...another home found with windows all the way to floor and owner used stanard double strngth glass to make his own windows.
What is the issue you ask?
For one:
Mainly because the process of tampering increases the strength of glass thereby reducing it's risk of breakage.
Most importantly:
In the unlikely event of a breakage, one type of tampered glass shatters into many small fragments to reduce the risk of injury and damage to other property. Another type breaks into linear fragments that may still remain safely in frame.
Tempered glass saves lives.
How to tell if glass is tempered:
Most all tempered glass will have a lower corner stamped that it is tempered. Another way to tell is to wear polarized glasses, which you can see a tempered pattern when viwed at an angle.
Now you know...now inspect your window and door glass and get it changed if it is low to floor or placed in a storm door.
If a window meets all four of the following criteria the glass needs to be tempered. a. Exposed area of an individual pane is greater than 9 sq. ft. b. The bottom edge is less than 18” above the floor. c. The top edge of the same piece of glass is 36” or more above the floor. d. If one or more walking surfaces are within 36” horizontally of the glazing.
Weatherstripping and caulking is probably the least expensive, simplest, most effective way to cut down on energy waste in the winter. Improperly sealed homes can waste 10 to 15 percent of the homeowner's heating dollars. Take these steps:
Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weather-stripping and caulk any holes you see that allow heat to escape. Make sure doors seal properly.
If your windows leak really badly, consider replacing them with newer, more efficient ones. Keep in mind, however, that replacing windows can be expensive - it could take you quite awhile to recover your costs from the energy savings alone. But new windows also provide other benefits, such as improved appearance and comfort.
Every duct, wire or pipe that penetrates the wall or ceiling or floor has the potential to waste energy. Plumbing vents can be especially bad, since they begin below the floor and go all the way through the roof. Seal them all with caulking or weather-stripping.
Electric wall plugs and switches can allow cold air in. Purchase simple-to-install, pre-cut foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate and effectively prevent leaks.
Don't forget to close the damper on your fireplace. Of course the damper needs to be open if a fire is burning; but if the damper is open when you're not using the fireplace, your chimney functions as a large open window that draws warm air out of the room and creates a draft. Close that damper - it's an effective energy-saving tip that costs you nothing!
Examine your house's heating ducts for leaks. Think of your ductwork as huge hoses, bringing hot air instead of water into your house. Mostly out of sight, ducts can leak for years without you knowing it. They can become torn or crushed and flattened. Old duct tape - the worse thing to use to seal ductwork, by the way - will dry up and fall away over time, allowing junctions and splices to open, spilling heated air into your attic or under the house. It's wasteful. According to field research performed by the California Energy Commission, you can save roughly 10 percent of your heating bill by preventing leaky ducts.
These leaks cost your Furnace effiency. If you have 10% leakage then you 90 plus furnace is now an 80% effeniency.
Let us give your home a Energy Rating and give you the information needed to kepp you home as effenient as possible.
Insulate your attic. In an older home, that can be the most cost-efficient way to cut home heating costs. Before energy efficiency standards, homes were often built with little or no insulation. As a result, large amounts of heat can be lost through walls, floors and - since heat rises - especially ceilings.
How much insulation should you install? Typical framed homes now being built in California's Central Valley must meet insulation requirements of R-38 insulation in ceilings and R-19 for walls and floors.
Weather-strip and insulate your attic hatch or door to prevent warm air from escaping out the top of your house.
Seal holes in the attic that lead down into the house, such as open wall tops and duct, plumbing, or electrical runs. Any hole that leads from a basement or crawlspace to an attic is a big energy waster. Cover and seal them with spray foam and rigid foam board if necessary.
Check Your Heating System
Get a routine maintenance and inspection of your heating system each autumn to make sure it is in good working order.
Replace your heater's air filter monthly. Your heating system will work less hard, use less energy and last longer as a result. Most homeowners can replace filters and do such simple tasks as cleaning and removing dust from vents or along baseboard heaters.
If your heating system is old, you might consider updating it. ]]. That means only half of the fuel used by the furnace actually reaches your home as heat. Modern gas furnaces, on the other hand, achieve efficiency ratings as high as 97 percent. By replacing an old heating system with one of the most efficient models, you can cut your natural gas use nearly in half!
Use your set-back thermostat. California houses built today must have them. If you have an older home, consider installing one. A set-back thermostat allows you to automatically turn down the heat when you're away at work or when you're sleeping at night, and then boost the temperature to a comfortable level when you need it. Remember - it takes less energy to warm a cool home than to maintain a warm temperature all day long. Properly using your set-back thermostat could cut your heating costs from 20 to 75 percent.
Reverse the switch on your ceiling fans so they blow upward, toward the ceiling. Ceiling fans are a great idea in the summer, when air blowing downward can improve circulation and make a room feel four degrees cooler. A cooling draft is a poor idea when it's cold, however. By reversing the fan's direction, the blades move air upward in winter. This is especially valuable in high ceiling rooms, where heat that naturally rises is forced back down into the room.
Make sure all hearing vents are opened and unblocked by furniture or other items. This will ensure that the air is evenly distributed through the home.
Leaky Ducts and what is the importance? "Next Tips Blog"
We can help with our Complete Home Energy Audit Call 425-608-9553 or stop by our office for a Free Energy Guide!
..we are still located in Belleuve, Wa and have moved into a new office located just off of 520. We offer drop off services for our clients; mold, asbestos and water samples. Questions about dropping off lab sample please call us, also for properl collection methods. We also can supply you with steril collection bottles, swabs, etc..
We are also State licensed inspectors with partnership with Energy Star proving professional home energy audits. Our inspections use the latest equipment. Some FAQ's
Q. How long does an Audit take.
A. 4-6 hours
Q. Some home inspectoors claim to do an audit for under $300.00 is this possible?
A. Most likely they are not trained and are not using a blower door and duct blaster equipment. They are in and out in 2-3 hours and give you little information that is needed to conduct a true audit. We use licensed auditing software and home model software.
Q. Want is a blower door?
A. Being a professional company we can show you hands on in our office and educate you all about home energy audits. We are State verifiers and work closley with Energy Star and Home Builders. Call us and stop by our new office in Belllevue. 425.608.9553
All inspectors are State Licensed and Certified. All Asbestos samples are collected by a Certified AHERA inspector. Mold samples are taken by our IAQ Certified Specialist.
There are many ways in which a building loses energy in Seattle area. Some ways are easier to find and correct than others. Most people, when asked us how their homes lose heat, automatically respond "doors and windows". While doors and windows do contribute to heat losses in the home, they are minimal compared to the heat loss which you do not see. Our inspectors find the sources of building leakage and give you the information needed to correct them, you could save a considerable amount of energy. T
One of the major contributors to heat loss in the home is created by what is known as "stack effect". Because warmer air is more buoyant than colder air the heat rises through the house and exits through hidden leaks. At the same time that the warm air is exiting the leaks in the upper level, the lower level of the home becomes negatively pressurized and pulls colder outdoor air into the home. This is unconditioned, cold air which now must be conditioned. The opposite occurs in the hot, humid summer weather and the cooling system must operate more to cool and de-humidify the warm, humid air being pulled into the home.
Understanding Differences in ou Home Energy Audits
Our services range from home energy tune-up services to complete diagnose of the building and it's integrated components. If you are purchasing a home, the basic Home Energy Scan may best fit your needs. If you own the home and want to find the most cost effective retrofits in your home, the later is likely to be your best choice. The important thing to remember is that not all energy assessments or audits are created equal.
Energy audits for Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Bothell. Kent, Tacoma.. King County and.....
WAC 308-124C-050 Home inspector referrals. Each licensed designated broker will establish a written office policy that includes a procedure for referring home inspectors to buyers or sellers. The policy will address the consumer’s right to freely pick a home inspectors of the buyers’ or seller’s choice and prevent any collusion between the home inspector and a real estate licensee.
If a licensee refers a home inspector to a buyer or seller with whom they have or have had a relationship including, but not limited to, a business or familial relationship, then full disclosure of the relations must be provided in writing prior to the buyer or seller using the services of the home inspector.
So as a Realtor how has this changed your methods of inspections?
Mold is growing all around. How do you keep your home protected?
Stay tuned for our DIY mold advise that is the Mold Pros best kept secrets!
Bleach the myth.. Bleach kills mold. FALSE
Back Mold is Toxic... FALSE - Not all black mold is toxic.
The quicker you address the problem, the less extensive the damage will be since it may only take 24-48 hours for toxic black mold to germinate and grow. Prompt remediation of contaminated areas and materials should be the primary response to water intrusion and indoor fungal growth.
If you have experienced severe flooding or a water leak, then you want to remove or pump out the standing water, followed by drying the area. If the area is really wet, you will want to use fans and dehumidifiers. You may also want to move wet items away from walls and off floors.
You should also turn off the HVAC system before cleaning Mold. Don't Spread it around your Home or Business.
If the surface(s) you are cleaning are dry, or mostly dry, you should lightly mist them with water before cleaning the mold. If the mold is too dry, then the mold spores will have a much better chance of becoming airborne while being disturbed during the cleaning process.
Is a mask needed when cleaning mold?
Can I really do it myself?
Will your preinspection help us?
All this Information and more is now on our site now for all of our clients.
Replacing a roof? Having a new home built? Remodeling a bathroom? Adding a deck?
We'll make sure your contractor does it right! Have one of our local, independent, certified inspectors stop by and check to see that the work is being done properly, before its too late. Our inspectors can also approve the completed job before you make the final payment to the contractor.
Reasonable rates:
No more than a few hundred dollars per visit to have a third-party, certified inspector look at your project. We offer a variety of services:
Project and contractor oversight.
New construction phase inspections.
Final walk-through inspections.
1 year builder warranty inspections.
Annual inspections for home and commercial property owners.
When calling for a professional audit here are some key questions to ask.
1. Does your report give cost of items in need of repair?
2. Does your report show how long before I get a return in my investment?
3. Do you use thermal imaging?
4. Are you an Energy Star accredited inspector?
5. How long before I get my report?
6. Does your company belong to an EPA approved trainer?
With the cost of thermal technology dropping in cost many home inspectors get a camera and think they can perform an energy audit. Thing to watch for from the inexperienced. Proper training is not cheap for this industry yet it is not required, many skip it and use low prices to lure you in.
1. Low prices.
2. FREE inspection with purchase. ( the time it takes to get all need data for a profession inspection could never be FREE)
3. Thermal scan only.
4. Not an Energy Star approve inspector (visit EnergyStar and check your inspector)
5. Not using Energy Audit software.
So check around and then when you need a professional give us a call.
With energy cost on the rise your home efficiency is key to saving the green. With out expert energy home audits we can determine what your home needs to be more efficient and what repairs are to costly where the return investment is no viable. We use our own exclusive reporting system with cost data and thermal imaging to give you the expert report your family demands. Call us today or visit our home energy site www.EnergyAuditSeattle.com
Did you know a low consumption shower head save you $47.00 a year?
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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