Common Approaches to Heating and Cooling Your Home: Part II

Posted on February 11, 2012 by John Nicholas

The Traditional Furnace and Air Conditioner Approach

Part I of this article can be found here.

The traditional furnace burns fossil fuel, either electricity or gas to create heat. The air conditioner is a one way heat pump. Air conditioners are almost exclusively powered by electricity today. It has not been that long since there were many gas powered air conditioners and refrigerators. Burning fossil fuel; either coal or natural gas is the primary source of electricity in Kansas. Less than 10% of our power is nuclear or wind generated, as of 2010.

The efficiency loss of a gas furnace can be as much as 50 percent of the heat literally going up the chimney. The most efficient gas furnaces are sealed combustion types. They utilize a condensing flue to achieve an extremely high efficiency. These units usually do not have a chimney through the roof. They exhaust out the wall near the ground. The temperatures are low enough, to allow plastic flue piping.

Their efficiency rates from 92 – 95 percent. In 2011, the Federal Income Tax Credit allowed home owners that purchase a 95 AFUE condensing furnace. An added feature of these furnaces is the sealed combustion chamber. They require no make up air from inside the home, and they cannot back draft deadly flue gasses into the home.

Electric furnaces are generally considered to be 100% efficient in the home. The electrical transmission system, does see a loss that amounts to about 35%. The generator burning fossil fuel also has less than 100% efficiency.

Air conditioners, available at this time, at a minimum are rated at 13 SEER. Most existing units vary from 6 – 11 SEER. You can purchase units with a rating of 18 – 20 SEER. A rating 15 SEER is the most common available High Efficiency Unit. Some manufacturers have a 14.5 SEER that is certified to use less power than a 16 SEER unit.

What is that trick? It is not a trick, but is part of the tool kit available for selling heating and ac units. An air conditioner consists of two parts. The outside unit, referred to as the compressor or the condenser, and the inside unit referred to as the evaporator. These must be matched correctly each other and the furnace (the blower fan is there) to achieve a specified SEER Rating. SEER is Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio.

For a user friendly description on the magic of Air Conditioning, a link to Energy Vanguard’s Blog Post on the subject.

The American Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) certifies furnaces, and air conditioners. Here are 3 entries with the same condenser/evaporator match with different furnaces.

AHRI Number      Model No Cond.        Model No Evap        Furn No              SEER

4137591                 24ABC630A**30       CNPV*3621A**        58HDV040–12        15

3630546               24ABC630A**30       CNPV*3621A**       58CV(A-X)090-16    16

3630606              24ABC639A**30        CNPV*3621A**       58CV(A-X)0110-16  15.5

As you can see here are 3 different furnace units partnered with the same outdoor unit and indoor coil. They are rated for different efficiency levels.

If you would like to look up your units, the information is on the data plates. You need the model numbers.

  • The evaporator coil plate is on the outside, usually the easiest to find.
  • The condenser unit is on the outside unit, usually it is on the side by the copper tubing. The furnace data plate is usually found in the burner compartment of the furnace.
  • If you have the original paperwork for your units, the model numbers may be there. After collecting these numbers go to AHRI Directory

If you are buying a new HVAC system, ask your contractor for the AHRI certification numbers and look up for your self, the efficiency ratings.  Unfortunately I have seen many new systems the Home Owner was told is a Hi Efficiency Unit, only to find the matching process did not meet the Sales Hype!  If you would like some help in this process, ESS can help. Contact us for details.

Part III will be posted next week.

Posted in AFUE, Air Conditioning, Air Conditioning Tips, Computer Modeling For Energy Use, Energy Audit, Energy Use, Green, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Industry Best Practices, Saving Money, Things I See | 1 Comment

I’ll Give You the Title to my Car for Some Heat!

Posted on February 7, 2012 by John Nicholas

It is cold here is Maine, there is snow on the ground and more is coming. My house is old and fuel oil is high.  I’ve had two loads this winter and my tank is dry. I’m using the oven with the door open and the dryer for heat to cut down on the amount the boiler runs. I have disconnected the dryer vent so the heat comes into the house. My wife is disabled and cold. Our Social Security doesn’t cover food and drugs and heat.  So, …. I’ll give you the title to my car for some heat!

That was the story in last Sunday’s NY Times article by Dan Berry.

Let’s bring this to Kansas.  This couple has started through the winter with an unpaid heating bill of $700.  It is not uncommon in that part of the country for homes to cost $2,000 to heat with fuel oil.  Most homes in Kansas heat with natural gas, their typical cost for heating the home and water heating is between $550 and 700 per year.  The cost of fuel oil has risen 18% from January 2011 to January of 2012.  The cost of natural gas is about the same, perhaps down slightly.  If you have propane instead of natural gas, the price range might be in the $700 – 1,200 range.

This is Tuesday night.  The Hartford’s situation has been pinging around some corners of the internet.  Energy Auditors, Insulation Contractors and others that work with improving home performance and lowering energy bills have not only been reading and discussing this story.  They have taken some action.

The first update is from Energy Circle and Peter Troast.

Wonderful news and potential progress for the 60 hours since we started reading the story.  I reading through this I see several takeaway points:

  • This couple will use less heat next year because their house will have additional insulation and air sealing of leaks.  That means it will cost less.
  • The generosity of some people across this country will provide payment for some outrageous heating bills for others that are unable to pay in that community.
  • Other homes need insulation and air sealing so they also can use significantly less heat.

There are some other articles out there.  Read what others are saying.

An Elderly Couple in Maine Offers to Trade Their Car for Fuel Oil, by Allison Bailes, PhD on the excellent Energy Vanguard Blog.

‘America has a heartbeat:’ Donations pour in for home heat, by Erin Cox, Sun Journal

Maine Freezes While Washington Snoozes, by Raymond J. Learsy, Huffington Post

This is the situation Tuesday Evening.  Future updates will be posted below.

 A Letter to the Editor NY Times from the Governor of Maine  Did he really say ‘Don’t blame me or the government?’

Posted in Air Sealing, Comfort, Diversity, Energy Audit, Energy Efficiency News, Energy Use, Helping Others, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Home Retrofit, Industry Best Practices, Infiltration, Insulation, Maine, Saving Money | Leave a comment

A Visit with Mr. Rucker …

Posted on February 5, 2012 by John Nicholas

These visits stated in 2002, on Super bowl Sunday.  Seems like my friend Mr Tannahill called Mr Blouin and I to make a trek to visit Mr Rucker, before we all got together for the Super bowl Party that year.

Our families both nuclear and extended had been doing a joint Super Bowl Party for a number of years by 2002. It seemed kinda natural that we would include Mr Rucker that year, even though he was not with us any more.  So, off we went about 10 miles south to Litttleton Cemetery. We wanted to bring Mr. Foster along for the visit.  That was important because Mr. Foster had been a favorite part of Mr. Rucker’s social life for a number of years, and thus part of his friends lives.

In addition to Super Bowl Parties, Mr. Rucker with the three of us and our wives, more or less, had gathered periodically for dinner, some times at a restaurant, or sometimes at someone’s home.  In any case Mr. Rucker made sure that Mr. Foster was there, at least for the preliminaries.  As far as we know, there is no Mrs. Foster.

 

It is always refreshing to visit Jim on Super Bowl Sunday. Sometimes snow and ice, sometimes slush, sometimes rain or other types of precipitation.  Today was just nice. There are always a few laughs, good stories, we all get caught up on each other.  A few more stories and just guys kicking around.

About 5 years ago, the group grew a little.  Mr. Rucker’s boys had grown up, finished college, gotten married and they joined us.  A great time got just a little larger.

We always decorate when we are done. We also joke about what others coming to visit nearby might think about the décor.  Wondering is not caring in this case.  At some point later in 2002, Mrs. R made a visit and we heard about it.  She promised to bring a sack the next time, smiling! Then her first daughter-in-law went along and we heard about it again.  Then the second daughter-in-law heard went along.  Yes, you know the drill. This year was nice, a sack will accompany someone later in the year.

And, no –  we did not leave Mr. Rucker thirsty.  He has some of Mr. Foster’s fav with him.  When asked why we think it is still there, we laugh!  No one put in a bottle opener!

Jim Rucker  1942 – 2001  - Super Bowl Sunday – Celebrating our Friendship! A Super Bowl Sunday Tradition!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

What is that I smell? Indoor Air Quality!

Posted on February 3, 2012 by John Nicholas

 

Improvement of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is of interest to many of the people that are pursuing an Energy Audit.  Over the last 40 years, many of the worst outdoor air pollutants have been controlled, reduced or eliminated as a problem.  New understanding of air pollution, new technology and new approaches have all had roles in these improvements.

As the improvement has been happening outside, people have begun to take a stronger look at what is happening inside their homes. Again new understanding of how a home works, new technology, and new approaches to handing indoor air have a role in improving IAQ.

In building a new home, following the Indoor Air Plus specifications, part of the Energy Star program, provides for long term Indoor Air Quality basics.  Following many of these specifications gives each homeowner a guideline to apply to improvements in an existing home.  It is easier and less expensive to build a home with these features. It is also possible to incorporate many of them into an existing home.

The list and discussion below provide information to homeowners about those improvements that are cost effective to implement and can be done over time or immediately. These are all improvements that will improve or maintain the indoor air quality and at the same time will improve the durability of the home.

 

Radon Control

Air Infiltration

Moisture Control

Pest Control

Heating and Air Conditioning System

  • Ducts are sealed in all accessible areas.
  • Pressure Balance Supply to each room and Return from each room. Use Jump or transfer ducts as needed to maintain balance.
  • Install a whole house type ventilation system to meet ASHRAE 62.2.2010 specifications.
  •  Spot exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchen, laundry, dryer, central vacuum systems are exhausted to the outside, not into the area between floors or the attic. Use the specifications of ASHRAE 62.2.2010 here as well.
  • Adjust HVAC to maximize dehumidification in the summer.
  • Do not run HVAC blower on ‘On’ or circulate; use the Auto setting.

Combustion Pollutant Sources

  • Change furnace to sealed combustion unit
  • Vent Fireplaces outside and have them checked to verify they meet emission standards.
  • Install a Carbon Monoxide Alarm in each sleeping zone and in any room with a standard gas hot water heater or gas range.
  • Consider changing conventional atmospherically drafted hot water heater to electric or Tankless Demand with sealed combustion.

The Attached Garage

  • Air seal all common walls and ceilings in the garage. Maintain the air barrier by repairing holes, cracks in the drywall.
  • Install an automatic door closer on any doors into the home, from the garage.  A spring loaded hinge will meet this item. Do not prop the door to the garage open or use this opening to bring fresh air into the home during spring or fall.
  • Consider installing a ventilation fan to the outside, rated at 70 cfm in continuous use. Provide make up air source with this improvement.

Materials used in any Future Remodels

  • Certified low-formaldehyde pressed wood materials (plywood, OSB, MDF, cabinetry.
  • Certified low-VAC or no-VOC interior paints and finishes used.
  • Carpet, adhesives, and cushion quality for CRI Green Label Plus or Green Label testing Program

Air Filtration

The last step in any Indoor Air Quality program is filtering the air.

Most people start with this step.  It is really the last step.  If you keep stuff from getting in, you don’t need to filter it out.  Somewhat like closing the barn door after the cow is gone.

Duct Cleaning Services

Due to the varied construction of heating and air ducts, the heavily advertised duct cleaning service presents unique problems. The use of panned body cavities within walls and floors means ducts are not smooth inside. Flex Duct with increased friction losses, possible tight bends and up and down runs also creates issues.  The EPA advice is without compelling visual evidence of an extreme problem, duct cleaning is not advised. You may view the entire EPA Web Page http://epa.gov/iaq/pubs/airduct.html

Where Do I Start?

Get some Professional Advice.  This should involve a complete review of your home. It can be done by someone that is selling a service.  The assessment can be done by someone that doesn’t not have a financial interest in a product or service that may be recommended after the assessment. It is your home, it is your choice!

Efficient Energy Savers can do this assessment. It can be done stand alone, or with a comprehensive Home Energy Audit.  Call or e-mail for more information.

Posted in Air Sealing, Attic, Comfort, Green, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Home Retrofit, Industry Best Practices, Infiltration, Ventilation | Leave a comment

Grandma Said … A Let’s Blog Off Post

Posted on January 31, 2012 by John Nicholas

 

I was lucky enough to know both of my Grandmothers in their 70’s and 80’s.  This post is about my maternal Grandmother,  Lillian Elizabeth Cozier Baer – 1886 to 1966.

 

She and my Grandfather were both born in New York City and they both died in Boise, ID.  During that time they experienced many things and the Grandmother I experienced and have heard about is certainly a product of those experiences. She also made her own way. I believe she confronted her times with two different approaches to the situations that she faced in life.

Grandpa Baer worked in construction finance and accounting.  He began his career in Railway work, and then moved to road building and other types of construction.  The travels of Allison Harvey Baer and his wife, Lillian, are relevant here because they helped form or perhaps solidify my Grandma’s beliefs and practices that make up this story. They were married in 1911 and in late 1914 moved with two little girls to Peking, China.  Grandpa went to build Railroads for the Chinese Government of Sun Yat Sen and Grandma did what Mothers always do.  Keep home and hearth.

My Aunts, Betty and Ruth were the two little girls. When they returned, Aunt Jean had joined the family. They returned to Brooklyn, NY and my mother, Barbara, was born. Then Grandpa joined the company building the Moffett Tunnel in Colorado. So the family picked up and moved to Denver, with the newest baby, my Uncle Scott.  After they finished the tunnel, Grandpa joined Morrison-Knudsen of Boise, ID. Now you know the family itinerary.

I have been told 2 stories about my Grandmother and how she dealt with her family and the world.  The first by my mother, and the second by my cousin Betty. Betty is the oldest daughter of my Aunt Ruth. She grew up in Denver, except during WWII, when her father was in the US Navy, they stayed at Grandma’s house in Boise – on Warm Springs Avenue! Any one that has driven down Warm Springs Avenue, also US 30, in Boise will remember the aroma of the warm springs. Appropriate for an Energy Auditor, my first experience with a renewable power source, hot water heat.

During WWII Grandma was active in the Red Cross.  One day she left for a Red Cross Meeting.  Betty remembers noticing her shoes. Perhaps you remember the tie type shoes popular then.  Three standard colors, Brown, Black and Blue.  Betty asked Grandma, “Why are you wearing two different color shoes?”  Grandma’s response was simple and yet, not quite so simple. “I am going to the election of Officers for the Red Cross. I am running for President of the Chapter.  The competition is very stiff.  So some of those ladies will look at my shoes and think, poor Mrs. Baer and vote for me.” My Grandma is on the right receiving the check for the Red Cross.

Growing up, I remember my mother explaining why I should eat all my dinner.  Especially when it was something like Egg Plant. She would tell of hearing from Grandma about the poor in China.  It was readily imprinted on my mother that she should not spurn otherwise good food, because the starving orphans in China were not a lucky as she was.  She always told me that she wouldn’t talk about the starting orphans of China, but she would talk about the starving orphan in Korea.

Here was a lady that had graduated from college, one of 0.04% of her age group. She took her family to China maintained the raising and education of her children; and taking time to better her community. Returning to the US, she went with her husband and family continueing to raise her family, see to their education and still work to improve her community. All within the limited avenues available to her during the first half of the 20th Century.

In demonstrating these values through out her life, she made the world a better place. Directly through her efforts and indirectly through the lives of those she loved and raised.  Looking at her Great Grand Children, we have 2 that are heavily into IT and teaching; an Army Officer – just returned from his 3rd or 4th tour in the Mid East; a Navy Seal with service in Iraq, a physician, a nurse, a non-profit PR person, a college professor, her g-g grand children number 9 at this point, the oldest a Freshman in college.

In a time where travel was a novelty, most people did not go more than 50 miles from their birth place during their entire life; Grandma went around the world with her family. She worked to make the world a known place and to shrink the distance.  I think Grandma would be proud of  the strides made over the years in continuing to shrink the world, and to make the diversity we have in this world, something that is not so strange and scary. In parting, I share this picture of a small part of her family, two of her Great-Great-Granddaughters, Kim Nhat and Quan Minh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Diversity, Grandma Says, Lets Blog Off | 3 Comments

The Energy Triangle

Posted on January 29, 2012 by John Nicholas


I attended a 3 Day Preservation, Sustainability and Energy Conference and Fair held last week in Wichita. Sponsored by Green Wichita .  It was interesting, I met a lot of neat people and got the inspiration for this blog entry.

I had one young lady, Nikki Gartner from Emporia, stop by our booth.  She is with Energy Innovators, a lighting firm.  They handle consolation, design and replacement of your lighting with new efficient and  practical solutions.  Later I stopped by her booth and visited some more.  She had on display an interesting diagram, which she called the Energy Triangle (link opens a PDF for you). She discussed the concept and her inspiration for the design, coming from the USDA Food Pyramid and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs .

These concepts also apply to Energy Consumption and plans to reduce the use through Conservation, Efficiency and addition of renewable energy sources to a property.

Conservation can be defined as ‘Changing the way People Work’.  Changing your habits! So energy measures such as turning the thermostat down one degree and putting on a sweater; or remembering to turn off lights are examples of conservation.

Efficiency can be defined as ‘Changing the way Things Work’.  The advantage to this is you don’t have to change habits of people or have them remember to do something. Energy measures such as adding insulation, installing an occupancy sensor to a light, or air sealing your home would be efficiency measures.

When you combine Conservation with Efficiency, you achieve a synergy that can drastically reduce the energy use of a building. This can be a home or it can be a commercial building.  These two approaches can, in a residential setting, decrease the energy usage by 30 – 50 percent each year. In a commercial building the dynamics are somewhat different from a residential building, the end result remains the same.  Obtain a significant decrease the energy consumption of the building.

The concept of Nikki’s Energy Triangle is helpful as people in their homes or at work, develop and implement various methods of reducing the cost of energy.  If you reduce the amount of energy used, you can reduce the cost in dollars.  The question most people have is: “what do I do first? Where do I get the biggest bang for my dollar?”  Conservation is the low cost, high motivation approach. Efficiency is a higher cost, lower motivation approach.  Like most good things on this earth, it takes some of both, not all of one or all of the other.

How do you answer the question “What do I do first? Where do I get the biggest bang for my dollar?” That starts with an assessment.  At home, some type of Home Energy Audit.  You can begin with a Self Audit, this one is from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.  You can then move to a full comprehensive Energy Audit. In the Wichita area Efficient Energy Savers – that is us – do those. If you are not in this area you can check here or here for a list of auditors in your area.  There are all types of Energy Audits with prices from Free to lots of dollars.  My friend Sean of Alabama Green Building Services wrote about the differences on Building Moxie’s Blog.

The report of the Energy Auditor will provide you with a prioritized list of things you can do. Implement them at your pace, all at once or as you can get to them.  Many times the issue is cost. The important thing is to do them in order for two reasons.

  • The low cost – high return items provide savings in Energy costs to pay for future improvements.
  • Some improvements need to be done prior to others for technical reasons. For example, sealing holes before you add insulation.

After you have achieved the best for your building that conservation and efficiency can offer in lowering energy usage, then you have a good usage to plan for renewables.

In the end, the journey you take along the road of saving energy will be yours; it may be similar to mine or very different.  What does not change is the basics.  Save some by changing how you work. Then save some more by changing how things work.  Finally think about adding some type of renewable energy source to your property.

I would be interested in hearing your comments and ideas about saving energy, so please comment. If you like the Energy Triangle give Nikki a Thanks in the comments.

Posted in Air Sealing, Comfort, Energy Audit, Energy Efficiency News, Energy Use, Financing, Green, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Infiltration, Insulation, Saving Money | Leave a comment

Common Approaches to Heating and Cooling Your Home: Part I

Posted on January 27, 2012 by John Nicholas

This is Part I.  Part II is here.

Homes in Kansas are heated by several methods. These range from wood stoves to various types of solar heating.  The most common method is a central forced air unit. These are found both as a sole method and sometimes in combination with other methods.

Forced Air Heating and Air Conditioning

Forced Air units have several things in common. Duct work to distribute the conditioned air to various parts of the house; a blower fan, known as an air handler; and a source of hot air and a source of conditioned air.

Traditionally, the warm is created by burning a fossil fuel, either electricity or a gas (natural gas or propane). The conditioned air is created with an electric compressor and outside condenser coil with an evaporator coil in the plenum.  These relatively common units have been updated in terms of efficiency over the years.

During the past 20 years homes are starting to use one or another type of heat pump to do the work of these units.  Moving heat is more efficient than burning a fossil fuel to create heat.  All homes have one or more heat pumps; these are known as a refrigerator or freezer.

Instead of converting energy in the form of gas or electricity to heat by burning a fossil fuel, as a furnace does; the heat pump uses electrical energy to move heat. It moves the heat in or out of your home.

Air Source Heat Pumps are the most common heat pumps found in homes today.  This can be an efficient way to heat and cool your home. ASHPs are more common south of Wichita than north, since they are not as efficient in cold weather.  The other type of heat pump that has been gaining in popularity and the cost to install is coming down is the Geothermal Heat Pump.

The Geothermal Approach to Heating and Cooling Your Home

Geothermal is the popular name for a Heat Pump using a Ground Source for heat transfer.  During times when the air outside your home is cooler than you choose to have your home, this heat pump transfers heat from the ground, below the frost line, into your home.  During times when the air outside your home is warmer than you choose to have your home, this heat pump transfers heat from your home, into the ground, below the frost line.

What is the temperature of the ground, below the frost line?  It is very close to the average annual temperature of your area. In Wichita, that is 56° F.

A Ground Source Heat Pump, can be very efficient, because it transfers energy.  It does not convert energy from electricity or gas to heat.  In the winter, it moves heat from the 55 degree source to warm your house.  In the summer it discharges the heat removed from your home into the 55 degree source.

The Traditional Heat Pump Approach

An Air Source Heat Pump transfers heat to and from the air outside your home. During times when the air outside your home is cooler than you choose to have your home, this heat pump transfers heat from the outside air into your home.  During times when the air outside your home is warmer than you choose to have your home, this heat pump transfers heat from your home, to the air outside.

The ASHP is an air conditioner with a reversing valve for winter usage. There are some small technical differences. You can use this concept to understand how it works.

This approach works great and yields great efficiency when the temperatures vary outside between  a low of 40 and a high of 80. In climates with lower or higher temperatures the ASHP has to work much harder to find heat in 20 degree or lower air outside in the winter to heat your home. These units are usually set up with electrical resistance heating for lower temperatures. This can be expensive.  In the summer the ASHP is trying to discharge heat from your home to a much warmer outside, this reduces the efficiency.

These disadvantages cause some people to bypass the ASHP.  Others have had bad experiences with some of the early units.  They have improved over the last few years and make a strong showing.

This is Part I of a Two Part Article. I will post the last part next week.

Posted in Air Conditioning, Comfort, Furnace, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Saving Money | Leave a comment

What Is That on The Soffit? How Do I Get Rid of It?

Posted on January 25, 2012 by John Nicholas

What is that stuff on the house. It has the appearance is a discolored powder that appears on horizontal surfaces such as soffits or vertical surfaces such as siding, especially near a soffit. You can rub it with your finger and it smears.

These types of growth result from 3 necessary ingredients coming together.

  • Spores! They are always present.
  • Moisture! Usually in the form of humidity, sometimes water this can be controlled depending on the source. High Humidity is not a problem until the area drops below the dew point.
  • Food! Something to feed the wet spore. In and around homes this is usually some type of wood.Moisture in the form of humidity near the exterior of a home is environmental. What is nearby? A swimming pool? An extensive garden with water features? A pond, creek, or river? Any of these will cause a higher local humidity then reported by the local weather.

    The exterior of most homes is wood. All that is needed is a drop in the dew point and the spores grow. The eve of the home is a natural first place. The humid air warms and rises. It is very similar to a fog that lifts from the ground. Then it gets caught under the eve and condenses.

    This is only a cosmetic issue, unless human intervention pushes it into the home.

    Symptomatic Recommendations (aka remove the growth):

    Remove with soap and water using mechanical action; AKA elbow grease. DO NOT POWER WASH!  Power Washing could push it into the house. Especially on a soffit, with soffit vents. Nothing fancy, use a non-soapy detergent or a TSP substitute. Mix in a bucket. Apply with a bristle brush and elbow grease. Rinse with a gentle spray from a garden hose. Any action like a power wash that could push it into the home is not a good.

    Prime the affected areas with a water-based primer, sealer and stainblocker; (KILZ is one brand). Then paint with house paint.

    This should separate the food (wood) from the humidity.

    I just learned of a new product on the market to remove this (symptom) without the elbow grease.  If you try it, please comment below with your experience. I have not had a chance to see it in use yet.  It is called Wet and Forget  http://www.wetandforget.com/ for more info or on Twitter @wetandforget

     

    Symptomatic Repairs are just that. They get rid of the results of the problem. At the end of every  Energy Audit, I have a headache, so I take an aspirin, or tylenol.  Gets rid of the headache. If I can get a Systemic Fix, it would stop the headache from starting.  It starts because I almost always bump my head on 2 or more somethings during an audit.  My doctor says if you bump your head in the attic, or crawl space, don’t go there.  I just need to give in and wear a hard hat, a systemic fix, or continue taking something to relieve the headache after I bump my head several times on an audit.   The image of the deck on the right is another symptom.

    Systemic Recommendation (aka Stop the problem):

    Have a Home Energy Audit.  Show the auditor your problem areas and get some recommendations on why these areas maybe showing you where your heat loss is occurring.  The heat lost in the first picture was due to inadequate insulation and air leakage in the ceiling to the attic.  To fix this exterior problem, the homeowner insulated and sealed some leaks. In addition to lower utility bills for Energy and a more comfortable home, they also got rid of this cosmetic problem outside.

Posted in Air Sealing, Attic, Comfort, Energy Audit, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Industry Best Practices, Infiltration, Insulation, Saving Money, Things I See | 1 Comment

My Nest Labs Thermostat – Week 1 Ends

Posted on January 22, 2012 by John Nicholas

 

 Last Saturday, I installed my new Nest Thermostat. You can read how that went   at http://bit.ly/yNhq3x .  It is billed as a “Learning Thermostat’, so I promised to let you know how the first week went.

Saturday and Sunday we just watched, as related in the previous link. On Monday night, we noticed the schedule had been filled in to some extent. The Nest was learning from our use over the weekend.

 

 

From the web interface here is the schedule the Nest thought we were following after two days of use.

Here is the schedule after I tweaked it a little. I filled in a few blanks and evened out some times.

My wife is somewhat more comfortable with the system.  She is checking it on her phone and even showing it to her friends. Last night she told me the wall unit is displaying some type of message. When I checked it today, the message said learning at home had started “Push Continue”. The next message said “Ready to Learn Away Schedule”, I pushed and the Nest will do it’s thing.  I’ll have to check regularly to see what it does next.

What have I learned so far?  The iPad or the Web Interface is the easiest for me to use to set and view the schedule. The phone is very handy to check the setting, to watch the outside temperature and to keep an eye on things.  On the smaller screen of the phone, turn from portrait to landscape view to see additional controls other than just temperature settings.  Under Settings – Technical, it will give you a reading of the interior Relative Humidity Level.

Monday through Thursday, we watched the settings change as scheduled.  The Nest was learning the settings for its ‘Away’ function.  Two times this week we have come home and found the Away setting triggered.  My wife is on my case. I need more info about exactly what that away function is.  I have the idea it should be like a vacation mode.  I am beginning to think it is more of a ‘not at home for a while’ mode. After reading a few other posts, I am wondering if it has to do with the function that turns the wall unit on, when you approach it?

Got up early Saturday morning.  I thought Tori might knock on the door selling those Wonderful Girl Scout Cookies! This is the weekend that Girl Scout Cookies can be sold! Headed out the door to see my dad and head for Woodturning Club.  Checked the Nest on the iPhone.  It is in away mode again!  So just 2 clicks and the temperature is set where I expected it.  LOML is still having a slow start Saturday.  Especially nice after her Fast Start Friday!  About 10:00 am from Turning Club, I checked the Nest and the temperature is up a degree.  LOML is up and around.

I just listened to the video on the Nest Site about the Learning Mode.  Away is when the Nest thinks the home is unoccupied.  During set up, you were asked to put in a Hi and a Lo.  So that is what is being used.

Following up on the video, I looked at the actual Nest!  The video went through doing everything from the thermostat, not from a remote device.  There are some differences in the interface, the ease of use was amazing.  You either turn the dial either way, or you push to click.  No double clicks.  The turning is not all that sensitive.  I actually under turned for a couple of tries. This is where you can change the Away Settings, not from a remote device. Right is a shot of the Nest with one click showing the menu.

 

 

One of the sub menus under Settings is Energy.  Here are two different shots of the Nest under the Energy Tab.

Sunday Morning, we were at church and the Nest went into away mode.  Nice to be able to control this on the phone.  The other blip was Sunday afternoon, the Nest lost the Wifi Connection. I ended up resetting the router. Nice to watch the Nest work as a regular non-Wifi thermostat also.

This is a thermostat that one week after installation, could be left with a parent living alone and a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease. In this case they could still run the ‘stat’ and see what they were doing.  You could observe from a distance, if you hooked up the wifi connection. Your parent could also control their thermostat. Here is the schedule that has been set from the tweaked schedule shown earlier. (These three images are from Laptop Screen Shots.) Also an image of the schedule on the iPhone.

 

I still like this item!  It is learning! It is easy to see the schedule on multiple interfaces.  It is not the small buttons with clumsy fingers, or a screen that is hard to read.  It is fairly intuitive.  If you do Time Share vacations, and come across one, it will not be a problem.

I have a few further thoughts on improvements, but those will wait and see if I can find some others. It also makes for another post.

And last but far from least, my neighbor Tori will get here!  I will get some Girl Scout Cookies.  Then I can show her my Nest Thermostat!

Posted in Air Conditioning, Comfort, Energy Audit, Energy Use, Furnace, Girl Scout Cookies, Green Fashion, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Home Retrofit, Nest Thermostat, Saving Money, Thermostat, Thermostat Setbacks | Leave a comment

How does an Energy Auditor Shed Stress at the end of an Audit?

Posted on January 21, 2012 by John Nicholas

You’ve been in the attic, the crawl spaces or basement, climbed up and down any stairs several times. The have been some questions from the home owner and perhaps from the kids in the house. If you are like me, you’ve bumped your head a few times on low hanging fruit. It has been a fun, rewarding and perhaps a little stressful.

The thing I do to relieve this stress, is to depressurize. Yes, let all that built up stress just flow out the door. It’s not Yoga, or some mystic belief in spiritual forces. It is the wind and the open door.

I set up the Blower Door and depressurize the house. The air moving past me, goes out the fan, and the stress goes with it. I just have to let it go!

Now you know one reason why I leave the Blower Door until very close to the end of the audit. Now questions may pop into your head. Why a blower door test? Why depressurize the house? What is the reading of the test? Is my test good or bad? How much better a reading is my new house, than the old house my friend lives in? What can I do? What does it mean?

Ahhhh! Those are all good questions and they are ones that I get asked regularly. What is the Blower Door and what does it test for? The Blower Door consists of a fan hung in a nylon insert that is held in a temporary frame placed in the front door. The fan moves air from the inside of the home out. It measures a pressure difference between the inside and the outside. It also measures how much air is being pulled out to create that pressure difference. As the Blower Door is pulling the air out, it blows past the Energy Auditor, and I get depressurized as well!

The blower door is used to test a home, or a commercial building, to determine how much leakage is going on. You have probably felt a cold draft in the winter somewhere in a home. Some of the drafts are fairly easy to locate, such as under a door. Other places that leak air are not as easily found. Leaks do not need to actually enter the room to cause a problem. If air leaks into the wall it can soak the heat right out of the room.

The Blower Door simulates a 20 mph wind on all 4 sides of the house and the roof at the same time. If the wind is blowing on the outside, the way to simulate that effect is to place the fan to pull the wind out of the house. By controlling the amount of pressure difference between inside and outside, the Blower Door can tell you about how your home keeps the air fresh. It will show you where the fresh air is coming in.

The air is coming into your home with all the doors and windows closed, can be correlated with the size of the home and an amount of leakage determined. It is also important to record the inside and outside temperatures during the test. Some temperature differences can change the test results. In the winter, the cold air outside has more density then the warmer air inside. The leakage will behave differently if you have a hot summer day with the temperature outside at 95 or higher.

Many people say your house needs to breathe. I don’t think so. I think the life in your house needs fresh air. How you provide that fresh air is your choice. Your home should change the air about every 3 hours to provide fresh air, for those live things in your home. Live things would include plants, pets, and people. Cooking, especially with a gas range, showers, the typical gas hot water heater, and a typical gas furnace also require fresh air. Providing fresh air is one step, providing quality fresh air is a second step. Both should be taken at the same time.

What is the reading of my test? Is my test good or bad?

Energy Auditors and Building Science types, refer to the results of a blower door test as “XXXX CFM at 50”. The test is standardized to depressurize the home to a difference of 50 pascals with relation to the outside. CFM is for Cubic Feet per Minute. The measure shows how many cubic feet per minute when depressurized to a difference of 50 pascals.

What is a pascal and how much is it? A pascal is a metric unit of pressure. It is not much pressure Here is the US we like PSI (pounds per square inch) or water column inches. Some of us are familiar with a bar, or an atmosphere, or a Torr. (You can read Wikipedia to learn about those! I did! ) 1 water column inch is 250 pascals, or about 0.03 PSI.

This image of my manometer is reading 45.2 pascals with a flow of 2552 CFM.

So is my test good or bad? It is not good or bad. It is just a score. It gives a measure for your Energy Audit to determine how much the uncontrolled air exchange in your home costs in Energy Bills, and how much we can reduce it for what price?

The air leakage can be evaluated by the volume within a home. It can also be evaluated by the size of the walls and the ceiling. Until those numbers are calculated to go with the reading, it doesn’t mean much.

How do I compare to a house down the street? That is not comparing apples to apples. The house down the street is different because a different family lives there. They have over a few or over many years, modified the house. How well have the inside walls been maintained, how many coats of paint. One of the homes I tested with the least opportunity to save on Energy Bills was built in 1912.

What can I do to reduce the uncontrolled leakage in my home.

You can become a caulker! Not a clunker! Caulk or something hard that you can not blow through stops air leakage. Insulation, most types, you can blow through does not stop air leakage. Where to caulk is a different story and deserves its own post on the blog.

Thanks for reading! Thanks to @splintergirl for the idea!

Posted in Air Sealing, Comfort, Computer Modeling For Energy Use, Energy Audit, Energy Use, Home Improvement, Home Performance, Industry Best Practices, Infiltration, Ventilation | Tagged , | Leave a comment