Wondering how to pay for all your Home Energy Week improvements?

I know it's not completely fair to have me weigh in on this topic since I was featured, but since so few people have actually experienced a full blown energy audit, let me share some of my knowledge of what takes place. Just so you know all of our clients have been really impressed with the energy rating process. The energy audit typically begins with a blower door test. This is where a calibrated fan blows air out of the front door of the home and simulates air blowing on all sides of the home at the rate of 50 miles per hour. This test will accentuate the areas where drafts are and identify where air is leaking in the home. This shows you exactly where to improve the caulking, air-sealing and weather stripping of the home. When the blower door is running, the windows and their seals are also inspected. You may be surprised to know that it matters less what kind of window you replace your existing windows with, but more importantly that they are installed correctly. This means that the installer seals around the window with spray foam to stop the air leaking around a window frame. You will save more energy with a lower grade window if it was installed correctly than with a high grade window that was not. If you know you have air leaking in around your frames and you’re cash strapped, hire a local handyman to take off the wood trim around your existing windows and have him spray in some spray foam insulation. The insulation is also visually inspected where ever possible and in some cases this may be done with an infrared camera. Infrared cameras allow energy raters to look behind a wall and see how effectively it has been insulated WITHOUT pulling down any drywall, plaster or siding down. Infrared pictures are an especially useful diagnostic tool when you don't want to tear into a wall just to find out what is going on behind a wall where you suspect problems. This part of an energy audit usually adds on additional cost as the equipment to do it is usually pricey. Duct work is usually the next item inspected. This is important because the energy rater can show you were you’re losing conditioned air before it gets to the rooms it was intended for. Most homes where the ducts are not sealed are losing approximately 30% of conditioned air the heating and cooling unit generates. When this happens you’re simply wasting money. Lastly, the heating and cooling needs of the home are also assessed. This piece is the most critical part of the audit. By knowing how the shell of the home uses energy, you can ultimately determine the appropriate sizing of the heating and cooling system for the home or structure. There are far too many contractors who install oversized equipment, and this is actually a serious problem if you're trying to save money. The first reason why contractors do this is that they may simply match what was in the home in the first place. If you recently added insulation to your home or improved air infiltration problems, you actually now require a smaller furnace because the heating and cooling needs of the shell of your home just went down. The second reason that contractors oversize equipment is because if they are building a home, they don’t want you to be cold and so they figure by putting in a slightly bigger furnace than the home needs they won’t be called back on comfort issues. Oversized heating and cooling systems for a home cause what the HVAC industry terms as short cycling. This is where your heating or cooling unit is turning on and off four to five times per hour in the heat of summer or the dead of winter. Ideally, the unit should run continuously for 40 to 50 minutes out of every hour to maintain consistent room temperatures and achieve more comfortable humidity levels. Most homeowners don't realize that when the heating and cooling unit first turns on, it goes through a startup process that will use more energy in the first 3 minutes than it will use in 30 minutes. If a unit short cycles four times an hour, it's using as much energy as it would running two hours continuously. An energy rater will tell you what size of furnace your home needs. And a word to the wise, a smaller furnace costs less money. So in the process of making sure that you're getting an efficient furnace, you'll save money by not getting one that is too big for the home. Keep in mind, if your home is always cold and drafty, replacing the furnace with a high efficiency one may not solve your problems, you’ll need to also address how the shell of the home performs at the same time to maximize your energy savings. For anyone considering doing an Energy Efficient Mortgage, you don't need to worry about all the above, or making sure that your contractors are installing the equipment properly. The mortgage process will typically connect you with reputable contractors who's sole focus is to make sure that the home's efficiency is improved. It’s also usually our responsibility on coordinating the energy rating for the home as well. Hope this helps! Joel Wiese Manager Indigo Financial Group

Posted by: Joel Wiese | April 15, 2006 at 10:57 AM

Nazir Says... conserving energy is so important in the light of the current environmental issues that everyone should do something to protect our world.. I do believe that our politicians only get involved in situations when there is political mileage to be gained.. But, the ordinary man in the generic sense can make a huge difference to our world, to our planet and to our future generations.. and I hope that difference is made... and soon.. Finally, please please do you bit..

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