Sample Diagnostic Report

DIAGNOSTIC SURVEY REPORT

Results of Visual-Nondestructive In-home Survey

Prepared For Paul Mall 9999 Anywhere

Downtown, MD 20817

Prepared By Arthur Lazerow

Inspection Date 10/10/2009

RESNET

APPROVED www.resnet.us

In 2008, the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) adopted the first ever national standard for the performance of energy audits on existing homes. Almost at the same time, the Obama administration, the Senate and the House of Representatives are in agreement that a primary path for decreasing the energy use of our existing homes and businesses is through the application of energy efficiency upgrades. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the 2009 stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) that made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights of these changes are: The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010. The tax credit percentage has been raised from 10% to 30%. The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC) have been converted to 30% of the cost. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for 2009 and 2010. However, some improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to the $1,500 maximum credit. In addition, the US Department of Energy has announced that 5 billion dollars has been allocated for the Weatherization Assistance Program. This money will be used to insulate, seal leaks, or modernize heating and air conditioning equipment for low-income families "at a cost of up to $6,500 per home." The assistance is for families making up to approximately $44,000 per year in the lower 48 states, $55,140 per year in Alaska, and $50,720 per year in Hawaii. There has never been a better time to improve the energy efficiency of your home. There are numerous issues we are dealing with as a nation: The nation cannot address its energy and environmental issues without improving the energy performance of buildings. According to the Energy Information Agency 70% of all electricity consumed in the U.S. is from buildings (36% from residential buildings). 39% of carbon emissions in the U.S. comes from buildings (21% from residential buildings). The International Energy Agency reported that improving the energy performance of buildings represents the most cost effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions. “If every American household replaces light bulbs in their five most frequently used fixtures with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs, we could save more than $8 billion in annual energy costs and prevent greenhouse gasses equal to the emissions of more than 10-million cars.” Lynn Clement of Focus on Energy The EPA estimates that more than 1.25 trillion gallons of water, which would equal the annual combined water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, leaks from US homes each year. Your home works as a system of interacting components. An energy survey considers the interaction of these components and seeks to provide a combination of improvements that maximize the energy savings for you the homeowner. As such, I recommend concentrating on sealing of the heat and air system and ducts first, air sealing between the house and the attic second, adding insulation third, and then considering what other improvements you want to make after that. I can help you find contractors to perform the energy efficiency upgrades on your house. Sincerely,

Inspection Date: 10/10/2009

Inspection Time:

12:45 am

Home Owner Concerns:

Name:

Paul Mall

Address:

9999 Anywhere Downtown

MD

20817

Energy Efficiency of Building Ext. Walls

Home Phone:

301-555-1212

Cell Phone:

301-555-1222

Fax:

301-555-1213

Rooms With Pressure Outside the +/- 3 Pascals Threshold

Email:

None

Room

Pressure 0

Year Built:

1950

Square Feet: 2235

Room

Pressure 0

Climate Zone:

2

Volume:

19800

Room

Pressure 0

CFM50:

8500

NACH:

1.29

Adequate Whole House Ventilation?:

COMPONENTS Exterior Brick:

Yes

Wall Construction:

Wood

Exterior Rock:

No

Cantilever Floor:

No

Exterior Siding:

Masonite

Laundry Faucets:

1

Slab:

No

Lavatory Faucets:

4

Crawl Space:

No

Kitchen Faucets:

1

Basement:

Conditioned

Floors:

2

Bath Exhaust:

Yes

Condensation:

No

Bath Exhaust Outside:

Yes

Kitchen Exhaust:

Yes

Kitchen Exhaust Outside:

No

Condensation Location:

ATTIC INSPECTION Attic Insulation R-Value:

19

Attic Insulation Type:

Fiberglass

Wall Insulation R-Value:

11

Wall Insulation Type:

Fiberglass

Framed Floor Insulation R-Value: 0

Framed Floor Insulation Type: None

Furrdowns Sealed?:

N/A

Floor Joists Blocked?:

Yes

Fireplace Sealed?:

No

Plate Penetrations Sealed?:

Hot Walls Backed?:

No

Kneewalls Backed?:

No

Skylights Insulated?:

No

Skylights Backed?:

No

Chases Needing Sealing:

1

Attic Doors Needing Sealing: 1

Ventilation 1:300:

Yes

Chimney Blockage?:

Vent Type:

Passive

N/A

No

No

LIGHTS, WINDOWS, DOORS # of Unsealed Can Lights: 4

# of Incandescent Bulbs:

15

# of Other Hard Wired Light Fixtures: 7

# of Light Fixtures Eligible for CFL:

22

# of Windows Not Low E:

12

Window Frame:

Wood

Window Type:

Single

# of Exterior Doors Needing Sealing:

2

Refrigerator Age:

17

Refrigerator Efficiency:

Non-ES

Freezer Age:

0

Freezer Efficiency:

Dishwasher Age:

12

Dishwasher Efficiency:

Non-ES

Clothes Washer Age:

12

Clothes Washer Efficiency:

Non-ES

Clothes Dryer Age:

12

Clothes Dryer Efficiency:

Non-ES

Trash Compactor Age:

0

Trash Compactor Efficiency:

Microwave Age:

4

Microwave Efficiency:

APPLIANCES

MISCELLANEOUS Utility Bills Requested:

Yes

Was Rater Referred:

Yes

Name of Referred Rater:

GWS - (888) 488-0206

Comments:

Non-ES

Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

System Number:

1

Heating Unit Model:

Trane XP7485673

Heating Unit Make:

Trane

Heating Unit Type:

Furnace

Heating Fuel Type:

Gas

Condenser Make:

Trane BP6466

Heating Efficiency:

65%

Condenser Tonnage:

3.5

Condenser Model:

MG432

End of Lifecycle?:

Yes

Cooling Efficiency:

SEER 10

Mechanical Ventilation?:

No

Location:

Basement

Unit Orientation:

Vertical

Combustion Air Provided?:

No

Unit Type:

Upflow

Condition of Exhaust Air Vent: Good

Duct System Sealed:

No

Duct Location:

Conditioned

Duct Insulation R-Value:

0

Duct Type:

Metal

Air Filters Clean?:

Yes

Evidence of Flame Rollout?: No

CFM25:

2000

Heating Unit in Conditioned Space?: Yes

Water Heater

System Number:

1

Unit Model:

AO 65

Unit Make:

Unit Capacity:

65

Fuel Type:

Gas

Unit Age:

3

BENEFITS

Reduce Energy Costs

BENEFITS

Improve Resale Value

Reduce Air Pollution

Reduce Greenhouse Gasses

Avoid Carbon Monoxide

Reduce Dust and Moisture Intrusion

Reduce Radon Hazards

Improve Comfort

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Consider replacing your older cooling and heating systems with EPA Energy Star units. And remember to purchase EPA Energy Star rated appliances for your home.

ENERGY SAVING ACTIONS Turn off lights and ceiling fans in unoccupied rooms Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry

Use energy saving setting on all appliances

FREE

Clean refrigerator condenser coils annually

Repair leaking toilets and faucets Set water heater to 120o F

Seal all leaks in air ducts Install low-flow faucet aerators & shower heads Replace broken windows Install insulation jacket on water heater (check warrenty)

1 YEAR PAYBACK

Install compact fluorescent light bulbs

Install a programmable thermostat and USE IT

Control indoor air pressure to avoid back-drafting Seal air leaks in building envelope from the inside Insulate attic to DOE specifications Insulate attic knee walls to DOE specifications Insulate rim-joists to at least R-13

3 YEAR PAYBACK

Insulate exterior walls to at least R-13

COST SAVINGS ESTIMATE The only accurate method to determine actual savings by replacing energy consuming items is to perform a Comprehensive Home Energy Analysis of your particular home using a computer simulation with your specific costs of energy in your location. This is called a CHEA and involves a rating of your home. There is however a range of replacement costs and savings, which can be generalized using average BTU per year (MMBtu/Yr). Your actual usage might be higher or lower in your location, building components and lifestyle. The chart below gives a range of savings estimates to help you decide on cost effective repairs to your home. The chart below is for general guidance only. The normal starting point for cost effective retrofit deals with duct system sealing, air sealing, and insulation. Note that each home will achieve differing energy savings dependant on the components and configuration of the house.

Component

Current Efficiency/ Component

Upgrade Efficiency/ Component

MMBtu/Yr Savings

Base: 328.8 MMBtu/Yr

Percent Energy Savings

Typical Cost Range**

Duct Sealing

30% leakage to outside

5% leakage to outside

26.4

8-12%

$750 to $1200

Attic Seal

0.57 NACH

0.20 NACH

34

10-15%

Knee Walls140 square feet

R-11 no backing

R-15 with R-4.0 backing

0.6

1-3%

Attic insulation

R-10

R-40 blown

17.5

5-10%

$0.50 to $1.50/sf $2.00 to $4.00/sf $1.00 to $2.50/sf

Combination of first four above

As above

As above

78.5

23-27%

Radiant barrier

None

6

1-4%

Compact Fluorescents Compact Fluorescents

Incandescent

Paint added to roof deck Change 50% of existing bulbs Change 80% of existing bulbs

1.5

1-4%

2.4

1-5%

Furnace

65 AFUE

80 AFUE

37.7

11-15%

Furnace

65 AFUE

92 AFUE

61.6

18-22%

Air Conditioner

6.5 SEER

13 SEER

26

7-10%

Air Conditioner

6.5 SEER

16 SEER

30.7

9-12%

Furnace and Air Conditioner

65 AFUE and 6.5 SEER

92 AFUE and 16 SEER

92.3

25-28%

Gas Water Heater

0.50 EF

0.90 EF

14.6

4-7%

0.50 EF

0.90 EF

14.4

4-7%

U-factor: 1.2 SHGC: 1.0 Dishwasher: 0.35 EF Refrigerator: 500 Kwh/Yr

U-factor: 0.40 SHGC: 0.40 Dishwasher: 0.65 EF Refrigerator: 1500 Kwh/Yr

56.9

14-19%

0.9

<0.5%

$400 to $1000

1.7

<1%

$1000 to $3000

Electric Water Heater Replacement or Storm Windows Replace Dishwasher Replace Refrigerator

Incandescent

$4800 to $11,500 $2.00 to $4.00/sf $6.00 to $15.00/bulb $6.00 to $15.00/bulb $2000 to $4000 $2000 to $4000 $2000 to $4000 $2000 to $4000 $6000 to $10,000 $1000 to $3000 $1000 to $3000 $250 to $750/ each

Assumptions from computerized analysis:

**Costs will vary depending on current utility costs in each geographic area.

1 3 5

2 4 6

Based . on 2500 square foot home built in 1970 in Climate Zone 3. Assumed 0.57 natural air change rate in existing house. Electricity costs: 0.108/kWh

Assumed a 1970‛s default efficiency of furnace, A/C, and water heater. Assume 30% duct leakage. Natural gas costs: 0.7922/Therms

PRIORITY LISTING OF ENERGY EFFICIENT IMPROVEMENTS

Duct Sealing Combustion Air Can Lights Blower Door Air Leakage Chases Hot Walls / Knee Walls Fireplace Attic Insulation Incandescent Bulbs Exterior Doors Skylight Basements Mechanical Ventilation Exhaust Fans Windows HVAC Equipment Appliances Attic Access

Duct Sealing The ductwork is the delivery system by which air is carried from the unit to the different rooms of the house. It can be made out of metal or flex duct, be a building cavity, or use other code-approved products. Whatever the case, leakage as low as 25% will require the need for an additional one-ton of air conditioning to overcome this leakage. This drops the overall efficiency of the unit when conditioning the air. If the return air system is a major factor in the duct leakage, attic air and dust will be drawn into the house and dispersed throughout. Because of this, you can easily see the necessity of sealing the duct system. Duct sealing is the number one priority for any work you are having performed in your house.

Problem Correction A product called duct mastic is the recommended material for all duct sealing. M astic with fibers offers better coverage when sealing larger holes. Mastic has a consistency similar to toothpaste but slightly more dense. This product can be applied with a paintbrush or putty knife, or your hand and a cheap pair of gloves. Duct tape or any other type of cloth tape should never be used as a means of duct sealing. The diagrams above show many areas in the duct system where sealing needs to be accomplished. Mastic should also be applied at the connections of the furnace to the coil when present, where the supply plenum is attached, and where the return plenum attaches. The product can also be used to seal return boxes and supply boots to the drywall although canned foam is a much faster application for this sealing area. Flex duct connections can be air sealed as above to meet duct tightness goals.

Combustion Air for Combustion Appliances Combustion air is air needed by any combustion furnace or water heater for the ignition and burning of natural gas, propane, fuel oil, or other fuel source. Codes at one time allowed for combustion air to come from the living area. Occasionally, in older homes, louvered doors were placed at the mechanical closet to allow for combustion air to enter the closet through the door. Aside from allowing the intrusion of outside air into the house this is no longer seen as a good practice from a health and safety standpoint. Today, we want the combustion air to come either from the attic or from the outside. A licensed heat and air contractor must correct this problem.

Problem Correction Today’s International Residential Codes are the reference for providing combustion air. Where vertical ducts are used to connect to the outside, each opening must have at least 1 square inch per 4,000 Btus/per hour (550 mm²/kW) of net free air for the total input rating of all combustion appliances within the combustion appliance zone. In the case of horizontal ducts, each opening must have a net free area of at least 1 square inch per 2,000 Btu/per hour (1100 mm²/kW) for the total input of all combustion appliances in the space. When rectangular air ducts are being installed, the minimum cross-sectional dimension must be 3 inches (76 mm). If combustion air is being taken from the attic, there must be sufficient attic ventilation for this purpose and the end of the duct cannot be screened. For further information, contact a qualified heat and air contractor to guide you in this process.

Can Lights (Recessed Lighting Fixtures) Your house contains a number of non-air tight can lights, also called recessed lighting fixtures. These units can cost as much as $1.00 a month per fixture in utility bills because of the loss of conditioned air to the attic or the intrusion of attic air into the living space. In addition to the air leakage, any air entering the house from the attic will carry with it particulates and possibly volatile organic compounds, gases given off during the heat of summer by materials in the attic and on the roof. New can light—top diagram. Existing can light—bottom diagram.

Problem Correction The top picture shows the new air tight can lights and their installation. These should be used in new construction or if remodeling. Older can lights will need to be covered with airtight boxes made from a UL listed, thermal, fire rated product. The box should be air sealed at the box and drywall connection with caulk, canned foam, or duct mastic. This action will also help any dust problem in the home. If the addition of these boxes for air sealing causes the lights to turn off by tripping the thermal sensors, the inclusion of compact fluorescent bulbs will alleviate this problem and also save on your monthly lighting costs.

ID # 3000

Blower Door and Air Leakage The envelope of the house can be loosely defined as the area of the house where people live in conditioned air, whether it is heated air or cooled air. The blower door is a device that consists of a frame and nylon screen, a fan, and a manometer, a device for measuring pressure and air- flow in cubic feet per minute (cfm). The frame and screen take the place of the door while the fan is used to either pressurize or depressurize the house. The manometer is used to read the amount of air passing through the fan in cubic feet per minute and then that reading is used to estimate the amount of air coming into the house through openings to the exterior. If the blower door test showed a natural air exchange rate (NACH) of greater than 0.35, this is another indication air sealing measures need to be considered.

Problem Correction The blower door will tell us how leaky a house is and will also help us find where the actual leaks are. With the door running to depressurize house, an inspector will go through all parts of the house and feel for air leaks. We can use smoke to observe where air is coming into or exiting the conditioned space. The blower door test will give a better idea as to where the leaks of the house originate.

Whole House Air Leakage All houses have some air leakage but too much decreases the energy efficiency of the house. Natural air leakage is the air that both enters and escapes the building envelope through holes. The amount of air coming into the house depends on the size and location of these holes and upon the driving forces (pressure) at work. Keep in mind that infiltration and exfiltration are always occurring at the same time and at the same rate. The number one place of air intrusion is the ceiling plane separating the house from the attic. Stopping air in the attic from entering or conditioned air from exiting the house into the attic has very high priority. Air from the attic carries dust and contributes to poor air quality.

Top Plate Penetrations:

Top plate lines as viewed from the attic:

Problem Correction The typical areas of natural air infiltration for a home include many of the following areas: around the supply boots and return boxes, penetrations through the wood top plates of the walls for plumbing, HVAC, security system or electrical installations, between the top plates and the sheetrock, and around electrical boxes in the ceilings and walls. In addition, air can leak where floor cavities between floors on a multistory building are connected to the outdoors at the rim and band joist, at the joining of a porch covering to the house, at staircases framed against exterior walls and where wood framing is set on top of concrete walls. If you have a whole house fan in the ceiling or you home, this can be a major area of air leakage. Newer fans have covers on them for the purpose of adding insulation and dramatically slowing air leakage. Sealing of these areas by an application of caulking and/or canned foam will improve both the overall energy efficiency of the house and the indoor air quality of the house.

Chases Although they may have other functions, chases are building cavities, associated with heat and air equipment. Chases are used to get supply air to or return air from different areas of the house. When the chases are open to the attic, an unconditioned basement, or crawl space, they allow for the introduction of air from these areas to enter or exit the wall cavities and the house. The same problems can occur if building cavities themselves are used as part of the HVAC system.

Problem Correction These areas should be air sealed and insulated by adding an approved air sealing material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam. For an unconditioned crawl space or basement, seal at the level of the first story floor. Seat at the ceiling plane if the problem area is in the attic. You can provide further air leakage control by sealing the material’s edges with caulk or canned foam. When building cavities are used as part of the air system, coverings must be removed in order to air seal the cavity.

Hot Walls and Knee Walls Hot walls are any second story walls having conditioned space on one side and attic space on the other. Related to these walls are knee walls, which are the upper portions of walls, usually one to two feet in height, that have the same conditions as the hot walls. Studies have shown that the R-value of these walls drops by over 40% if these walls do not have exterior sheathing applied to the attic side of the walls, which serves to minimize air infiltration into and around the insulation.

“Seal all gaps with caulk or canned foam” “Fire Blocking”, not just blocking

Knee Walls 12” or less Fire Blocking is required.

Problem Correction We recommend the addition of an approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam to these walls so the insulation can fully perform the job for which it was installed. After the air sealing material has been added, the edges and corners of the material should be further sealed through the addition of canned foam or caulk. ID # 7000

Fireplace Cavities Many fireplaces either on the interior of the house or on an exterior wall, especially metal ones, are set in a cavity within the house. In your home, the top of this area is open to the attic. This area would be similar to a furrdown or dropped ceiling but it extends from the ceiling joists all the way to the floor of the house.

Problem Correction These open areas should be air sealed with a approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam at the ceiling joist level and then insulation should be installed over the area. Please note that codes do not allow anything flammable to be installed within 1 inch of the vent flue so a metal collar around the flue should be installed and sealed with high temperature caulk. Then caulk or canned foam should be used where the outer metal collar meets the other air sealing material.

ID # 9000

Attic Insulation Insulation is called a thermal barrier. Insulation slows heat transfer by trapping pockets of air. There are typically three types of insulation used in a residential application: fiberglass, cellulose, and foam. The thermal resistance or R-value is a rating system that tells how well a specific insulation will decrease heat transfer. The higher the R-value, the better the thermal resistance. In the southern climate, a house needs a minimum of R-13 in the walls and an R-30 in the attic. The optimum amount of insulation for the attic in southern climates is an R-40. In the north walls should also be a minimum of R-13 but the attic may need to be as much as an R-46. If the number listed on the data sheet is below R-30 for the attic, more insulation should be added.

Unvented attic assembly:

Conventional insulation:

Problem Correction It is critical to install new insulation at the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper density of pounds per cubic foot. The newest approach for insulating the attic is to create an unvented attic assembly. This procedure involves the addition of foam insulation to the underside of the roof deck instead of adding it to the attic floor. Insulation on the attic floor should be removed if this process is selected. This course of action places the attic within the conditioned space and negates the need to air seal the ceiling plane of the house. Closed cell foam is suggested in northern climates and southern climates can use either closed or open cell foam. The traditional approach is to add more insulation on top of the existing insulation. Both ways should be done by and insulation contractor. Please note that if you choose this type of application, adding insulation to the attic floor should be the last step and all other improvements in the attic should be done first in order to avoid tracking and compressing the new insulation.

ID # 10000

Incandescent Bulbs vs Compact Fluorescents or LED Incandescent bulbs are the most expensive of all bulbs to operate both from the standpoint of the amount of energy they use and because they typically have a fairly short life cycle. 90% of electrical energy goes to producing heat and only 10% actually creates light. Compact fluorescents are more expensive to purchase initially but use less energy, approximately 75% less than conventional incandescents, and have a much longer life, usually 5 to 10 times longer depending on the type of bulb. LED lights are just coming on the market and are the most efficient but currently are also the most expensive.

Problem Correction One good practice is to trade out incandescents with fluorescents as the incandescents burn out. Or, you can obviously replace all incandescent bulbs at one time. Talk to a qualified individual when buying bulbs to gain knowledge of color rendering and instant on capabilities. NOW is a good time to start because the current federal plan is for incandescent bulb manufacturing to be phased out by 2012.

ID # 11000

Exterior Doors It was discovered during the survey that there are exterior doors, or doors opening to an unconditioned mechanical closet or an attic area, needing new or additional weather stripping. Air sealing of doors involves both the sides around the jambs and along the bottom of the door. These are fairly easy to install and may stop as much as 200 cubic feet per minute of air leakage for each door.

A

B

Problem Correction For sealing around the jambs, the addition of self adhering foam insulation is the easiest to do and is shown in the drawing above as option A. Option B is a metal and vinyl combination added to the wood doorstop is be more durable than foam insulation. For the bottom of the door, either add a new aluminum and vinyl threshold or add a door sweep at the base of the door.

ID # 13000

Skylight Shafts Skylight shafts are the vertical hot walls leading from the ceiling of the house to the skylight itself and are walls having conditioned space on one side and attic space on the other. Since these areas will normally have substantial heat gain from both the sun and the attic in summer, they need to be well insulated and air sealed.

Problem Correction Many times, the shafts are constructed of 2x4s turned flat instead of using the 3.5-inch width of the board. In this situation, 2 layers of ¾ inch rigid foam can be used to insulate between the studs and 3 additional layers can be used to encase the entire skylight shaft, providing an R-value of about 13.4 at the studs and 15.2 between the studs. Sealing edges with canned foam or caulk will also provide for very good air leakage control. If the 2x4s are installed so the 3.5-inch width is available for insulation, add insulation to the wall cavities and add backing of an approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam over the insulation. The last step will be to air seal all edges and corners of the backing material.

ID # 14000

Basements Basements can be unconditioned, indirectly conditioned or directly conditioned. Unconditioned basements are typically used for storage only and have no heat and air equipment (HVAC) in the area. Indirectly conditioned space will have a HVAC system installed in the area but will not have air from the system going directly to the area. There may or may not be insulation on the walls and none on the ceiling. For a directly conditioned area, there will be an HVAC system supplying air to the basement and possibly insulation on the walls.

Climate Dependent R-Value

Tiger teeth or other permanent mechanical attachment method.

Problem Correction For basements that are unconditioned and used only for storage, air sealing any penetrations between the ceiling of the basement and the conditioned space should be done first. After air sealing, insulating the ceiling (the underside of the first story floor as depicted in the drawing above) is the next recommended course of action. For indirectly or directly conditioned basements, the walls need the insulation. The drawing above describes the means by which the walls can be only insulated or completely finished, as long as the basement stays dry.

ID # 15500

Whole House Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation is the process of bringing outdoor air into the house. The purpose is to insure contaminants are not collected in the atmosphere of the house and are diluted with outdoor air. This can be accomplished with heat recovery ventilators (HRV) in heating climates, energy recovery ventilators (ERV) in the south, dehumidifiers in mixed or hot humid climates, or by using the forced air system of the home as a means of providing ventilation.

Problem Correction If bringing outdoor air into the conditioned space is needed, you must first choose the means for the delivery of the air. Both the ERV and the HRV are balanced systems. Each brings as much air in as is exhausted to the outside and therefore does not change the home’s operating pressures. A whole house dehumidification system, which is a ducted system separate from the HVAC system, can do the same thing. A humidifier attached to the HVAC system is not recommended because of the possibility of contributing to fungal growth within the duct system and equipment. The most inexpensive means of accomplishing ventilation is through the use of a device called an Air Cycler™ that turns the furnace fan on and brings air into the house through the return air system. This design is pictured above. All of these options are installed by a licensed heat and air contractor.

Exhaust Fans Exhaust fans are installed in homes for several different purposes. Kitchen exhaust fans are for exhausting moisture and odors associated with cooking. Bathroom exhaust fans are installed primarily to move moisture from bathing to outside the conditioned space. Other appliances that exhaust air from the conditioned space to the outside are clothes dryers and central vacuum cleaners. The tighter a home becomes, the more important it is to remove moisture to the outside. Stored moisture can precipitate fungal growth and furnish an atmosphere necessary for the growth of biological contaminants such as dust mites or bacteria.

Problem Correction Bathroom exhaust fans are now rated for noise and are typically much quieter than in the past. Today’s codes mandate all fans for bathrooms must exhaust at least 50 cubic feet per minute (cfm) to the outside. For a very large bathroom, one rated between 60 and 80 cfm may be necessary. Codes also state that kitchen exhaust fans must send at least 100 cfm to the outside. Commercial kitchen vent hoods are not recommended because they can expel in excess of 1000 cfm, which in turn can cause the house to operate at negative pressures. This allows the potential of causing backdrafting from combustion appliances within the conditioned space and outdoor air and pollutants such as soil gases and moisture to be pulled into the house. Consult with a qualified electrician when making upgrades in this

Windows Windows are always hard to deal with because they are very expensive to replace and the average savings on energy is returned over a fairly long period of time. More efficient windows have a Low-E coating on them to reflect solar heat and are better insulated. A study by the HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, the NAHB Research Center, and DOE determined storm windows without Low-e saved homeowners 13% whereas Low-e storm windows saved homeowners an average of 21% on energy expenditures. Total house installation costs for the new storm windows ranged from $1344 to $2661 and a payback period, the time needed to recoup the investment through energy savings, was from 5 to 10 years.

New Storm Window:

Solar Shades:

Problem Correction If you home has single pane windows, consider window replacements or Low-e storm windows. Should your house already have double pane windows, instead of window replacements, you might consider the addition of solar shades or solar film. Solar shades in the south may be the best route to take because you can lower them in summer to block heat gain from the sun but they can be raised in winter to allow for solar heating. If deciding on replacement or storm windows, find a company that installs windows as a primary part of their business and not as an add-on to other services. Replacement windows should cost between $250 and $650 each and storm windows should be at the lower end of those prices.

ID # 21000

Heat and Air Equipment Since your heat and air equipment (HVAC) appears to be approaching the end of its usable life (usually 15 to 20 years), you may want to consider new HVAC units. Newer combustion equipment is rated by Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) for furnaces and boilers with the more efficient units having a 90% rating or higher. Water heaters are rated by Energy Factor (EF), which should be 0.90 or higher. Should you decide to go with electric appliances like an air source heat pump or geothermal unit, these are rated in either Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) or Coefficient of Performance (COP). Good HSPF numbers may be as high as 10 and the COP ratings will range from about 1.5 to 4. Air source heat pumps also come in a dual fuel configuration meaning you can use gas as emergency backup if needed for the furnace and still get the efficiency of the heat pump. Geothermal units use the ground or a water source instead of outside air as the source for heating and cooling. Air conditioners use a rating called the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and will have numbers as high as 20 and above for. Typical Air Source Heat Pump:

Typical Furnace and Air Conditioner:

Problem Correction The obvious course of action is to choose the highest efficiency of equipment that is within your budget, preferably ENERGY STAR rated equipment. You will want to find a licensed HVAC contractor that is experienced with industry standards for properly sizing the equipment, sealing the duct The obvious course of action is to choose the highest efficiency of system, installing to correct refrigerant charge and insuring there is proper airflow throughout the house based on load calculations (Manual J) performed on your particular house. Ask to see and keep the load calculations for your next HVAC change out.

Additional Appliance Loads These are listings of additional loads to your house that increase the overall bill each month. An old refrigerator or freezer in the garage can cost as much as $20 to $40 per month using 2 to 4 times more energy than the newer energy efficient models. Typically, the older the equipment, the more they cost to operate. Dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, and clothes washers are all rated for efficiency.

Problem Correction When your budget allows, you should begin to replace all your existing older appliances. Do some research by looking at manufacturer’s information or talk with local sales people in order to find the best value from an energy efficiency standpoint. Keep in mind that all the most efficient models will have the ENERGY STAR label attached.

Attic Access Doors and Panels Your home has either a wall panel leading from the house to the attic or ceiling or floor panel leading to an attic or an unconditioned crawl space. In all these situations there is a need for weather stripping or some form of air sealing gasket to stop the air leakage between the attic and the conditioned space. You will also need to insulate the panel or door.

Problem Correction The included diagram above shows how to air seal and insulate the typical attic access. This diagram also relates to a crawl space access panel in a floor or a wall panel for attic access. For attic access panels, there are also manufactured commercial products available that are installed as a single unit and provide both air sealing and insulation. Whatever the course of action, both air sealing of the edges and increased insulation to the panel are necessary.

Termite Damagte in Attic

Bath Vent in Attic

Lead and Air Seal Neede-Garage