by Charles Hendricks | Oct 18, 2016 | Building Science
I know I am an energy nerd. I talk about everything from spiders to caulk as it relates to how to save money at home. With anyone willing to listen. This is the topic I find interesting. This is a topic that I think everyone should find interesting – because you can SAVE MONEY by knowing the solutions around your home. You should know how to cut your energy usage because energy prices are predicted to go up again this winter. These are simple tips that you should know.
Attic insulation
For instance, finding spiders in your home is an indication of an air leak in your home. Plugging this leak will reduce your energy bills. I wrote about it here:
Spiders are a good indication of energy-efficiency
There are simple answer to fix the air leaks. Once you find them, plug them with caulk. I wrote about it here:
Air sealing is the first step to energy-efficiency, Caulk is the answer
Electrical outlet
and here:
What is the most critical energy-efficiency product for your home?
There are also energy-saving appliances like water heaters:
What is the best water heater for efficiency?
Water heater
Even renters can cut energy bills without changing the apartment in ways that impact their security deposit. I wrote about it here:
Top 10 tips for renters to reduce their energy bills
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 15, 2016 | Building Science
The cold weather is coming! But you might already feel it if your house is cold every morning. Do you have to add a blanket on your bed this time of year because your house is always uncomfortable? Are you dreading the winter heating bills?
Making your home energy-efficient also improves comfort on these cold mornings. Your home is the most complicated machine you own. So where do you start? How do you fix it? As you can imagine, this is a topic I have written about a lot over the years. I found some blog posts in particular that touch on making your home more comfortable in the cool months and listed them below.
The summary is call me for a free energy audit. There are no strings attached. I come and test your home for air leakage and give you a list of things you can fix yourself and some names of people who you can call to help you fix them. I don’t get paid to do this service – I just want you to have the most energy-efficient and comfortable home as possible. If all architects and builders would design homes with building science in mind, this would not be a needed service, but they don’t. My payment for this service is showing you the value of building science knowledge and you telling your friends that need something designed about it. Consider it a marketing expense. I save you money and build my brand. Call to schedule your audit if you want to be more comfortable this winter. Read the blog posts below for more ideas on how to fix your home.
Typical home energy problems
8 steps to an energy-efficient home
Vented Attic Space
How much insulation do you need in your attic?
Add attic insulation to make your home more comfortable and energy-efficient
Proper insulation provides comfort and energy-efficiency in your basement renovation
Should you use spray foam insulation?
Find the air leaks by looking at the fiberglass insulation
Comfort issues caused by poor insulation
Thinking of building a custom energy-efficient home, where do you start?
Why does building science matter and why is if left out so often?
by Charles Hendricks | Oct 10, 2016 | Building Science
Is your crawl space working properly? In our area the crawl space is popular and a popular place for problems. From critters to wet insulation these spaces are almost never right. Here are some posts that might help you get your crawl space in order.
Your crawl space is impacting your home comfort.
Frozen pipes in your crawl space is a problem, but pipes that did not freeze might be a bigger problem.
Keep the critters out of your crawl space by encapsulating it.
Green term defined: Encapsulated Crawl Space.
Should you vent your crawl space?
Crawl Space moisture problems
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 22, 2016 | Building Science, Indoor Air Quality
It keeps coming back to me time and time again – the best value is found in higher quality solutions and not in low price. It seems to be true in every aspect of life – the best quality solution is almost never the lowest price. I am certainly not advocating for the highest price solution, as there is a balance to everything. Sometimes things cost more simply because they are new inventions, have more features, or because they have a particular brand name. That is not higher quality. Higher quality comes from long-term sustainability, durability, and functionality. Higher quality in the built environment is something that is energy-efficient, healthy, and durable. Higher quality reduces long-term costs and provides better solutions that are durable and comfortable.
The problems that occur with low price and low quality is often not evident on the surface. It might literally be below the floor surface. For instance, a floor vent’s supply run should be sealed to the sub-floor for the best quality solution, much like how a low-cost door handle will not be durable: It will need repeated maintenance and adjustment to allow it to function properly. A low-cost HVAC (heating, ventilation, and cooling system) solution is likely to impact indoor air quality, short cycle, and not keep the humidity at a comfortable level. A low-cost insulation strategy will increase energy usage. A low-cost flooring will not last and will require regular maintenance and probably replacement.The low-cost solution in almost every case increases long-term costs through maintenance and replacement costs.
So how do you determine the best value? It takes careful evaluation of the products used in buildings. An architect does continuous research to evaluate materials and to determine the best value solutions. An architect sets the performance standard for the construction.
When making decisions for your next building project, be sure to ask as many questions about quality of the solution as the price of the solution. The long-term costs (as little as 4-5 years) will almost always be less with the higher quality solution.
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 20, 2016 | Building Science, Indoor Air Quality
- Insulate and air seal the attic / roof – There should be a minimum of 12″ of insulation in your attic and all penetrations should be sealed to the conditioned space in your home
- Air Seal walls – stop losing energy through your walls and ducts, seal all cracks and material intersections
- Insulate the Basement walls and band boards not the floor above – gravity works against insulation in the floor above and defeats the purpose of the product
- Insulate walls and around all penetrations – any hole or penetration for wires, pipes, and vents should be sealed
- Replace and / or air seal around old windows – or simply add storm windows
- Replace HVAC systems that are outdated or failing – 15 years old and you will probably see a fairly fast payback on investment
- Replace appliances that are not energy star with energy star rated appliances
- Add renewable energy sources – solar thermal / solar PV
Why have an Energy Audit
An energy audit will allow you to better understand where to spend money to get the best return on investment. An energy audit is a test that can determine whether you house is air tight and if not where the holes are in the thermal envelope. For years we have heard, don’t make your house too tight – so tell me, why did you install all the windows, how big of a hole do you want left in your wall. Making a house air tight is not a negative; it will then allow you to control the fresh air intake of your home rather than filtering your makeup air through your attic insulation, your vented crawl space, or through your walls. An energy audit will give you the information to determine if you should replace your HVAC system, windows, and / or appliances. This is a test that every home owner should have in order to better understand their home and how they spend their money.
Did you know: The average new American home has a 28% duct leakage on a well installed and maintained heating and cooling system. That means you are probably wasting 28% of your money on each months electric bills.
Did you know: A vented crawl space or vented attic are not recommended in Virginia as it promotes bad indoor air quality and leads to higher energy bills?
Give us a call to schedule a basic energy audit today or call our friends at Building Knowledge for a complete energy audit assessment of all the systems in your home.
by Charles Hendricks | Mar 28, 2016 | Building Science, Green Building, green term defined, Indoor Air Quality
An energy audit is an inspection that looks at energy flow in a building. The objective of an audit is to identify things that can be modified to reduce energy usage and increase comfort and safety for the occupants of the building.
These audits usually involve a blower door that depressurizes a house or office and thermal imaging technology to see the thermal bridges and air leaks. The audit will also identify equipment, lights, and appliances that can be replaced or upgraded to reduce energy consumption.
There are common places that you can address without an audit to cut your energy loss.
- Caulk the gaps and cracks
- Seal the electrical outlets
- Seal your crawl space
- Add insulation in the attic
In Harrisonburg for homes that use electric heat, HEC provides free energy audits. This free audit is performed by me and is a very basic level audit that will identify a litany of items to improve. If you do not live in the city, or do not have electric heat ,or own a commercial project, or want a comprehensive audit, you should call Building Knowledge.
