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energy efficiency: Can You Have Your Cake And Granite Too? - 11/29/10 11:01 AM
Yesterday I wrote of wants and needs. In my experience people often seem to put their wants before their needs when it comes to their homes. Ignoring problems with the important and necessary parts of their home and instead opting to spend on cosmetic features.
What if there was a way for homeowners to have their cake and granite too? I suppose every homeowner would be begging to know the secret.  Well there is a way and it's really no secret. All it takes is patience and someone to show you the how.
Energy audits are a good and sensible way … (9 comments)

energy efficiency: New Windows are Better? - 12/11/09 02:50 PM
Some recent discussion on new verses old windows motivated me to post these infrared images. The dark blue spot at the bottom of all three windows is cold air flowing by the window seals. The first two windows, one a casement and one a double hung, are newer thermal pane windows. They are from the same home.
The glass is in fact performing fine. You will notice the glass temperature is close to the adjacent wall temperature.
What these images show is a more common problem with windows, air infiltration.
Just to demonstrate how little difference there can be from old … (13 comments)

energy efficiency: Misguided Efficiency - 07/27/09 07:58 AM
An interest in Energy efficiency has again become a concern for American home owners. I say again because in 1973 an oil embargo by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) propelled the United States into an energy crisis.
One energy conserving measure then President Nixon asked of Americans was to lower their thermostats to 68 degrees. As a result of this emphasis on home energy conservation homeowners began probably for the first time to focus on making their homes more energy efficient.
One obvious area that became the focus of energy saving improvements was the attic. The majority of heat … (34 comments)

energy efficiency: The Glass House - 07/24/09 06:06 AM
The nice thing about being a home inspector is its rarely boring. I get to go to a different location every day, meet many new people and in general it's a feel good job. The other great thing about inspecting is it's a diverse field. The knowledge and expertise of inspecting homes can translate nicely to other types of buildings and inspections.
One area I have become diversified into is energy auditing. I have done in the last three or so years audits on some smaller commercial buildings. So when I received a call to audit a green house I did … (11 comments)

energy efficiency: 80 Million Homes, Who Can Help? - 12/05/08 12:11 PM
With the higher cost of home energy homeowners have become conservation conscious. As a consequence they are looking for ways to reduce their homes energy consumption. Seeking out a professional energy auditor is a choice a growing number of people are making when deciding to lower their homes energy usage. Unfortunately there are often scant few of these professionals throughout any local area. Those that are available may not be providing the ideal service for a particular home, especially existing homes.
The original energy auditing program dating back to some time in the 1970s is the Home Energy Rating System now … (20 comments)

energy efficiency: You Say Tomato and I Say... - 11/25/08 09:20 AM
As we all know there are words that are spelled differently, but are pronounced the same. Or a word can be accented differently, but retains the same meaning.  Then there are terms or phrases that can be inter-changed, but actually do not carrying the same meaning. One of these terms I am familiar with is "Energy Audit".
The term energy audit refers to an assessment by an independent qualified professional of a home or building with a focus on the energy components and systems in that structure. The problem as I have found is what defines an energy audit. Is an … (5 comments)

energy efficiency: Energy Consumption, are You Listening? - 10/30/08 09:07 AM
Unless you've been living under a rock or on a remote tropical island you may have noticed the cost of energy has risen dramatically, especially over the last year. Most everyone is constantly reminded of the cost of gasoline when we fuel up or cars, but what about our homes?  If you own a home you usually get a monthly shock...er electric bill and the gas or oil bill. Those are often big reminders of how much energy costs have increased.
But what if you don't own a home? Say you're looking to buy a home. Then you may not have … (6 comments)

energy efficiency: Stratification is Not About Flying - 10/11/08 12:21 PM
When flying we'll usually hear the Captain speak about the stratosphere. It's a layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere. What is happening in our atmosphere is stratification, the layering of varying temperatures and densities of air. This same physical principle is applicable to our homes, except it is undesirable when it occurs.
Through the lens of an infrared camera these air layers can be observed. In my experience this will happen almost exclusively with forced air heating and cooling systems. But it also is common in high ceiling rooms, regardless of heating / cooling system variety.
In the first infrared … (14 comments)

energy efficiency: Think You're in The Pink? This May Make You Blue - 09/17/08 01:52 PM
Most everyone is familiar with the pink fiberglass insulation found in many, many homes. Everyone knows the pink feline character that shows us how this stuff will keep our homes warm and our energy bills reasonable. If only he had an infrared camera, the things he'd see!
There has been controversy surrounding the effectiveness of fiberglass insulation for years mostly between the manufactures and building science experts. The facts are strong that fiberglass is poor insulation that rarely performs as stated.
In the infrared image at right (this was taken in the summer) this insulated ceiling doesn't look to be insulated … (8 comments)

energy efficiency: $4.00/ Gallon for Heating Oil and the Builder Under Insulates - 06/02/08 03:56 PM
If no one has noticed the cost of heating our homes has increased slightly over the last year. Here in Connecticut the price of heating oil has gone to over $4.00 a gallon. People who are buying newly constructed homes are counting on lower energy costs because a new home will be tight, well insulated and energy efficient...or will it?
I have inspected two brand new homes in the last month that were under insulated.  In addition the second homes windows were probably under efficient (too high a U rating).
The first photo is from the first home, the next from the … (9 comments)

 


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