logo is still no substitute for doing your own research.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The chimney vent in this picture would appear to be properly flashed at the roof penetration and have a proper cap and rain collar. The concern with it would be that it does not project above the roof line the minimum 3’ that would be required .It would be a recommendation that a licenced HVAC contractor be consulted and any necessary corrections be made.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Having a professional perform a Home Energy Audit on your home could be well worth the effort. Home auditors are trained to use specialised equipment that determines the energy efficiency of your home. Once completed an auditor will help homeowners determine the most cost affective changes to make that will add to their homes comfort and reduce energy bills. Many states offer rebates the will help offset the cost of changes.
Research & Writing Assignment:
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Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The blower door has to be set up correctly for proper execution of the air efficiency test. If the door is not properly installed, air intrusion could give a faulse reading. This is due to the fact that the door is not sealed properly.
Research & Writing Assignment:
When performing and air efficiency test, the door has to be installed properly. All interior doors must remain open. Also, during a blow test, check to make sure there are no ashes in the fire box. This would make a huge mess.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
When testing for spillage//dilution//and combustion, it is also important to verify that the venting is properly connected to the furnace vent and not individually vented to the venting system,(as in the photo) due to the possibility of backdrafting at the vents.Safety issue; i.e. toxic gases. Thank you! cs
Research & Writing Assignment:
6 Reasons to Hire a Professional for Your Home Energy Audit
by Robert Kociecki of Owners.com
When advertising as a Home Inspector and wishing to add an additional service of Home Energy Auditing, we wish to be able to explain very briefly and practically why and what the enegy audit is about to the customer; just saying that ; 1) a thermographical image can spot omissions and defects;2) testing for infiltration of air allows us to measure loss of heat and cold; 3)that breathability of a house ensures good moisture balance;4)upgrading appliances for proper functioning saves energy;5) evaluating energy consumption can lead to long term savings; 6)auditing requires experience and know-how, therefore the serviceman.
thank you cs
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
An unknown discoloration was noted in the ceiling of an air handler closet. The return air vent for the unit was in the wall of the closet. It was noted that the duct was not properly sealed at the ceiling, leaving a large gap between the duct and ceiling. This gap opened directly into the unconditioned attic space. This condition allows humid, unconditioned air to be drawn into and come in contact with the cooler ceiling materials, creating condensation on the ceiling. The presence of moisture allowed for the growth of an unknown organic substance.
Investigation of the attic revealed a lack of insulation above this location. It was recommended that the gaps be properly sealed and insulation be installed over the area. Remediation for the affected areas and air quality testing was recommended to assure a safe environment.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article “Asset Protection for Inspectors” was informative. It is interesting to note that the protection of a corporation or LLC can be done away with if the guidelines governing the maintenance of the entity are not followed. As is the case with performing inspections, diligence in all things.