tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91987537650514578202023-11-15T22:06:40.601-08:00Resercon Company - Home and Inspection ServicesFrancis R. Lazaro - As a NJ certified Energy Auditor/Inspector for fifteen years, my job was to inform and educate home energy users on saving and conservation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-74822532975482102042009-08-17T09:49:00.000-07:002012-12-10T10:57:10.109-08:00Resercon Company - Home and Inspection Services<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JLs_fDufym0Yvlpk-Lb9uW11YryEaZinbgPM6lObD4rM5jxBK4TrnVKOuRJGt_ZInP3ZDJJGWZjt-wbHnO_px9z3QEHGd8-xyHTp1T3bhYaCMeBnMFY5FxTNnq8cFWIQnHuNCTYUh5w/s1600-h/me.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370976272085778514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0JLs_fDufym0Yvlpk-Lb9uW11YryEaZinbgPM6lObD4rM5jxBK4TrnVKOuRJGt_ZInP3ZDJJGWZjt-wbHnO_px9z3QEHGd8-xyHTp1T3bhYaCMeBnMFY5FxTNnq8cFWIQnHuNCTYUh5w/s320/me.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 182px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 242px;" /></a><br />
Francis R. Lazaro - As a NJ certified Energy Auditor/Inspector for fifteen years, my job was to inform and educate home energy users on saving and conservation. There seems be some confusion about the difference between
Energy Conservation and Energy Efficiency. The following is my take on this
subject.<br />
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Energy, Wildlife, Forrest, etc. conservationists all has a
common goal. That is to “Sustain a Healthy Environment”. Sometimes they are viewed
as separate and completely different entities. They all have the same goal but
energy conservationists because of commercial, institutional and residential
usage it deals a lot with “Sustaining a Healthy Indoor Environment”.</div>
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Energy Efficiency differs from energy conservation is that
efficiency deals primarily with costs. While energy usage of an appliance or
application plays a major role with the costs of operation; the inclusion of
the purchase price, costs of installation and durability determines if it is
efficient. There is a Cardinal rule with Energy Efficiency, “If it ain’t broke,
don’t fix it!”</div>
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The role of an energy conservationist becomes confusing or
misleading to people when installing or applying energy efficient measures in a
structure. They assume energy efficiency is the same as energy conservation.
The easiest way for me to explain this to you is to compare an energy efficient
home to one that is not from an energy conservationist’s perspective.</div>
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Let’s assume there are two identical houses, same age, size
and number of occupants. House “A” has a 30% lower energy bill than house “B”.
This was due to the improvements house A did, such as adding more insulation in
the attic, replacing the heating system with an efficient one and replacing all
the windows in the house with thermal pane windows. This explicitly implies
that house A uses 30% less energy than house B to heat their homes. However,
house B may have better indoor air quality than house A.</div>
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There are several factors one has to consider involving the
aforementioned. One is what happens to air inside a house when heated or
cooled. When air is heated the molecules become excited and move away from each
other (expansion) and when cooled or losing temperature the molecules become
less excited and move closer together (contraction). Another factor is the
volume of air within the house that remains constant. In other words if you
pour 10 ounces of water into an eight ounce glass the amount of water inside
the glass is eight ounces, the other two ounces overflows the rim of the glass.</div>
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If we apply this to a house, when the heat comes on the air
inside the house expand and since the volume of air inside the house is
constant the expansion pushes air out the house. This takes humidity and other
pollutants found inside the house with it. As the temperature of the air inside
the house drop the air contracts which brings in fresh air from outside. This
is known as “Air Exchange” and heating one’s home is the primary source of it
during the heating season. While the efficient heat system installed in house A
may account for some of the reduction in energy costs, it probably accounts for
a small portion of it. Which means house B heating system comes on more
frequently than house A and has more air exchange than house A. This doesn’t
mean that house A has a lesser air quality than house B. It does mean that
house A has a higher probability to have an indoor air quality problem than
house B. This is what concerns energy conservationists. Most of us believe in
“Murphy’s Law”.</div>
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Clearly all of the aforementioned is an oversimplification
in our pursuit to achieve a “Sustainable Healthy Indoor Environment”. Factors
like type of heating systems, number of gas appliances, fireplaces, exhaust
fans, occupants’ behavior, area climatic conditions, site drainage and more
were not discussed here but do play a very important role in achieving our
goal. It is good to note that the average homeowner is unlikely to cause an
indoor air quality problem by making energy efficient measures in their homes.
Companies that “Air Seal” structures can cause an indoor air quality problem.
What these companies do is first determine the “Minimum Ventilation
Requirements” then measure (before air sealing) the air exchange. This
determines if they can proceed with air sealing the structure. Afterwards they
verify the air exchange to assure they did not violate the Minimum Ventilation
Requirements for the structure.</div>
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The role of an energy conservationist is to encourage the
use of Energy Efficient measures with a deep concern for the health and
well-being of the occupants as well as the integrity of the structure. Two
topics for those who wish to know more about this topic are “Combustion
Appliance Zones” (CAZ) and “Sick Building Syndrome” (SBS).</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-10188131385529642302009-08-04T11:32:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:33:10.906-07:00Just One Story 2If you read some of the material, you should have realized that this site does not directly promote the purchase of products and services to conserve energy. The reason for that is, there are literally thousands of sites you can go to that will do that for you, if you want. It has been my experience that most people wish to conserve energy but are put off by an array of products and services offered to resolve their problems.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the way these products and services are presented to you diminishes your belief that it will resolve your problem. Though many of the products and services offered maybe of some value to you, it is only natural to question their intentions. It is my desire to help you there. The resolution of a problem starts with recognition and then identifying the source of problem. Once people experience the problem, they then leave it up to the contractor or sales person to identify the source of the problem. An example of this this a homeowner calling a heating contractor and stating that his energy bills were very high and on very cold days he could not get the home comfortable.<br /><br />The contractor looked at the heating system and said the system is twenty years old and it's undersized for this home. The homeowner replies by saying, "Will this resolve my problem?" and the contractor said yes. After the job was done, the home owner's energy bill does not go down, even with an energy efficient furnace, and he still can?t get the home warm on very cold days. He complains to the contractor and he comes back to inspect the furnace. He tells the home owner there is nothing wrong but he'll contact the manufacturer and get back to him.<br /><br />Eventually the contractor stops returning his calls. When I arrived at this home, the problem was stated to me by a clearly upset human being. With utility bills clenched in both hands and the table covered with documents about the high-energy efficient furnace, I stood there trying to decipher what he was trying to tell me.<br /><br />Then I saw his wife go upstairs and bring down an infant. After noticing that I saw his daughter, he said we have to use an electric heater in her room because it's to cold at night. I immediately understood his rage. After calming him down, which wasn't too difficult with his daughter present, we walked around his home. I took a piece of paper and put it up to one of his return registers and noticed it did not hold the paper well. We then went into the basement to inspect the air filter and new furnace; there was nothing wrong with either one.<br /><br />Then I started inspecting the return duct and found a large dent in it. He told me that occurred when they were moving the stand up freezer in and it hit the duct. Approximately two feet from the dent, the duct was separated at the joint which had a large enough gap to put my hand in. I asked his wife for some saran wrap and him for some duct tape. I covered the gap with the saran wrap and taped it so it wouldn't fall off. He was told that this was a temporary measure and he had to have the duct fixed. We then inspected the rest of the home and gave him some hints to save energy.<br /><br />In the attic I took a piece of plastic and covered the whole house fan louver located in the upstairs hallway and taped it air tight. He was told he should take this off after the winter and redo it before every winter. A month later I gave him a call after receiving a message from him. He told me his energy bill was half than what it was the previous month, his daughter doesn't have to wear a coat in the house anymore and the electric heaters are stored in the basement. If you read either topic on Forced Air, Low Velocity or Air Boundary you would understand why his energy bills were high and comfort low.<br /><br />This does not mean that the new furnace won't lower his energy bill and have value to him. What it does mean is, that the furnace was not the source of the problem. This is by far the main source of complaints about contractors than any other. The primary purpose of this site is to provide the energy bill payer with enough information to make good decisions.<br /><br />Many will state that this site discourages the sale of products and services concerning energy conservation. On the contrary, it will promote it more than any other site. Once people are empowered with the knowledge to identify the source of problems in their home and have a positive experience concerning energy conservation, they are more apt to purchase products and services that conserve energy. The reverse is true when people have a negative experience and the shear number of complaints against contractors in this industry supports this. What further supports the sale of products and services with this site is a technique that is used throughout it which contains conviction. This occurs when the receiver strongly agrees with the content and it possesses value to him. Conviction is an extremely powerful marketing tool, regardless if its indirect.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-52036703865230479152009-08-04T11:31:00.001-07:002009-08-17T11:32:25.943-07:00Why Do You Want Me to Save?"Why does the Utility want me to save, after all, they are in the business of selling energy?", was probably the most frequent question asked when performing an energy audit in someone's home. In the thousands of home that I visited over the years, rarely was the same answer ever given to that question. The reason for this is that the answer to the question is not only complicated but also is multi-faceted.<br /><br />Let's consider Demand Side Management (DSM) as a plausible answer to the question. In attempting to describe DSM to the average energy bill payer, it became apparent to me that simpler was better. After all, my sole purpose for being there was to encourage energy conservation on their part. Other answers that were given were environmental, public relations, regulation, deregulation and many more. Each answer had it's own issues and I must say one must be careful in electing an answer. If you are not, what will follow can only be described as combative. An example of this is when in one home discussing this topic with a young woman, who apparently had liberal views; the answer chosen by me was the environment.<br /><br />Without me knowing, her husband the staunch conservative who was lurking in the hallway and over heard the statement about the environment, leaped out and denounced me as one of those people who are destroying the economy and eventually this great country. On the other hand, the husband and wife appeared to be conservative and the answer chosen by me was deregulation in order to make these Utilities more viable. Before the answer was finished, the wife interrupted and said, "Anything for profits and the hell with the planet!" This was the beginning of a lecture by her about the environment and how the decisions that we make today affect the generations yet to come. It is good to note that both examples were during the Reagan era.<br /><br />The aforementioned primary purpose is to prepare you for my answer to the question. I have no doubt that my answer will have some say it's not enough, others will say, it's too much and the rest will say it didn't answer the question. There are many problems facing Utilities today and my answer only addresses a particular aspect of one of their problems. Although conservations programs may address other problem and support other goals Utilities may have, my answer does not. The Utilities actually don't want you to lower your energy bills. What they do want is that you understand why you bills are what they are. The vast majority of complaints that the Utilities receive are about high-energy bills.<br /><br />If you could hear the tapes that record these conversations, one phrase is common to all of them. That is " I don't understand why my bills are this high," When the federal government mandated energy conservation programs for Utilities, the Utilities saw this as a opportunity to educate their customers about energy use in their homes. If fact they saw this as a way of alleviating the cost incurred from high-energy bill complaints and at the same time receive the credits for complying with federally mandated conservation programs. This is a perfect example of how businesses take advantage of an imposed policy. One can equate this to tax avoidance and no one can blame them for being smart.<br /><br />Over the years the energy environment changed and this was primarily due to aging infrastructure and the lack of land available to build new power plants. The result was giving the aforementioned answer new meaning. Demand Side Management deal with the reduction of peak load demands and more efficient maintenance scheduling. The result would be prolonged life of their present infrastructure.<br /><br />The Energy Star Programs emphasize this, from ordinary household appliances to home building. Rebate programs that encourage the purchase of energy efficient appliances, so that the public would have the same conveniences but use less energy to do so. This reduction of energy use merely scratches the surface of the problems the Utilities face. Therefore the present energy conservation programs offered by Utilities represent a relatively small aspect of their overall plan to obtain their objectives. One can say, saving on your energy bill is a direct result of the Utilities needs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-62942980815709973182009-08-04T11:31:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:31:55.399-07:00Just One StoryThere are literally thousands of stories that could be told of my experiences in the field. This is just one of them. There was an elderly couple who was smart and prepared themselves for their retirement years. The wife became ill and it was incurable. Though the couple prepared themselves for such an event, the incredible cost of medication for a prolong period of time was too much for them. After two years of it, they lost their nest egg and home. He could no longer afford to care for her, so she was put into a nursing home. He rented a small apartment near the nursing home and spent all the day and everyday by her side. Still their bills kept piling up and he became delinquent on them, including his utility bills. As a result an energy survey was scheduled with him to show him how to conserve along with recommendations for weatherization measures that the utility provided especially for seniors.<br /><br />My job was to educate and inform him on how energy is used in his home and what he could do to conserve energy. After five minutes with him it became apparent to me the circumstances that surrounded the reason for delinquency were beyond conservation. Sitting there and listening to his story was something I have become accustomed to.<br /><br />My job was therefore to lower his fuel bills and make recommendations for measures designed to do just that. His concern was that he was rarely home and still his fuel bills were high. After looking around his home, we sat down and an explanation was given to him and the actions he could take. When we are in our homes, we use lights, watch TV, cook, etc. Human beings give off two pounds of humidity a day. We do so many things in our home that produces heat and this reduces the demand for heat from our heating system.<br /><br />An unoccupied home is more difficult to heat, even if you turn down the thermostat. Some of the recommendations given to him were to put jugs of water in the refrigerator; it would create a thermal mass and reduce demand for the compressor. Thereby lowering the cost of operation. Unplug appliances such as microwaves and TV's. Because his home had apartments below, above and along side of it, lower the thermostat even further. Since his plumbing were located on inside walls, it was highly unlikely that his pipes would freeze. The home was not that old and there was some insulation in it. To bring his home to his desired temperature when he came home would only take about ten minutes.<br /><br />Many more things were discussed and when it came time for me to leave, he shook my hand and thanked me. Shortly after that a field supervisor's position was given to me concerning a far more comprehensive program. It included air sealing, attic and wall insulation, replacement refrigerators and much more. Sixty men and women in teams of two were assigned to me. Their training, knowledge and experience in energy conservation were inadequate. They were all novices to this field.<br /><br />To say my task as supervisor was formidable, was putting it mildly. One day a-team called me to request permission to leave a site because an old man was ranting and raving and they can't do anything in the home. I immediately viewed this as an opportunity to illustrate to them what was expected of them. They were told I would be right there. To my surprise this was the same elderly man I spoke to before. This time he was not calm and was extremely agitated. I said his name several times; finally I said it with authority. He looked at me and I saw the tears, the anger in his eyes and everything about him screamed why. This was clearly not the same man I met the first time. I looked at him and said, " Do you remember me sir? " I said it again and he recalled who I was. He moved towards me, broke out into tears and embraced me. I helped him to sit down and said, " If this is a bad time for you sir, we can reschedule the appointment?" With his face in his hands, he said, " She's gone. " I repeated about rescheduling.<br /><br />My men who were facing me were shocked by my response. He replied to the rescheduling by saying, " No. You're already here and you have a job to do." For the next three hours we sat at a table where it was explained to him what this program was all about.<br /><br />He was taught how to program a thermostat that we just installed. We went over what was being done today and calculated the savings. The same calculations were done for another appointment for the insulation contractor and third visit concerning air sealing by my company. We discussed his, my company's and the Utility's role and responsibilities in this program. Then an agreement was met and he signed it. When we left, he did not thank me or shake my hand. Outside the men were packing up their gear. I walked up to them and said," There is only one thing that I require of you. That is to earn the money you're being paid. Now go to lunch and then to your next site. Call me when you get there."<br /><br />After this you can say a lot about me. I can say, the Utilities have the right to control their cost. Every year the number of delinquent bill payers increases, the average amount owed increases and the cost of collection increases disproportionately to the other increases. To the bill payers who say the rates are too high and this is a waste of money, the lawsuit that would follow after the termination of service would send your fuel bills through the roof. To the companies who provide the product and services for these programs, earn the money you're being paid. To the regulatory boards of States who approve programs like these, after hearing and considering from Utilities about rising cost, customers who complain about their rates and environmentalist who say they are not doing enough, I tip off my hat to you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-65973457915610656382009-08-04T11:30:00.001-07:002010-01-04T08:12:55.458-08:00Home Inspections<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } --> </style> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">New Jersey licensed home inspector lic. # 24GI00066100</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Certified Radon Measurement Technician cert. # MET11803)</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Certified professional by Building Performance Institute cert. # CAN07079</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Worldwide recognized energy conservationist. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Omissions are an unfortunate aspect of home inspection reports. The reason for this is the scope of an inspection. The shear number of items covered in an inspection is quite large. <span style="font-size:100%;">To reduce the probability of omissions from occurring, Resercon uses a PDA to record its observations and findings on site.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">To further ensure diligence during home inspections, Resercon takes digital pictures of areas of concern. These pictures become part of the home inspection report and serve as a visual aid to the written report. Although the report is written clearly and concisely, the pictures allow clients to refer to what the report mentions, especially on important items. Pictures on findings usually involve at least two pictures. The first shows the general area of concern and a second picture showing the concern.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;">This makes it easier for clients to find the concern and see it as it relates to the comments in the report. Arrows point to problem areas described in the written report and comments appear under each picture, describing the concern and indicating where further discussion of the problem can be found in the body of the report. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">When purchasing a home, time is an important factor. The Realtor, mortgage company, attorney, appraiser and home inspector all take up clients’ time. Those who have been involved in this industry try their best to minimize the time they take with a client, but as professionals will never sacrifice quality of workmanship for it.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">To give our clients as much time as possible to review the home inspection report, Resercon prints its reports on site, hands the report to the client upon payment, and discusses the report with the client on how to utilize it before the inspection is over. </span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size:100%;">This on-site printed report serves as a preliminary report and may end up as the final report. The reason for this is because it is not expected for clients to fully understand the terminology in the report and/or its impact on their decision. Clarification in most instances is needed. The company will make these clarifications for their clients until the client is satisfied.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> </span>At that point the finalized report will be emailed to the client and they can forward it to interested parties, such as their attorney. No more editing will be done to the report after it has been emailed. Any corrections and/or editing to the report from this point on will come in the form of an Addendum. In other words if the client's attorney wants clarification on a particular item in the report and is requested by the client, this company will make the clarification and email it to the client in a form known as an Addendum. The client does have the option to have the report immediately emailed to their attorney, at that time the on site printed report becomes the final report and all clarifications will come in the form of an Addendum. It is suggested that the client take the time to read the report and ask for clarifications on the report prior to sending it to their attorney.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ancillary services like a Termite Certificate will also be printed on site for an additional fee. Radon gas detection is also provided upon request, however, the test takes a minimum of 48 hours and the inspector needs access to the dwelling to retrieve the canister, which will be done for an additional fee. Please keep in mind the canister is mailed to a laboratory and the results are sent directly to the client and with written permission sent to the home inspector. This is done in cases where time is important and the inspector has the ability to obtain the results from the Lab faster than it can be mailed to the client.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Though the aforementioned does not give you the details on what occurs during an inspection, it is intended to give prospective clients on what to expect. The average inspection lasts 2 to 3 hours which covers all of the aforementioned and complies to the New Jersey Home Inspection Act. This Act dictates what NJ home inspectors must do and what they are not allowed to do. This Act goes as far are mandating equipment the home inspector must have, such as how powerful their flashlights should be to how tall a ladder they must have. The Act also has provisions for a governing body known as the “Home Inspector Advisory Committee”. Believe it or not this Act not only protects consumers but also the home inspector. Compliance to this Act for home inspections is not only required but necessary for all concerned.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This company wishes to assure prospective clients that whomever they choose to have a home inspection performed for them that all NJ licensed Home Inspectors will perform that inspection in compliance to the NJ Home Inspection Act. <a href="http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/laws/hiacregs.pdf">http://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/laws/hiacregs.pdf</a> for those interested this link shows the regulations that govern all NJ licensed home inspectors.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Having the credentials is an important first step when choosing a Home Inspector. The inspector's experience for this company concerning on site inspections span decades and number into the thousands. While citing credentials and providing other information is a good start, what most clients want before they choose a home inspector is an idea of what to expect in the report. Accuracy, thoroughness and detailed are terms widely used to describe home inspection reports. However this does little in giving a prospective client an idea of what to expect in the report. Some inspection companies provide a sample of the report they provide their clients which helps the clients more in making a decision on which home inspector they choose.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Resercon Company has chosen a different path to attract clients and at the same time attempts to differentiate itself from other home inspectors. The company's web site <span style="color:#000080;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.resercon.com/">www.resercon.com</a></u></span></span> is actually an energy conservation site. The important aspect of this towards prospective clients are the more than 20 articles posted on the web site. What defines an expert is not merely their knowledge and experience but the ability to communicate complex processes and applications associated with their field effectively to others. Those articles exemplify this ability.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">While there are no articles on this site concerning home inspections, what prospective clients can email Resercon at exp@resercon.com. Here a prospective client can pose their questions concerning a home inspection and receive a reply. Considering the decades of dealing with the public in their homes and prospective homes along with this link on the web site and as a Moderator on the “do it yourself” forum, there isn't a question a prospective client can ask that hasn't been asked before. Answering a question can provide insights for a prospective client unlike any other action. The purchase of a home is considered one of the most important decisions individuals can make. As such this company wishes to assure prospective clients that it will be there to help them make informed decisions involving the home inspection.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">This company wishes to assure prospective clients that whomever they choose to have a home inspection performed for them that all NJ licensed Home Inspectors will perform that inspection in compliance to the NJ Home Inspection Act. For those interested in having this company perform a home inspection in New Jersey please contact us at: </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Resercon Company</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">610 Emerson Ave.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Elizabeth, NJ 07208</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">(908)400=5900</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">fax# (908)289-0932</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">frank@resercon.com</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-57845894948048676002009-08-04T11:30:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:30:22.889-07:00Energy SurveysEnergy Surveys differ from home inspections in a variety of ways. The energy survey is done after the home is purchased and is not used by anyone except the homeowner. The most common energy survey is done by your local utility. These surveys were done as part of a federal program to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.<br /><br />Over the years since the energy crisis in the 70?s, energy conservation programs like the Home Energy Survey Program (HESP), have evolved and in some cases been terminated. This does not mean that the average homeowner or energy bill payer is not looking for ways and ideas to conserve energy. What it does mean is that public awareness concerning energy conservation has exceeded those program objectives. For years everyone in this industry agreed that HESP out lived its life. This is true because HESP stop evolving over ten years ago. Instead of making HESP more viable, everyone was looking for alternatives. There are many of us in this industry that view HESP as viable and at the same time acknowledge government participation is not.<br /><br />This is why many companies will start offering energy surveys to energy bill payers for a fee. The energy surveys that were done by your local utility in today's market are inadequate. Consumer awareness today concerning energy conservation is a hundred times greater than it was two decades ago. You do not have to tell the average energy bill payer that a programmable thermostat will save them money on their energy bill. What the average energy bill payer wants from an energy survey are explanations on how energy is used in their home, what they can do to save and how it can be done.<br /><br />They do not want the survey to sell them something. The energy bill payer wants the survey to give them the information so they can make good choices concerning energy conservation in their home. In the near future the vast majority of homes will pay to have an energy survey done in their home. The most likely candidate to provide this service will be the home inspector. They will offer this survey as a service to the perspective buyer if they buy the home.<br /><br />In other words the home inspection is before the purchase of the home and the energy survey is done after the home is purchased. This is not an expansion of the home inspection industry; it is in fact a creation of an industry. The public awareness created by HESP and its termination will cause this industry of energy surveys to explode.<br /><br />The concern with the void created by the termination of HESP is that many home inspectors may provide the energy survey due to demand and may not be qualified to do so. There are even fewer companies that can provide this training for energy surveyors. As a consumer you should ask the energy surveyor to see a mock copy of an energy survey to see if it is worth pursuing. Some Utilities are providing energy analysis over the web and through the mail for their customers.<br /><br />The customer is asked some questions and based on those questions a report is generated. The two factors that determine the figures on these reports are the answers given by the customer and default tables the program uses. If the answers given by the customer are wrong, then the report is based on faulty information. The default tables used in these programs usually come from the Division of Energy in the States that you live. You might be able to get these statistics from your State agency.<br /><br />For illustration purposes only, let's assume based on data collected for the past twenty years on weather patterns, housing stock, number of occupants and fuel prices in the area where you live, a default equation is developed. In most cases this equation is used as a benchmark to measure and verify initiatives taken by the State and assists in developing other initiatives. Let?s assume that the average size of a home in your State is 1600 square feet and it uses $735. a year to heat that home with gas. Let's say your home is actually 2400 sq. ft.<br /><br />To apply this equation to your home is to divide 1600 into 2400 = 1.5 then multiply this by $735. = $1,102.50. What this figure means to you is that the average 2400 sq. ft. home in the area where you live uses $1,102.50 a year in gas to heat this home.<br /><br />The answers that you give will adjust this figure either up or down depending upon its implications. In other words if you had thermal windows put in your home and the average home in the area where you live does not have them, your answer will reduce that figure. Let's say all the answers you give are correct, but you?re an above or below average energy user, the estimated yearly use is wrong. Since the estimated energy use is the basis for determining the savings from a recommended action, if the estimate is wrong, so are the savings.<br /><br />Clearly there are too many variables that can distort these estimates and the most important variable is the customer who inputs the answers.<br /><br />When it comes to energy analysis on the web or through the mail you have to reduce the number of variables that effect the outcome. In other words the more simply it is the better. It is better to give an estimate that states if you were to change your present heating system which is estimated to be 67% efficient to a 90% efficient one, the estimated annual saving is 25% on you fuel bill. The same can be said about water heaters, window, doors, insulation, etc. This is a far more useful and accurate estimate for the average energy bill payer.<br /><br />The figures that were used for the default equation are wrong. It was used for illustration purposes only. Those figures will not apply to your home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-18320225026406820552009-08-04T11:29:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:29:57.283-07:00Sick building Syndrome (SBS) & Energy ConservationThere are a lot of factors that can cause mold and mildew problems in homes today. However, moisture is always associated with it. Most people confuse air-transported moisture with heat-transported moisture. In most cases it is air-transported moisture that leads to moisture problems in homes today. The following explains the relationship with energy conservation concerning mold and mildew. However, it must be pointed out that this is not the only cause for mold and mildew problems in homes today.<br /><br />Equilibrium Relative Humidity (ErH%) is widely misunderstood. Nature always seeks balance or to equalize things. Air or objects that has a lower humidity than other air or objects, will extract the humidity from the other air and objects until the humidity levels are equal in the air and objects. Nature's way of balancing or equalizing the amount of humidity in different air masses and objects is exactly how moisture is removed from our homes.<br /><br />The average home today has a little bit more than one air exchange per hour during the winter months. Energy Efficient homes have even less air exchange. Much older homes that did not have the improvements we do to our homes today had more than three air exchangers per hour. They were referred to as drafty homes because of this.<br /><br />However, the more air exchange the healthier the home, which is good for the occupants. There is a direct relationship between our energy bills and the air exchange in our homes. The primary source of air exchange in the winter is heating. Whenever you heat air, it expands. When it cools, it contracts. Since the house cannot get bigger or smaller, when the heat comes on and the expansion occurs, it pushes air out of the house. When this heated air cools, it contracts and pulls in fresh air into the house. The higher your energy bills are, the more air exchange there is. The lower your energy bills are, the less air exchange there is.<br /><br />The higher or lower energy bills are an indication the frequency of the expansion and contraction. Another way of putting this is the cold air outside has less humidity in it than the air inside the home. As the cold air is drawn into the home because of the cooling and contracting of the warm air, this cold air will equalize with the temperature and humidity of the air inside the home. It does this by increasing both the temperature and humidity level of the cold air through absorption, which lowers the temperature and humidity level of the air in the home, until they become the same temperature and humidity level.<br /><br />Since people want to lower their energy bills and improve their comfort by reducing the drafts in the home, the result is the humidity that would normally be removed because of the greater air exchange remains in the house. In the cooling season moisture problems arise primarily due to over-sizing of air conditioners. Everyone seems to want his or her homes cool in the summer. The homeowner insists that the system be a little bigger just in case there is a hot spell this summer. Contractors have a tendency to over-size units to avoid callbacks and complaints. If we couple this with Energy Efficient homes today, it should not surprise anyone that we are experiencing moisture problems in our homes.<br /><br />All air conditioner coils (evaporator coil) have a Sensible Heat Factor rating. The area in which you live usually determines this. What this does is determine the amount of humidity it will extract from the household air as it passes through the coil. So what the Sensible Heat Factor rating and the size of the unit do is drop the temperature in the home and at the same time it removes the humidity from the air. When your system is oversized, it will drop the temperature rapidly and remove very little humidity. This is because it takes a considerably longer time for your unit to remove humidity from air than it does to drop the temperature of that same air.<br /><br />The result is that you end up with a moisture problem in the home. These are the primary reasons why Energy Conservationists, like myself, are blamed for the moisture problems that presently exist in so many homes today. With this in mind, I must point out that many people in this industry from manufacturers, conservationists, building performance experts, contractors and more do not fully comprehend the ramifications of energy conservation as it relates to moisture problems in the home. You as a consumer must educate yourself concerning moisture control when doing improvements in your home. Do not expect that you do not have to do anything just because you bought a brand new Energy Efficient home.<br /><br />Do not expect that the window salesman or general contractor to be well versed in moisture related problems with the product or service they are providing, especially when it comes to conserving energy. To them this moisture problem is unrelated to their product and/or service. Their defense with these types of problems is that other applications in the home caused the moisture problem. It now becomes an argument based on which came first, the chicken or the egg?<br /><br />In most cases a combination of applications resulted in the moisture problem. Each application by itself would not have caused a moisture problem but when the two were brought together in your home, the moisture problem arose. The future of energy conservation depends on how well consumers are educated. If we are to reduce our energy bills and increase our comfort, which reduces the air exchange in the home, we must also control the moisture that we produce in our homes. This should go hand in hand, but it doesn't. In promoting energy efficiency, people in this industry do not want to mention anything negative. Stressing a point that helps you avoid problems in the future, to me is not negative. In the winter the thing that removes moisture from our homes is air exchange. Since we are improving or buying new homes that have less air exchange, we must then control the things in our homes that add moisture to it.<br /><br />For example, fixing plumbing leaks as soon as they occur, making sure exhaust fan ducts are sealed and exit the house. Insulate pipes so condensation does not form on them. And the best one is open your windows once the weather permits after the winter. You would be surprised on how much moisture has built up inside the home over the winter and the amount that leaves the home the first hour when the windows are open. If you use air conditioning a lot, then make sure the unit is properly sized for your home.<br /><br />The air conditioner when used a lot is the number one means of removing humidity from the home. If you do not use air conditioning a lot, the moisture related problems associated with energy efficiency does not apply. In either case the examples given in heating applies when controlling moisture in our homes. Having a basic understanding about moisture control as related to energy conservation is how I would define Energy Efficient Living. What this explicitly implies is that behavior is as important as conserving energy. The number of moisture related problems in homes today is a direct result of people thinking that taking steps to either lower their energy bills and/or increase their comfort in their homes are unrelated to causing a moisture problem.<br /><br />In my opinion there is not anything negative about telling someone they have to control moisture in their homes if they intend to reduce their energy bills and increase their comfort. Many problems that in fact discourage the purchase and/or use of energy conservation products and practices could be avoided if this was to be brought to light before someone decided to do something involving energy conservation.<br /><br />Builders of new Energy Efficient homes, manufacturers of windows, insulation and the air sealing industry would benefit more from being open about their products and services and its relationship with moisture related problems in homes today. Ignoring or denying their products or services is related to moisture problems in the home will do more harm than good for their future sales. Healthy Indoor Environments and Energy Efficient Living in my view should be synonymous. You cannot have one without the other. Energy conservationists should be very concerned about educating people about the consequences to conserving energy and not merely promoting conservation. You could say our future depends on it. Protect America's Forests. This is a link from the Sierra Club.<br /><br />I support them because they do good work on behalf of everyone. One of the other concerns with SBS is Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in the air. This is different from a Carbon Monoxide detector.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-81303838151790449532009-08-04T11:28:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:29:21.199-07:00Whole House as a SystemEnergy Conservation has evolved over the years and has become at least in part of a concept known as "Whole House as a System". This concept actually comes from "Commissioning". A term used in the military for officers, ships and other things. For a person, it is the process used to determine that person's eligibility to be an officer in the military.<br /><br />For ships it is used to determine its sea worthiness after the ship is built. So this type of process has been around for some time, it is just that in energy conservation, it is given a different name. This process is based on a single premise and that is "A chain is only as strong as its weakness link". For example let's assume that a person has an outstanding academic record, comes from a good family and is physically fit.<br /><br />His psychological profile and background check shows he follows commands very well but does not like to give commands or accept responsibility for others. It is unlikely that this person would be commissioned as an officer in the military.<br /><br />Another example is the commissioning of a nuclear power plant. Every single aspect or system of the plant is evaluated independently and only then is the plant operated and each part of the system evaluated with respect to the interaction of the different systems before the plant is commissioned. Clearly commissioning is done when the health and well being of others are involved. Over the years this type of process has been adapted to other things.<br /><br />For example the commissioning of an air conditioning system for commercial or institutional applications. Though this may not be considered life threatening so the process may not be so intensive, it is still far more thorough and useful than just inspecting the system after it is installed. The same can be said about energy conservation, though there are those who will argue that it can be life threatening concerning Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and this countries dependence upon foreign oil. Commissioning also infers that the object does meet certain standards and is suitable for use.<br /><br />Though the "Whole House as a System" concept do have standards, it is building code that determines suitability for occupancy. This concept evaluates each component of the house, such as insulation, air tightness, heating and cooling systems and determines its effectiveness towards the energy efficiency of the house. It includes occupants education on related matters. This not only includes houses for retrofit towards energy efficiency but also new construction. The amount of money going into energy efficiency nationwide is in the $Billions a year and most of it is going into the trades.<br /><br />You couple this with the amount of information concerning this subject available to the average person and the amount of money and planning to make this information more accessible and easily understood towards the same, this concept is transforming the construction industry and it is not asking it to change. People involved in the construction industry can either stay ahead of the curve and profit immensely from it, go with the flow and make a decent living or resists the changes and be left behind. In many of the "Energy Star Homes" programs throughout the country the concept of the Whole House as a System is being implemented. It starts with an Energy Conservation Service Organization (ESCO) that meets with developers and explains the program to them, along with the incentives that they maybe eligible for.<br /><br />Usually afterwards the ESCO meets with the trade people and explains the process and purpose. Inspections are made by the ESCO at various stages of the construction and a variety of measurements and verifications at the completion of the construction. If the house meet the standards that were set, then it is certified as an Energy Star home. In a few States this concept is used with Senior Citizen and Low Income weatherization programs. These are retrofits where insulation is either installed or added to existing insulation, air and duct sealing and a variety of other energy conservation measures are taken.<br /><br />Such as replacing incandescent lighting with compact fluorescent lighting to replacing an old inefficient refrigerator with an energy efficient one. Throughout the entire process measurements and verifications are made to determine if the action should be taken. In the industry, this is referred to as protocol. For example, the occupants are asked how they use the light in a certain room. With duct sealing a duct blaster is used to determine the duct leakage and then used again after the duct sealing to determine the amount of energy that will be saved by the duct sealing annually. The same is done for air sealing where a blower door is used to measure and verify.<br /><br />Though none of this remotely resembles Commissioning, eventually this process will evolve where every aspect and part of the structure will be examined concerning the energy efficiency of the house. The largest concern here is the perception the people in the trades have about this process. As with any new process the people who are affected by the changes believe that this is a way to make them work harder for less money.<br /><br />Many of my colleagues find it arduous when dealing with the trades either because of this perception and/or their failure to empathize with them. The truth here is that they are failing to communicate properly with the trades because they assume what interests them, should interest the trade people. It may be true that the reduction of green house gas emissions affects all of us but to a HVAC person it has more to do with the manufacturer than his/her installation. The same belief is true with the framer, electrician, insulator and plumber, who feel it is more a concern for the architect than it is for them.<br /><br />Energy conservationists have to get and keep the attention of the people in the trades.Telling them their actions will reduce green house gas emissions, save the planet, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and the like does the exact opposite. Understanding what does motive them in relations to achieving the Whole House as a System concept will achieve not only these goals but theirs too.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-27017244892971993602009-08-04T11:27:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:27:51.957-07:00LightingThere are different kinds of lights; they are incandescent, fluorescent, halogen and low voltage. Incandescent light bulbs are the most common. They last about 1000 hours and in the average home you will change them every six months. They are very inexpensive to buy. A 40-watt bulb in most homes, cost about $12. /yr. to operate. If you had ten 40-watt bulbs it would cost you $120. /yr. If they were 100 watt bulbs it would cost around $300. /yr. This exemplifies the difference in wattage and the number of bulbs and how it affects your electric bill.<br /><br />Compact Fluorescent Lights uses neon gas and is larger in size than an incandescent bulb. They cost approximately 1/4th to operate than an incandescent bulb. A 25-watt fluorescent bulb gives off the same amount of light or lumens as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. So in the above example with ten 100-watt bulbs that cost $300. /yr to operate. An equal amount of lighting with fluorescent would cost only $75. /yr. This is why in department stores you only see fluorescent lighting. Other advantages with fluorescent lighting are their operating temperature is much lower than incandescent and halogen and they last 10000 hours.<br /><br />If you ever touched an incandescent bulb after it was on for a few minutes you would see that it is quite hot. A fluorescent bulb you could touch. In areas where you use a lot of lighting such as a kitchen, the operating temperature of the type of lighting will play a major role when cooling this area. A fluorescent bulb will last ten times longer than an incandescent and two and a half times longer than a halogen. In other words if you change your incandescent bulb every six months, you would change a fluorescent bulb every five years. The disadvantages with fluorescent lighting are the size of the bulb and the cost to purchase, especially compact fluorescent bulbs. Halogen lights uses about 2/3rd amount of watts to give off the same amount of lumens or light that an incandescent light.<br /><br />It lasts 4000 hours or four times longer than an incandescent. Its operating temperature is hotter than an incandescent and much hotter than a fluorescent. Its cost to purchase is more than an incandescent but less than a compact fluorescent. All this makes halogen lighting ideal for outdoor lighting. Unlike a fluorescent light that has a minimum operating temperature, an incandescent and halogen does not. An example of this is a front porch light that is used to illuminate the steps at night when guest arrives at your home.<br /><br />If a compact fluorescent is used there on a cold winter night, the light will not illuminate fast enough for your guest to see the steps clearly. Though the operating temperature for fluorescent lights is low, the cold temperature will affect its operation. This is not true with incandescent and halogen. Though halogen bulbs cost more than incandescent, the lower cost of operation and longevity of the halogen over the incandescent makes the halogen the ideal choice for this application. Low voltage lighting will be the future lighting in our homes.<br /><br />Today it is primarily used for outdoor lighting that illuminates walkways and driveways. You will see some indoors low voltage lighting used today but they are fanciful lights and are very expensive. The advances in technology with diffusers and lenses along with fixture for low voltage lighting have improved tremendously over the last decade. The home of the future will have photovoltaic roofing shingle and/or a wind funnel that would resemble a brick chimney on the side of your home. It would use a turbine inside it that turns due to air movement inside because of the temperature difference from the top to the bottom. This technology will work very well with low voltage lighting.<br /><br />In the future this application will be unsurpassed as far as cost of operation, longevity and flexibility. I am surprised that no one has tried this in a commercial application. There are three categories for uses of lighting; they are general, task and aesthetic. General lighting is the most commonly used lighting in homes today. Examples of this is the light in the hallway, the light you turn on in the kitchen just to get a glass of water or the light in the laundry room.<br /><br />Task lighting are the lights you use for preparing food, cooking, washing dishes or the lamp you use to read. Aesthetic lighting are the lights you use to highlight areas of your home like a vaulted ceiling to take away shadows created by general lighting, a picture on the wall or to set a mood in the room. The problem with lighting is when the wrong lighting is used. An example of this is using general lighting for a task.<br /><br />Let's say you have two general lighting fixtures in your kitchen at either end of the kitchen. They are both on the ceiling of either side of the sink and behind you when you are there. Both fixtures use two sixty watt bulbs for a total of 240 watts (60 x 4). To avoid casting shadows over the sink when washing dishes you have to turn on both fixtures. If you installed a single 100 watt recess light fixture above the sink, it would be less than half the cost of operation and a 25 watt fluorescent would be about one-tenth. This exemplifies the use of general lighting for task lighting. An example of task lighting used for general lighting is using recess lighting as general lighting in the kitchen discussed earlier. General lighting fixtures diffuse light around a large area, whereas task lighting focus the light in a small area.<br /><br />To illuminate the entire kitchen you need a lot of 100-watt bulbs and fixtures with task lighting. Probably 1000 watts to equal the general lights the 240 watts of general fixture and 60 watts for fluorescent. The cost of operation is dramatic.<br /><br />The worst person to ask for lighting advice is an electrical contractor. He makes his money in the number of fixtures he installs. It takes five times more task lighting fixtures to provide general lighting for a specific area than one general lighting fixture. Another example is aesthetic lighting use also for general lighting that is task lighting fixtures. Recess lighting used in a dining room that has a dimmer and the room is used once a week for quest. This is a good application of lighting. The reason for this is the hours of operation. Apply this lighting system to a family room that is used every night for several hours and it is not cost effective. When choosing lighting for a room with a sales person or electrical contractor, the best advice is to keep asking for options.<br /><br />There are tables these people use that illustrate the amount of lumens a room require. The different sizes, type and wattage are given. An example is the number of recessed light fixtures required to illuminate the entire room and how far apart they should be is illustrated in those tables.<br /><br />The best rule with lighting is less is better, but is not if it does not do what you want. One way to save energy is to better control the use of lights. Like a motion detector that turns on the lights in a garage, basement or stairwell and goes off automatically when no-one is there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-50033471601831318252009-08-04T11:26:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:27:04.273-07:00Household AppliancesAppliances can be found literally in every room in our homes today. Try counting them, you will be astonished to see how many you have. The average electric bill is about $50./mo. That is $600./yr. An average refrigerator cost about $300./yr.<br /><br />Therefore all the rest of your appliances electrical cost is equal to that one refrigerator's cost per year. If we think about this for a while, you will see why your electric bill is not $50./mo. If you had two refrigerators, it's cost would be double of all you other appliances and if you had three, it would be triple. When it comes to appliances the two factors that affect our electricity bills are kilowatt hours and number of appliances. Kilo is a number that means 1000. Watt is a standard increment, like an inch or a foot. Hours stand for time. For reasons of explanation these numbers are being round off. An average frost free refrigerator is usually rated at 400 watts.<br /><br />The refrigerating and defrosting operate about 15 hours a day. The average cost per kilowatt is $.13. To determine the annual cost of this refrigerator you get the annual operating time by multiplying 15 hours by 365 days equals 5475 hours a year. Then multiply this by 400 watts and the figure is 21900000. Then multiply this by $.13 and the figure is 284700. Then divide this by 1000 and you get the annual cost of operation for this refrigerator at $284.70. For most appliances the amount of wattage and time of operation is not nearly as much as a refrigerator. Take a microwave oven that uses 1300 watts but is used less than 200 hours a year, the cost of operation is less than $20/yr. On the other hand a 100 watt light bulb that's on for six hours a day cost more to operate than the microwave, a little bit less than $30./yr.<br /><br />The question is, how many microwaves do you have and how many 100 watt light bulbs? There is a separate section for lighting. When considering buying an energy efficient appliance you have to consider the cost of the appliance, the cost of operating a normal appliance verses the energy appliance (how you would save by buying the appliance) and the life of the appliance.<br /><br />An example is a dishwasher that is used everyday. The dishwasher takes about 45 minutes a wash ( 365 X .75). This comes out to less than 300 hours a year. The average washer uses 1300 watts and the average cost per kilowatt is $.13. This comes out to about $50./yr. The average life of a dishwasher is 11 years. A new average dishwasher cost $400. and an energy efficient one $600. The saving or difference is $200. The sales person tells you the energy efficient dishwasher will save you 20% on your operating cost. 20% of $50. equals $10. Times eleven years ( life of appliance) and you get $110. In other words it cost you $200. more for the appliance that saved a $110.<br /><br />You will find that most small appliances do not cost a lot to operate. The result is that buying energy efficient small appliances are not worth it. Such as microwaves, toaster ovens, irons and hair dryers, etc. The other consideration is usage. Let's say when you go to work everyday you turn off the air conditioner and when you come home you turn it on. You enjoy the outdoors a lot and when it not that hot out you spend your time on your deck and do not turn on your air conditioner. Buying an energy efficient air conditioner under these circumstances would not be cost effective. Just like with the dishwasher. An average one will do.<br /><br />On the other hand if you turn on your air conditioner in May and don't turn it off until October, purchasing an energy efficient air conditioner would be very cost effective. Free Appliance Repair Help. This is site some of you may find useful, especially the do it yourselfers. It is also a place to get information on parts and buy them there if you want. Also, from monitoring your home at work via the net to voice commands, an affordable way to make your home smart is here. <br /><br />One appliance is worth while buying that is energy efficient all the time. That is a refrigerator. It stays plugged in all the time and you cannot turn it on and off at will. The result is the refrigerator stays on the majority of the day and you have little control over that. Energy efficient refrigerators use insulation to make them more efficient.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-82924782117506350352009-08-04T11:25:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:26:13.797-07:00Hot Water HeatingWater heating can be provided for your home in a variety of ways. The different kinds are tank, tankless, indirect and instant/booster. The most common is the tank water heater.<br /><br />Regardless of the fuel use or what the manufacturer says, these tanks should be drained at least once a year and only about a gallon of water. The reason for this is the cold water pipe that goes into your tank only goes about three-quarters of the tank.<br /><br />The hot feed pipe only goes about a third into the tank. Both pipes enter the top of the tank, which means that any sediment that enters the tank will sit at the bottom of the tank. There is no other way to remove the sediment other than draining from the bottom of the tank. If your pipes freeze during the winter and you will notice only the hot water pipe that does.<br /><br />The reason for this is when water is under pressure it's very difficult to freeze it, so that the cold water pipe does not freeze. When the hot water is not in use for a period of time, like over night, the tank takes up the pressure in the pipe. This makes it easier for the hot water pipe to freeze. If both pipes freeze, then the temperature where they are freezing is so cold even the cold water pipe under pressure freezes. If it takes a long time for you to get hot water during the winter it's because the pipe gets cold and extracts the heat from the water and it has to heat up the pipe with your hot water before you get hot water. The solution to all of the above is to install an auto circulation pump. It is thermostatically controlled with a timer and on/off switch.<br /><br />This unit installs under the sink to which the pipes that freeze and if you are the least bit handy, you can do it yourself. The way it works is there is a thermostat inside the unit that recognizes the temperature drop in the hot water pipe. When this occurs, the pump comes on and circulates the water in the hot water pipe through the cold water pipe back to the water heater. Thereby maintaining the pressure and temperature in both lines. Your pipes will never freeze and when you turn on the hot water tap you will have hot water almost immediately. You can turn this unit on only during the winter with the use of the on/off switch and /or only at night with the use of the timer.<br /><br />If your pipes freeze this unit will resolve your problem and "YES" it will save you money. Where ever possible all the hot and cold water pipes should be insulated. Another consideration is water damage and there are ways to prevent it. The following link is a fine example. Prevent Costly Water Damage! All tank water heaters should be wrapped with insulation. The reason for this is the cost of actually using hot water pales in comparison to the cost of maintaining the temperature of the water in the tank. People tell me that they wash clothes everyday.<br /><br />It takes less than three minutes to fill your washer with hot water and not 45 minutes to wash the clothes. The vast majority of cost for water heating with a tank comes from maintaining that temperature of the water in the tank. If you took a stop watch and timed the actual time you see the hot water come out of the tank for a family of four, it would be less than two hours. That means that more than 22 hours a day the temperature in the tank is being maintained. Even if you were excessive with hot water, it would still be more than 20 hours a day. What the water heater jacket does is maintain the temperature in the water heat longer with insulation. This will reduce the cost of water heating dramatically. What voids the warranty with these jackets is when you cover the pressure relief valve. With gas unit you cover the draft diverter and/or the bottom that prohibits air to the burner.<br /><br />If you follow the instructions with these jackets, you will not have a problem. Furthermore, if you wrap the water heater with a jacket and drain one gallon of water from it annually, you will prolong the life of the water heater from ten years to eighteen. Tankless domestic hot water heating is not cost effective. Though there is no tank as the term implies, the temperature in the boiler must be maintained in the summer in the event you require hot water. Though the boiler has a more efficient burner than a tank water heater, the temperature in the boiler is quite higher. The ambient temperature of cold water in a home is usually 55 degrees F. and the temperature of the hot water for these systems is usually 110 degrees F.<br /><br />This wide temperature difference causes the corrosion on the coil inside the boiler to accelerate. This increases the cost of getting hot water from these systems and it is not unusual for you to run out of hot water. These coils should be cleaned at least once every two years. The solution to this system is getting a tank water heater, sometimes an indirect and instant/booster system. Indirect domestic hot water systems are excellent systems depending upon the type of boiler you have. If you have an old boiler that has a tankless coil, the problem of maintaining the temperature in the boiler persists. Though you do get better hot water with installing an indirect system to your boiler.<br /><br />The new energy efficient boilers resolve this problem. In an old boiler, regardless if it's gas or oil, the volume of water in these boilers can be as much as 50 gallons. The newer boilers have 5 gallons or less in them and the burner and boiler design is what makes them efficient. The older boiler requires the temperature be maintained due to its volume in the event heat or hot water is needed. On new boilers due to the volume of water in it, the temperature can be risen so rapidly that maintaining the temperature in the boiler is not required. The temperature of the water in new boilers is maintained to avoid freezing and is rarely ever needed and can do so rapidly that the cost is insignificant.<br /><br />There are two types of indirect systems. One uses a coil and the other does not. In new boilers the size of the boiler prohibits a coil from being inserted into them. With indirect systems the coil is in a tank located along side the boiler. The boiler water is pumped into the coil inside the tank and heats the domestic hot water rapidly. With the system that does not use a coil, the boiler water is pumped into a tank that surrounds another tank. The inner tank has the domestic hot water in it. Both types cost more than a tank water heater to operate, but are less than a tankless system. They cost more to purchase and install than any other system. The advantages to this system are longevity, it will probably outlive you, and the amount of hot water it produces is staggering.<br /><br />If the system is installed properly you could fill a hot tub with hot water, take endless showers one right after the other, wash clothes and use the dishwasher at the same time and still not run out of hot water. Instant/Booster domestic hot water systems are good systems but have concerns with them, when used as a primary source for hot water in a home.<br /><br />With gas units these systems require a considerable amount of gas water columns to operate. Most residential areas do not require such use and the Utility may not provide for it in there under ground lines. For this reason, electric units are more common. Electric instant systems cost less to operate the tank electric water heaters but more than gas and oil systems. You could reduce the cost of an electric tank water heater by putting a timer on it and wrapping it with an insulation jacket. Depending on the use of the timer, the electric water cost of operation could even compete with gas and oil systems. Which is better than an electric instant system.<br /><br />Eemax Electric Water Heaters: Single Point & Flow Control Series This is a fine example of an electric Instant/Booster system. This systems shines when it is used as a supplement as with space heating. Let's say you have a whirlpool tub and the capacity of water in the tub is greater than the capacity of water in your tank. Most homes will raise the temperature of the water in the tank to accommodate the tub by mixing cold water with the hot water going into the tub. Unfortunately this increases the cost of maintaining the temperature of the water in the tank dramatically. By installing instant electric water heater in or near the bathroom where the tub is located resolves this problem and is very cost effective. For people who have water heaters on the second floor and especially those who had to deal with cleaning up afterwards, this is must have product.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-89138946681560860772009-08-03T11:24:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:25:11.219-07:00ThermostatsAll thermostats are switches. They turn the heating or cooling systems on when there is a demand for it and off when the demand is met. In most thermostats, if you take it off the wall you will see a red wire and a white wire. If you touch these two wires together the unit will come on and if you separate them the unit will go off.<br /><br />Because of its simplicity, these units rarely ever fail. The concerns with thermostats are location and the anticipator. The thermostats should be located on an inside wall. It should not be near any heating or cooling element. Like being direct above a radiator or below a cooling register or opposite side of a wall oven, in direct sunlight, etc. It should be located approximately five feet from the floor.<br /><br />The anticipator does what it implies. It just like warming up your car in the winter before you get on your way. As your thermometer gets near the point where there is a demand, the anticipator gets the unit started and warmed up. So that when there is a demand, the unit is ready to go. There are two types of anticipators; one that is manually set and the other electronically and you do not have to set.<br /><br />On the manual anticipator, if you take the cover of the thermostat, you will see a small dial. You will need a magnifying glass to read the numbers on this dial. Then go to your heating system and find the gas line. Follow it to almost where the burners are and on the gas line there will be this gray metal box. That's the gas cock and on it numbers will be stamped, like 60hz. The number you are looking for will be like .5A or .3A.<br /><br />Then go back to your thermostat and move the arrow on the dial with a pencil or pen to the number you got off your gas cock. With electric units you will find the number on the specification plate on the unit and with oil you will find it on the burner specification plate. The symptoms when the anticipator set wrong are the system goes on and off for brief periods and it comes on and does not go off.<br /><br />With electronic anticipators the only problem with them is when the system is zoned and there are more than one thermostat. The problem arises when there is a demand for heat in two or more zones.<br /><br />This confuses the electronic anticipator and you get the same symptoms stated above and in some cases you do not even get heat. If programming the zones is important to you, my suggestion is that you get a day night thermostat that you can manually set the anticipator or use a regular thermostat and buy one of those battery set backs that snap on to the regular thermostat.<br /><br />The type of thermostat you need depends on you. If you leave the temperature the same all the time, a regular thermostat. If you like to turn down the thermostat only at night or only during the day, a day/ night thermostat. If you like to turn it down at night, have it come up for a few hours in the morning and then go down until you come home, an electronically controlled thermostat or a Programmable Slimline Thermostat It all depends on your needs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-24583984363793217372009-08-03T11:23:00.000-07:002009-10-27T12:39:59.064-07:00Renewable Energy SourcesThere are several types of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and water movement. Each of these have different ways in harnessing energy. All are usually cost effective when they are either commercial or institutional applications. The two most common involving residential are solar and geothermal. Both of these are considerably expensive to install in one's home. Though both of these technologies can produce a considerable amount of energy a residence is highly unlikely to demand that much energy. Even if the home is an excessive user of energy. The phrase “Economy of Scale” clearly does not apply with residential applications with these technologies. As a result these two technologies are provided with large incentives first by the State and with solar the federal government. For the users of these technologies these incentives make it cost effective to install them in their homes. In other words the cost of installation minus the incentives received equals the homeowners contribution. This contribution is then divided by the amount of the cost of energy the system produces a year to reveal its payback period. This period should be less than the life expectancy of the system to be cost effective. However in most instances an arbitrary time period is used. Simply put if a system costs $100. to install and is produced $10. a year then the payback period would be 10 years (100/10=10).<br /><br />This method of calculating payback for residential applications completely ignores the incentives as part of it. These incentives purportedly are there to promote the development of these technologies to where mass production reduces the cost of installation and the incentives are no longer required to make them cost effective. Unfortunately, especially in the solar industry, are heavily dependent upon the incentives. This by definition makes it a “Parasite Industry” and no industry defined as such is a viable industry regardless of its good intentions. Furthermore the solar industry argues it's the economy of scale that defines its viability and that the incentives induce that objective. Yet it is well known that for solar to become a viable industry their solar panels for residential use must become more than 30% efficient. The average solar panel installed today is only 14 to 18% efficient. This appears to be the argument “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?” the costs for improvement and re-tooling would result in the dissemination of the industry. Yet the incentives appear to perpetuate this inefficiency causing the solar industry to remain as a dep3endent on the incentives. We as taxpayers who fund these incentives will never see any benefit. This is because the costs of the incentives far exceed the life expectancy of these systems and industry existence is questionable. For example if Administrations change or a more viable alternative comes about.<br /><br />This by no means that incentives should not be given to solar panels for residences. Rather the incentives should be for the benefit of society as a whole. Though this is quite broad and can be interpreted in many ways and is used in a way to support the present industry, it should be given in such a way that it produces conditions that are conducive to obtaining its goal. For example provide smaller incentives for today's average solar panel, a larger one for solar panels that are more than 18% efficient and an even larger incentive for panels that are more than 20% efficient. This tier incentive program should extend to commercial and institutional applications. Though this does not obtain the more than 30% efficiency of the panels for economic viability, it does move it towards it. This progress is what benefits society.<br /><br />There are many universities and organizations doing research on solar panel. All are attempting to obtain the more than 30% efficiency. The use of dyes and the re-configuration in panels holds great promise for the industry. However some of these methods can be adapted to present solar panel manufacturing at minimal costs that would produce modest increases in efficiency. Though this is not proven, it's clear no-one has tried. The present incentive programs does very little for some-one to try. Rather it induces them to keep doing what they are presently doing. The goal here is to make the solar industry a viable one and any movement towards that end is called progress. There are those who will argue that the number of homes that now use solar as a result of the incentives is a clear sign of progress in the industry. My reply would be questions, “What happens if the incentives goes away?” “What progress has come about in the industry in becoming a viable industry as a result of those incentives?” Furthermore this industry continuously argues for the need of incentives with apparently no end to them. Will it take a billion dollars, a trillion dollars before it becomes viable? Will it take a year, 10 years, decades?<br /><br />The incentives at least should move the industry towards becoming viable. Though I support the solar initiative, one must not forget the solar incentives during the Carter administration. Clearly no-one wants history to repeat itself. Admittedly times are different but the goals between these two administrations appear to be the same concerning solar. If the present administration really wants change and its intent to apply solar to government building then have bids for the contracts and state that those solar panels that exceed 18% efficiency will be given preference.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-54976191969121602852009-08-03T11:22:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:23:01.240-07:00Insulation - DoorsDoors provide access to the home. The biggest problems with doors are the hinges. When a door is properly installed the gap between the door jam and the door would be constant around the two sides and top of the door. This gap allows the door to open and close properly and for the expansion and contraction the door may have.<br /><br />The door could never expand enough to prohibit the opening and closing of the door. Nor could the door grow in the opening. When the door is difficult to open and close and it drags on the floor it is usually the hinge that caused the problem. In some cases the jam comes out of plumb. This usually occurs when moving appliance through the door and you squeeze the appliances through. The way to check this is to measure the distance from side to side on the top and bottom of the jam.<br /><br />If they are equal then you have to check for plumb. The best way to do this is with a plumb bob. Tack a piece of string, that is six inches shorter than the height of the door, on the top jam two inches away from one side jam. Tie a nut or bolt to the end of the string and let it hang until it stops moving. The string is now perfectly straight up and down. This is called plumb. Then measure the distance from the jam to the string at difference points on the jam.<br /><br />If all the points you measure are equal then this side of the jam is plumb, if not, it's out of plumb. You will do the same for the other side of the jam. In most cases where you find the shortest measurement you can take a two by four and put it up to the jam and hit it gently with a hammer to bring the jam back into plumb.<br /><br />Whenever you open and close a door a great deal of stress is put on the hinges. If the door becomes difficult to open and close, look at the gap between the door and the jam. This gap should be uniform on the sides and top. If both sides of the jam are plumb, look at the hinges. Open the door slightly and grab the knob and lift up on the door. The door should not move and if it does, the hinges will too.<br /><br />This means the screws are loose that hold the hinge. The way to correct this is easy. Remove the screws from the top hinge that go into the jam. Dip some toothpicks in some carpenters glue and put them in the screw holes. Let this dry for a while.<br /><br />Take a wedge, a Popsicle stick and your plumb bob and slip the wedge under the door to hold it steady. Tack the stick to the top of the door and extend it about two inches out from the side of the door. Tie the plumb bob to the end of the stick and let hang. Measure the distance from the door and the plumb bob at different points. Use the wedge to raise or lower the door until all the point are equal in distance. The door is now plumb. Screw the hinge back on and do the same to the rest of the hinges.<br /><br />You should test the door opening and closing after each hinge is fixed. Installing weather-stripping, doors sweeps and thresholds to a door that is out of plumb will not work well and will not last long.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-59872815030666395542009-08-03T11:21:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:22:09.064-07:00WindowsThe openings in the envelope in your home are the windows and doors. Their purpose is to provide light, ventilation and access to your home. A fixed stained glass, the glass inside the door or the fixed glass on a sliding glass door are referred to as a lights.<br /><br />To qualify as a window or door, it must be able to open and close. If a window can longer open because it is painted shut, its function is no longer a window but is considered a light. This section will not discuss lights. The condition of a window and door is determined by how well it opens and closes. A good window or door opens and closes well, an average does it not so well and poor do it with difficulty.<br /><br />A new window or door, if installed properly, will open and close easily and tightly when it is closed. After a period of time the opening and closing of these units won't be so easy. Furthermore when they are closed they won't be so tight. If this is allowed to continue the opening and closing of these units will become very difficult. The problem here is that most people do not know or realize what causes these units to malfunction. Hence we think the only remedy is to replace the window or door. There are basically two types of windows a double hung and a casement. A double hung window put on its side is a traverse or sliding window. In either case it's a double hung window. A casement window is one that is hinged and swings out either from the top, bottom or side. What deteriorates a good window to an average one is dirt and debris.<br /><br />We clean our windows but not the tracks a double hung window that moves up and down in or the seat in which the casement window closes into. You would be astonished to see how well your windows would function if you cleaned these areas every other time you cleaned your windows. The dirt and debris prohibits the window from opening and closing properly. With double hung windows it makes the moving of the sash to open or close the window more difficult. With casement windows the window won't close properly and if you force it closed you will bend the mechanism that hinges the window and the window will never function properly until you change the mechanism and clean the seat.<br /><br />This is the major reason why windows are replaced. Over painting or varnishing is a very common problem with wood windows. In most homes there are several windows and in older homes there are usually double the amount than in a new home. The correct way to paint or varnish windows is to be patient. Scrape off any loose paint and sand thoroughly. A thin coat should be applied and let dry. Then it should be lightly sanded and the sashes moved up and down to make sure the paint or varnish does not bind up the window.<br /><br />Another thin layer is applied and let dry. A thin layer of paint or varnish will dry quite rapidly. So if you finished with one window with the first layer and then went to the next window, by the time you finished with the second window's first layer, the first window would be dry and ready for the second layer. The trick here is not to do all your windows the same day or weekend. Choose a number of windows that you know can be done in the period of time and divide that by two. So if the number you choose is ten, the number of windows you should do is five. You will be very happy at the results.<br /><br />What causes dry rot with wood is the failure to paint or varnish it. The paint or varnish retains the natural wood oils in the wood. Once this is lost, it cannot be replaced. What most people misunderstand is that the latches on windows are there to make the window tight. With wood windows the latches are made of a soft metal. The reason for this is that the wood expands and contracts. If the latch were made of steel, when the wood expanded, it would crack the wood. If you look closely at these latches you will see they are half moon and graded. What this is designed to do is push the outer sash up, the inner sash down and pull the two together.<br /><br />Over a period of time the grade on these latches wears down. The result is the window does not close tightly. Replacement of the latch will resolve this. The trick here is to put a drop or two of linseed oil in the screw hole before installing the new latches. You can use vegetable oil if you do not have linseed oil. Let the wood soak up the oil for a while and then install the latch. This will avoid the new screws from cracking or stripping the screw hole.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-58422074490510957702009-08-03T10:54:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:56:45.589-07:00VentilationVentilation primary purpose concerning insulation is to dilute the heat that manages to get through the insulation so the heat cannot condense. Moisture is the number one pollutant in homes today and inadequate ventilation is one of the leading causes.<br /><br />There are only two places in homes today where ventilation is applied to insulation. They are crawl spaces and attics. Most people think the vents in crawl spaces and attics are there for the summer. If fact the vents are there for winter. In crawl spaces, heat from the floor above the crawl space begins to go through the insulation.<br /><br />The heat should first go through the vapor barrier, which reduces the moisture in the heat. Then the heat continues to travel through the insulation and when dew point is reached, there is insignificant moisture in the heat due to the vapor barrier for the heat to condense. If the vents are closed or blocked during the winter, though the moisture content of the heat was reduced, as more heat with moisture enter the crawl space, dew point will be reached and the heat will condense.<br /><br />This same principal applies in the attic. The vents provide for what is known as equilibrium relative humidity. Cold air usually contains less humidity than warm air. We also know that materials absorb and expel moisture. In fact most materials start out moist.<br /><br />Temperature and the type of the material determines the amount and rate of absorption and expelling (drying out process) of moisture in materials. We also know that heat is attracted to cooler surfaces and it is there where condensation usually occurs.<br /><br />This is illustrated below with black stains around nails. When it comes to crawl spaces, based on the aforementioned, it would be recommended to open the vents in the winter. In the summer because of the heat and humidity of the air outside the crawl space, coupled with the fact that the masonry (heat sink) in the crawl space would qualify as a cooler surface for the humidity to condense upon, it would be recommended that the vents be closed. With attics, your climate would determine ventilation.<br /><br />There are those who argue that in areas where heat and humidity is present most of the year, there should be no ventilation for the same reason mentioned above. I agree somewhat, except for the fact that there are no cool surfaces in an attic that could compare to masonry.<br /><br />Years ago when they didn't use insulation in homes, ventilation was not installed, even in areas where they had cold winters. It wasn't until they started putting insulation in homes that ventilation needed to be installed in attics. The reason was equilibrium relative humidity. Cold air outside during the winter usually has a low humidity level.<br /><br />Any heat with humidity in it that managed to get through the insulation, the low humidity cold air would absorb the humidity in the warm air in the attic. Thereby reducing the ability of the warm air to condense. In the attic there are usually telltale signs the indicate inadequate ventilation. The first sign is black stains around the nails on your roof in your attic. Another sign is you get ice damming in the winter. Though both of those signs could be a result of other things, ventilation would be the first thing you should look at.<br /><br />The rule with attic ventilation is that you need one square foot of free venting for every three hundred square feet of attic floor area. Free venting is when you have about the same amount of square footage of high vents, such as ridge and gable vents, and low vents, such as soffit vents.<br /><br />These vents must be unobstructed from each other. One way of illustrating free venting is putting a straw in a liquid, putting your finger on the top of the straw and removing it from the liquid. The liquid remains in the straw until you take away your finger from the top of the straw. If you tape up your gable vents or stuff your soffit vents to keep out squirrels, you do not have free venting. If you have adequate free venting in your attic, the temperature in your attic during the winter will be at or below the temperature outside.<br /><br />If you do not the temperature in the attic will be above the outside temperature. If this occurs the heat in your attic will condense against the coldest part of your attic and they are the nails in your roof. That is what causes the black stains around the nails. If you see golf ball size icicles hanging from these nails, make sure the attic entrance way closes properly, holes in the ceiling below get fixed or whole house fan louver in the hallway gets sealed during the winter.<br /><br />Too much heat and moisture in getting into the attic coupled with inadequate ventilation. Snow on your roof usually melts from the top of the snow, goes down your roof to your gutter. Then to your leader and away from the home. Ice damming usually occurs when there is inadequate ventilation in your attic. This will cause the temperature in your attic to rise above 32 degrees F.<br /><br />This will cause the snow to melt from underneath it and not from the top. The melted snow goes down your roof and when it reaches your gutter, because there is snow on top of it, the melted snow refreezes and dams back up the roof.<br /><br />Hence the term ice damming. If you look at how shingles are installed, the first row is put at the very bottom of the roof and subsequent rows on top. This application of the shingles are design for moisture to go down your roof and not up it. When the ice damming occurs on your roof, the moisture goes underneath the shingle and enters your home. In areas where you have cold winters, during the summer you should have attic ventilation and they should not be covered.<br /><br />The number of days and amount of humidity in this area pales in comparison to areas where they have it most of the year. It is unlikely, that a moisture problem would occur. Since insulation addresses diffusion, the insulation has the tendency to retain heat. This is good for heating but not so good for cooling.<br /><br />Even though the insulation resists the heat in the attic going into the home. This is the reason why attics in the summer will be hotter than the outside temperature. It also explains why the dominant heat transfer mechanism is not diffusion but is radiant during the cooling season. Most homes in areas where they experience cold winters will have thermostatically controlled ventilating fans to alleviate this problem during the summer. Other ways to alleviate radiant heat transfer are light colored or reflective roofing materials and radiant barriers. Sometimes people insulate their roof and the insulation falls down. You should not insulate the roof of an unfinished attic.<br /><br />The reason the insulation falls down is the same reason why the insulation falls down in a crawl space when the vapor barrier is installed incorrectly. The difference is in the crawl space the heat comes from the floor above the crawl space. In the attic the heat comes from the heat of the roof during the summer. As the roof gets hot the heat goes through the insulation, the moisture get trapped due to the vapor barrier. It makes the insulation heavy and it falls down. The other reason for not insulating roofs is that instead of the heat dissipating from the roof the insulation will retain it and bake your shingles.<br /><br />Finished attic, Cape cods, vaulted and cathedral ceilings usually have problems with their roof as a result of inadequate ventilation. Whenever a part of the room is part of a roof, the insulation must be kept at least two inches from the roof. In finished attics and Cape cods it is the slant wall. In vaulted and cathedral ceiling it is the ceiling.<br /><br />If the room already exists and you have problems with the roof and it needs to be replaced, consider installing a cold roof. The way to install a cold roof is to rip off old roof including the plywood exposing the rafters and insulation. Make sure there is no moisture damage to the rafter or insulation. This should be corrected before proceeding. Then install a perforated plywood usually a quarter inch thick to cover all the rafters. One by two-inch slats is nailed sixteen inches putting them over each rafter.<br /><br />Then the structural plywood is installed over this. This creates a one-inch gap between the two pieces of plywood from the bottom of the roof to the top. After the shingles are installed, a ridge vent is put at the top and a soffit vent at the bottom.<br /><br />Though the cold roof cost more to install, the difference is that of instead of your roof only lasting 15 years, it will last 30 to 40. The rule of free venting applies to all roofs, regardless of the kind of roof or how many roofs your home may have. Let's assume you have a split-level home with an attached garage and an addition. One level has a cathedral ceiling and the other an unfinished attic.<br /><br />The room above the garage is finished and the addition has a flat roof. The rule of free venting applies to all four roofs separately. P eople are always asking me about innovative products that can help them avoid some of the problems associated with moisture in the attic.<br /><br />This link is one such product for a pull down attic stairs.Folding Attic Stairs Insulation I am aware that this topic is complicated and some technical terms were unavoidable. Compounding this was different applications of ventilation in different areas of the world and seasons. There is a simple rule one can follow to alleviate the confusion with this topic.<br /><br />Read the instructions carefully on products concerning ventilation. These instructions will reflect the building codes in your area. The State agency and the manufacturer invest a good deal of time and effort to assure the purchaser of these products meet building codes for your specific area.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-20682626331249547302009-08-03T10:48:00.000-07:002009-10-20T16:23:02.871-07:00Home Performance with Energy StarEnergy Star Products/Appliances, Energy Star New Homes and the latest Home Performance with Energy Star are Federal government programs that are usually implemented by the State governments. While the focus on these programs is to encourage the conservation of energy the true reason for these programs is rarely understood by most people.<br /><br />For example, prior to the introduction of Energy Star Products/Appliances compact fluorescent light bulbs were very hard to find, as well as window/door weather stripping. At that time several years ago energy efficient appliances were mainly water heaters, heating and cooling systems. Refrigerators soon followed but the other numerous appliances found in our homes that could be more energy efficient were more or less ignored by manufacturers and retailers. Many look at this and say that this government program induced the manufacturers to make these products and retailers to put them on their shelves. In a sense that may be true but this program intentionally created consumer awareness and that created a demand and it is that demand that induced the manufacturers and retailers to react as they did.<br /><br />With Energy Star New Homes which came about far before the large increases in fuel prices the introduction of this program induced builders and developers to compete by offering products in their new homes that were energy efficient, such heating/cooling systems, insulation and appliances. Energy Star Homes was introduced in the late 1990's and became recognized soon after the turn of the century. The Department of Energy collects a lot of data and one such collection is the energy efficiency of newly built homes. If one was to look at that data in the early 2000's of a particular area where Energy Star Homes program existed you would see that the average new home was at least 15% more efficient when compared to statistics of the same area prior to the introduction of the program. At first glance one would assume the energy efficiency of Energy Star Homes caused the increase and they would be wrong. Further examination of that data would show that the average efficiency of an Energy Star Home was 30% more efficient that the average home being built at that time. However, Energy Star Homes that were being built during that time period represented less than 3% of the number of homes being built. Clearly the 30% more efficient Energy Star homes could not account for the overall 15% increase in homes being built during that time period. What is clear here is that the Energy Star New Homes created consumer awareness and that caused the developers and builders to react as they did.<br /><br />The newest of the Energy Star programs is the Home Performance. Its intention is similar to the other two programs and that is to create consumer awareness and that in turn would create demand. The appliance program successfully made products available and brought down the costs of those products to consumers through awareness and economy of scale. The same is true for new homes. The home performance program is designed to address the existing home retrofit or renovation market. The first aspect of this program deals with “Health and Safety”. Conservation may have its merits however the credo for all professions apply, “Do no harm”. Since moisture is the number one pollutant found in homes today and air exchange is a major factor in the extraction of moisture from our homes, “Air Sealing” reduces the amount of air exchange to conserve energy. The implication here is that making our homes too tight will produce unhealthy indoor environments. The truth though is the vast majority of homes today far exceed the minimum ventilation guide and in most cases more than double it. This program addresses this issue by measuring the home first to determine if air sealing is warranted and then air sealing. Afterwards the house is measured again to verify that minimum ventilation have not been violated. <br /><br />There are several prerequisites for air sealing to be done in a home that pertain to moisture. Such as clothes dryer and bathroom exhausts must exit the home and work properly, indoor pools and spas must be physically separated from the main house, no plumbing leaks and water problems in the basement, even a roof leak would prohibit air sealing under this program. If found the occupants of the dwelling is made aware of any findings that prohibit air sealing and if they address the findings air sealing can proceed.<br /> <br />This program takes this a step further, especially since it is a consumer awareness program. Gas pipes are checked for leaks, ambient Carbon Monoxide measured both with combustion appliances off and then on, combustion appliances tested for efficiency and draft, combustion appliances zones tested for pressure, as well as flues. These tests are not new. What this program attempts to do is make the consumer aware of these tests and make them part of the regular service contracts to these appliances. These tests do not take long to do and fairly easy for a professional to do while servicing the appliances. These findings can also prohibit air sealing until addressed by the occupants. All this may sound like a lot but in reality it is not for a professional. Regardless if you are going to air seal your home or not this program does a lot for maintaining if not improving the indoor air quality of your home. People are just not aware of the simple measures one can take to accomplish it.<br /><br />While air sealing is done to conserve energy, this is still a consumer awareness program. It does so by demonstrating to the occupants of these dwelling the increased comfort and reduction of energy bills in their homes from air sealing. But more importantly it illustrates to the occupants the impact on their comfort and energy bills from the electrician, heating/cooling contractor, plumber, cable and others who cut holes in their “Air Boundary” in the course of their jobs. The fact is that it is easier to seal the hole than it is to cut it. Consumers should ask the contractors what they intend to do to seal the holes they create in your home. Because they do not ask contractors that question those holes are never sealed. This is in fact the ultimate goal of this program and that is to make consumers aware and create a demand until it becomes a standard.<br /><br />Unlike the appliance and new home programs which has had considerable success in raising the standards with products and new homes the home performance program has not. The first argument one might hear is that it is a fairly new program. While we might hear a lot of reasons for its poor performance this Aurthur does not agree with them. The saying “Timing is everything” clearly applies here. The introduction of this program came about during one of the worse economic crisis this country has ever experienced. As a result the administrators of this program reacted or overreacted. They viewed this program as an energy conservation program and an economic stimulus program. It is true that this program will create jobs but when you involve contractors that can manipulate numbers so one can qualify for better incentives or make it an incentive for huge rebates under a different program it diminishes the goal of the program by reducing its objectivity. The “Home Performance with Energy Star” program in New Jersey is in trouble and is highly likely to miss its ultimate objective, which is to raise the standards for all consumers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-23968417689916876182009-08-03T10:44:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:45:38.198-07:00Thermal BoundariesThermal Boundaries are the parts of the home that physically separate the conditioned space of the home from the unconditioned spaces. This is where insulation should be applied and where you get the most efficient use of insulation. An example of this is a home with an attached garage.<br /><br />The wall that separates the living space and the garage is part of the thermal boundary, whereas the wall that separates the garage and outside the garage is not.<br /><br />Breaks in the thermal boundary affect the effectiveness of the insulation. There have been many studies throughout the U.S. that suggest breaks in thermal boundaries reduce the effectiveness of insulation by as much as forty percent. In other words, for every dollar you spent on the insulation, you only receive the benefit of sixty cents. In attics the most common breaks are gaps in the insulation.<br /><br />Especially around vent stacks, electrical lines, recess lights, chimney chases, stairwells into attics, drop ceilings in bathrooms, just to mention a few. It is very cost effective to fill in these gaps, primarily due to it's access.<br /><br />For walls, it is a different story. If you live in a home that does not have insulation in the walls it is cost effective to have insulation blown in. It is necessary for you to ask the contractor on the techniques they will use to prohibit breaks and settling of the insulation.<br /><br />It would be nice if the contractor uses thermal imaging after the job is done to verify there are no breaks in the insulation. To avoid settling, most contractors use dense packing as there method.<br /><br />For homes that have some insulation in the walls it is usually not cost effective to have insulation installed. The most common breaks in the wall insulation are electrical outlets and switches, plumbing, braces, fire stops and the rough openings around windows and doors. The problem here is the cost to correct this verses the benefit you will receive.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-57123058769367047632009-08-03T10:42:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:48:19.774-07:00Insulation TypesThere are several types of insulation one can use to insulate a home. The most widely known is fiberglass (FG). The other kinds are rock wool, cellulose and foam. They come in different forms like batts, rigid board, loose fill and liquid. All insulation is rated for resistance to heat flow, which is represented in "R" and a number, such as R-11. This means that 1/11 of a BTU per one square inch is this insulation heat flow. This is based on the dominant heat transfer mechanism of diffusion and not radiant or convection. An R-19 would mean 1/19 of a BTU. What this illustrates to you is why the higher the R - value, the greater the insulation value you will have. In other words, there is more BTU's lost with R-11 than R-19.<br /><br />The time and temperature difference was not included to illustrate the difference between 1/11 and 1/19 and which one is a smaller number. Vapor barriers were invented for insulation. That means it is only used with insulation. When homes were not insulated, there was no need for a vapor barrier. Once insulation was put in a home, it was found out that a moisture problem occurred within the insulation. Since all heat has moisture in it and the dominant heat transfer mechanism in heating is diffusion, it was apparent the moisture problem was a result of dew point being reached inside the insulation. There are basically two ways to prohibit heat from condensing inside insulation.<br /><br />First is to reduce the volume of air inside the insulation, which was not feasible when insulation was first introduced because the thermal effect came from trapped air inside the insulation.<br /><br />The second is to reduce the amount of humidity in the heat so that when dew point is reached inside the insulation it could not condense. Vapor barriers do not address diffusion, what it does is prohibit the heat inside the insulation from condensing by reducing the moisture content in the heat.<br /><br />Vapor barriers are rated for performance just like insulation. It is recommended the rating for vapor barriers should be SP-15. This rating has nothing to do with rating the insulation. Though the vapor barrier may have some thermal effect, it will be rated in "R" values with the insulation, a separate and different performance rating.<br /><br />Where and when should a vapor barrier be installed? This is where all the conflicting theories come from. In areas where you have cold winters, the vapor barrier should be between inside the home and insulation. In areas where the climate is dry, no vapor barrier. In areas where it is hot and humid, the vapor barrier should outside the insulation and the home. Where vapor barriers are applied the factor that you should be concerned about is heat is attracted to cold and heat condenses on cooler surfaces. In fact, surfaces inside the insulation qualify as a cooler surface. Where vapor barriers should not be applied, the factor you should be concerned with is equilibrium relative humidity. What this fancy term means is, if the air is very dry, it has the capacity to absorb the humidity in any heat present, thereby prohibiting condensation. It also means that if the heat is dry, it does not possess the ability to condense inside insulation. This is why in dry climates vapor barriers is not recommended.<br /><br />In areas where you have cold winters, the heat inside he home is attracted to the cold outside. Since heat usually condenses against cooler surfaces and surfaces inside the insulation qualify as a cooler surface, the vapor barrier is put between the insulation and inside the home. This is done to prohibit condensation by reducing the moisture content in the heat.<br /><br />In areas where it is hot and humid, the heat outside the home is attracted to the air conditioned space inside. So the cooler surfaces where the heat will condense is inward when cooling a home instead of outward when heating a home. Therefore the vapor barrier should be between the heat outside and the insulation. The problem with cooling is that the dominant heat transfer mechanism is radiant, unlike with heating, it's diffusion. To alleviate this problem, most contractors will use foil faced insulation, where the foil vapor barrier acts as a radiant barrier too.<br /><br />I am aware that this raises more questions than answers. The sole purpose was to take away some of the confusion with insulation and understand the different applications with it. For those that require more information, you can e-mail me by clicking on ask an expert.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-71848100786853101142009-08-02T10:41:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:44:42.223-07:00Heat Pumps and Geothermal Heat PumpsHeat Pumps and Geothermal Heat Pumps are excellent cooling systems. In the heating mode these systems are not as good as other systems. When there is a great demand for heat in your home, an electric heater inside the unit comes on. These systems are not recommended for places that have very cold winters.<br /><br />Though many will argue with me. Many of the same problems that exist for combination units apply here. Furthermore a Geothermal unit is the most expensive unit to install than any other unit. Geothermal unit are excellent in areas where they have warm weather most of the year and use heat infrequently, like Florida and Georgia.<br /><br />The normal heat pump works just like your refrigerator. It extracts the heat from the outside air by using a liquid refrigerant that is cooler than the air outside. As the liquid refrigerant obtains heat from the outside it begins to vaporize. Hence the term evaporator-coil. Then it goes to a compressor where the refrigerant is pressurized into a high-pressure gas that becomes hot.<br /><br />This hot gas is then led into a coil inside the home where it gives off heat because it is hotter than the air passing over the coil. As it does this, the gas begins to liquefy. Hence the term condenser-coil. The liquefied refrigerant then goes through some type of metering valve that reduces the pressure on the refrigerant causing it to drop temperature, which is sent to the outside evaporator coil. The cycle is then repeated.<br /><br />In the cooling mode the cycle and coils function are reversed. The theory here is that opposing temperatures want to equalize. In other words, let's say the vaporized refrigerant captures 100 BTU's of heat from the outside air. When the gas is compressed, it becomes hotter than the air inside the home. When this gets to the inside coil, it expels the 100 BTU's of heat to the home. The reverse is true in the cooling cycle. The biggest problem with an air to air heat pump in the winter is ice. Cold air cannot hold a lot of humidity so its humidity levels are usually high, such as 70 to 80%. What this means is that it does not take a lot of temperature drop for condensation to occur.<br /><br />So as the evaporator-coil extracts the heat from the outside air, the air around the coil start forming condensation on or near the evaporator-coil. Because of the extraction of heat from the refrigerant, the air around the coil usually drops below freezing and ice forms on and around the coil. It is good to note that ice on a heat pump either in the heating or cooling mode is not suppose to be there.<br /><br />Unfortunately in the heating mode ice is sometimes unavoidable. Heating elements or reversing cycle usually used to get rid of the ice. In the cooling mode, ice is usually a sign that something is wrong and the unit should be serviced. One of the factors that affect the heap pump in the heating mode is the amount of BTU's available in the air outside during the winter. As the temperature outside begins to drop, so does the amount of BTU's of heat available in the outside air.<br /><br />However, as the temperature outside drops, the demand for BTU's of heat increases inside the home. In other words, as the outside temperature drops the temperature difference between the refrigerant and the outside temperature decreases but the inside demand for heat increases. The temperature difference determines the amount of heat extracted from the air outside. This causes an electric heater inside the heat pump to come on to meet this demand. Your fuel bills increase dramatically as a result. This is why heat pumps do not work very well in cold climates. There are instances where your only choice is a heat pump. In the case of high rise condos where they utilize several through the wall units.<br /><br />To me this is a very poor choice. If I were to design a heating system for this application and since the options limited to heat pumps, the type that I would choose would be an air to water heat pump. The distribution system would be a radiant floor system with an electric hot water booster to supplement the heat pump if need be.<br /><br />The reason for this particular type of system is because radiant floor heating systems have the lowest operating temperature of all other types of distribution systems and the heat is distributed where you feel it the most. The way this system would be designed is the outside coil would capture the heat from the air with a vaporized refrigerant and then sent into the home. This gas would go through a compressor that causes it to become very hot. This will then go into a coil located inside a tank filled with water. The water then acquires the heat captured from the outside, the liquefied refrigerant is then sent to an expansion valve where the cycle begins again. The water in the tank is distributed throughout the home via a pump and series of pipes located in the floor. Then the water is sent back to the tank but before entering the tank the water goes through an electric hot water booster. The booster comes on depending upon the temperature of the water in the tank.<br /><br />The unique aspect of the booster is that it will assists in the defrosting of the outside coil. And at the same time maintain the temperature of the water in the tank. The reason why the radiant floor system is used instead of baseboards is their operating temperature is lower than for baseboards. This system in the cooling mode is accomplished by diverter valves on the hoses that go to and from a cooling coil.<br /><br />The geothermal heat pump uses the ground for its source of BTU's. Theoretically, there are unlimited amounts of heating BTU's in the earth. If you understand how this system works, the term thermal mass plays a major factor. Thermal mass is anything that can hold and collect either heating or cooling. In the heating mode, the cool refrigerant is sent into the ground. Where the temperature is constant and not affected by the temperature above ground. Since the refrigerant is cooler than the ground, it extracts BTU's of heat from the ground and brings it into the home. This extraction of BTU's are considered cooling BTU's left in the ground. The fields in which these BTU's are extracted become a thermal mass. At the beginning of the heating season there is a low demand for heating BTU's in the home. This thermal mass of cooling BTU's dissipates easily. As the winter goes on, it takes longer and longer to dissipate. At the peak of the heating season where the demand for heating BTU's will be at its most, this field will probably be at its lowest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-27504979603596542452009-08-02T10:40:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:41:26.062-07:00Ductless Split SystemsDuctless split system was probably the first type of air-conditioner. It's making come back in the U.S. and is widely used in countries like Japan. If you look at a window unit, you will notice in the front of the unit there is a cooling coil, a fan and control knobs. In the back there is another coil and a compressor. What connects the two ends are two hoses and an expansion valve. If you were to extend the two hoses to ten feet or more to separate the front end and back. You would have a ductless split system.<br /><br />Most of the noise that comes from a window unit comes from the compressor. This system takes the compressor and puts it outside the home. The two hoses are connected to the compressor and the evaporator coil outside and the hoses goes into the home and attaches to the cooling coil. There are several advantages to the split ductless system. They are quiet, easy to install, can be installed on any wall or ceiling and can have up five zones. It used to be that these units were permanent, not any more.<br /><br />These units install very easily and if you rent and move, all you have to do is disconnect the unit and pack up the parts. Afterwards, all you have to do is patch up a three inch diameter hole. Most ductless split systems are used primarily as cooling systems in the United States. They are usually manufactured as air to air heat pumps.<br /><br />As a primary heat source heat pumps would not be recommended for areas where the winters are very cold. The reason for this is discussed in the geothermal/heat pump topic. Rarely would I recommend the ductless split heat pump as a primary heat source, however, there are instances that it would be. High rise apartments or condos that utilize several through the wall heat pumps. These units resemble an in the wall over-sized air conditioner.<br /><br />The problem with these through the wall heat pumps is that they conduct heat easily because of their design. Ductless split heat pumps eliminate this conductive heat loss. It also gives more options on where the inside units are located. It does not necessarily have to be on an outside wall. Furthermore, you can have up to five units inside and only one unit outside. Most of these systems come with a remote control and can be programmed. This comes in very handy with smart house technology where you can control the heating and air conditioning remotely through the web or by phone. So if you in your car and you forgot to lower the thermostat, you could call your home and do it from there. The heat pump would be my last choice as a primary heat source.<br /><br />Where the ductless split heat pump shines is when it is used as a supplement heating and cooling system. Let's say you have an addition put on your home and you extend your present heating and cooling system to it.<br /><br />The addition becomes the center of activity in your home where everyone spends most of their time, which was the purpose for putting on the addition. Your energy bills increase because you are heating and cooling the entire home just for the addition. If the addition consisted of more than one room or a very large room, the ductless split system allows you to have more than one unit inside to better distribute the heating or cooling.<br /><br />The way this system saves you money is by lowering the thermostat in the main part of the home and adjusting the thermostat for the heat pump in the addition. Most contractors would recommend a separate heating and cooling system for the addition. This is not a supplementary system, it is a primary heating and cooling system. A primary and cooling system cost a lot more to operate than a supplementary system does and in my opinion the supplementary system will do a better job.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-20675590059598653282009-08-02T10:37:00.001-07:002009-08-17T10:39:34.887-07:00Combination Heating and CoolingCombination heating and cooling units are by far the most common found in residential homes today. The reason for this is cost. The duct distribution system is used for both heating and cooling.<br /><br />This is the only advantage this system has over two separate systems. The disadvantages are location of registers, ducts not insulated, system design, units longevity and cost of operation. The location of registers plays a major factor on how well this system works as far as your comfort and fuel bills are concerned. Heating registers are located near the floor and cooling near the ceiling.<br /><br />The reasons for this are hot air rises and cool air drops. In most cases with combination units the registers are located at the floor level. The reason for this is heating is considered more important than cooling. What usually occurs here is the heating of the home is fine, but the cooling is not.<br /><br />The problem is the return are registers located at the floor. In the cooling mode the return is taking the coolest air in the home, which you want to stay in the home, and brings it back into the system. The warmest air in the home is at the ceiling and it just stays there. The most cost-effective way to alleviate this is to the create a single large return at the highest point in the home. You must be able to control this return along with all the others in the home. The high return must be closed during the winter because you want the warmest air in the home to stay and the low returns must be open because you want the coolest air in the home brought into the system and be heated.<br /><br />The reverse is true for cooling. Most combination units ducts are located in the basement and they are rarely insulated. In the cooling mode you will see these ducts sweat. The reason for this is the same reason a soda can sweats when you take it out of the refrigerator during the summer. The soda in the can is so cool that it forces the air outside the can to condense on the can. The more the soda can sweats, the warmer the soda gets. The same principal applies to your ducts in the cooling mode. The more they sweat, the warmer the air inside the ducts get, the more it cost you to cool your home. Have ever seen those foam rubber cups they slide soda cans in? What occurs is the air cannot touch the can, the result is the soda stays cooler longer.<br /><br />The same principal applies to your ducts in the basement. If you wrap insulation around the ducts, the air cannot touch the ducts, the result is the air inside the ducts stays cooler and it cost you less to cool your home. The ducts that are enclosed in ceilings and walls are already separated from the air. By the way you will save on you fuel bill with heating too, but not as much as cooling. The system design is flawed and there is very little you can do about it, but you do need to understand it.<br /><br />Contractors use what is known as Manual "D" to determine the distribution system, meaning the length and size of the ducts. If you know anything about this Manual, you will see the heating and cooling duct design is a compromise. The specifications for heating only and cooling only are much different than heating and cooling.<br /><br />Another problem is the fan is located before the heat exchanger and the cooling coil is after the exchanger. In the heat mode the cooling coil will have very little affect on the air flow, because warm air move fairly easy. In the cooling mode the heat exchanger, because the new energy efficient system design is usually increased surface area and cool air is heavier and denser, this will impede the air flow to the cooling coil. For this reason, it is almost mandatory that a two stage fan be installed in combination units.<br /><br />The second stage of the fan increases velocity to move the air pass the exchanger to cooling coil and through the ducts. Whenever you heat a material, the heating deteriorates the material. Imagine a portion of the year you extremely heat this material and the other portion of the year you extremely cool it. The longevity of a combination unit is clearly less than that of a heating unit only. The extremes in a combination unit accelerate its deterioration.<br /><br />The cost of operation on a combination unit will be more than a heating or cooling system only. For all the reasons stated above.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-66492343818006210142009-08-02T10:37:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:39:49.144-07:00Window and Wall UnitsWindow/Wall units are very popular and inexpensive. They are portable and are easily installed in windows. Wall units are more permanent. Both units need to be sealed during the winter if the window units are not taken out. In both cases it is better to seal them from the inside than the outside. Some units will void the warranty if you cover them from the outside.<br /><br />The best way to seal them from the inside is to take off the front cover, fold the wire inside the unit and put a piece of plastic over the front and put the front cover back on. Then trim the excess plastic around the unit. If the unit is in the window, the place where the two sashes meet should also be sealed.<br /><br />Take a piece of foam rubber and slip it between the two sashes at the top of the bottom sash. Then tape it air tight. It is good to note that the air control knob should be closed during the winter.<br /><br />There are advantages to using window units for your cooling needs. Versatility of these units is superior to any other type of cooling system. This is apparent when cooling your bedroom at night instead of the entire home. If the unit in your bedroom failed, it would take less than an hour to remove it from the window and replace it with a unit from another room. If you compare the cost of purchase of these units to cool your entire home to central cooling systems, you'll see there is not that much difference. The real difference is when the systems need maintenance or replacement.<br /><br />The disadvantages to window/wall units are inconvenience, though their purpose certainly out weighs it. Most manufacturers try to eliminate the most common complaint about window units and that is noise. Their appearance and sound gives occupants the feeling that these units do not belong.<br /><br />Unlike central systems that are a lot quieter and appear to be part of the structure, window units appear and sound intrusive. Not only from the interior but also the exterior. There is no mistaking a gray metal box extruding from a window. Another concern is dry rot if the unit is left in the window for several years. Moisture and dirt builds up on the sill and degrades the paint and eventually rots the wood. It is recommended that every other year the unit should be taken out, the sill cleaned and painted.<br /><br />You should also inspect around the perimeter of through the wall units annually, both interior and exterior, and caulk and paint where necessary. It is the inconvenience that window units have that makes central systems more favored over them. This does not mean that central systems are as cost effective or versatile as window/wall units.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-60778534224942192412009-08-02T10:36:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:39:59.697-07:00High Velocity Cooling SystemsHigh velocity cooling systems work the same as low velocity systems except they differ in the size of ducts, fan speeds and location of fan. One of the reasons why these systems cost more than most systems is installation.<br /><br />Due to the duct design and fan speed, pressure and the velocity of the air mandate the ducts be sealed. One of the unique aspects of these systems is the supply ducts are usually only 3 inches in diameter. They can easily be slid down a wall cavity. Another one is due to the velocity of the air in the ducts; mufflers are installed just prior to the diffusers.<br /><br />These systems work very well and are ideal in retrofits. The only real disadvantage to these systems are the cost and they are noticeable when they go on and off. If you home have steam, electric baseboard or hot water as your heating system and you wish to have central air conditioning installed in your home, you have several options.<br /><br />This actually depends upon the type of home you have. These by the way are my recommendations. Even if you had a forced hot air heating system, I would recommend a separate cooling system. The reason for this is explained in Combination topic. If you have a single story home like a ranch or split-level with a full unfinished attic, the best choice here would be a low velocity cooling system.<br /><br />If you have a two-story home with an unfinished attic, your choices are window/wall units, ductless split, low velocity and high velocity. High velocity is probably the best choice with a two-story ho<br />me with an unfinished attic. The way this system would be installed is by putting the air handler in the attic. If at all possible put it on the second floor and suspend it from the ceiling either in a closet or laundry room. A duct will attach at each end of the air handler usually about 18 inches in diameter. The supply main duct is usually laid in the attic along one side of it. Off the main duct come feed ducts to each room.<br /><br />This feed duct is usually three inches in diameter. At the end of this duct just before the diffuser a muffler is installed to eliminate any noise that may be created from the velocity of the air.<br /><br />The diffusers are usually no more than six inches in diameter and are not noticeable. The return ducting system does not necessarily have to be in each room. Most installations will use a single return located strategically in the ceiling of the upstairs hallway. This is based on the premise that hot air rises and you can take in more air through a duct than you can put through it.<br /><br />The best way to illustrate this to you is drinking soda through a straw. If you were to take the soda into your mouth through the straw, you would see it is done easily and quickly. If you were to then try to push the soda in your mouth through the straw it would be difficult and slow. Another aspect of this is, if you made the container of the soda air tight except for the straw and attempted to draw soda from it, it would be very difficult if not impossible. It is not necessary for you to know the physics of pressurizing and depressurizing areas and its tendency to equalize but you do have to have an understanding of it. For this applies to all forced air systems.<br /><br />Ideally a supply and return should be located in each room. In actual application, this is never done. The reasons for this are practicality and cost. In the case where several rooms are located and there are no doors that can impede the airflow, like the kitchen, family, living and dining rooms.<br /><br />If a single return located in one of the rooms, the warm air at the ceiling would move easily to the return. This is not only practical but cost effective. On the other hand take a bedroom with the return located in the hallway that serves all the bedrooms. When the bedroom door is closed it impedes the flow of warm air to the return from that bedroom.<br /><br />Hence it prohibits the amount of cool air that comes out of the supply. In other words you cannot blow air into a room without taking out the same volume of air. There are several options to correct this. Leave the bedroom doors open, put vents on the walls near the ceiling in the hallway for every bedroom or put a return in every bedroom.<br /><br />What most people misunderstand is that the return system is a very important part of your distribution system. In other words the location of the returns and the configuration of your home determines the distribution of cooling in every room. Though you may be able to cool the entire home with the single return, the difference is how well it does it and how much it will cost to do it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9198753765051457820.post-84145054627795173882009-08-02T10:35:00.000-07:002009-08-17T10:40:09.567-07:00Low Velocity Cooling SystemsLow Velocity Cooling Systems<br /><br />Low velocity cooling systems are the most common because they are easy to install and are quiet. These use a return and supply ducting distribution system and are usually located in attics. All the registers supply and return, are located in or near the ceilings of the home.<br /><br />The way these systems work is the warmest air in the home is located at the ceilings where the registers are and the return register takes this air into the system. It is cleaned first through the use of a filter. The primary purpose of the filter is the fan and/or cooling coil were to get dirty, you would have problems with the unit.<br /><br />Once this is done the warm air is then blown over a cooling coil where the heat is extracted from the air. Then the cooler air is distributed through the home via the supply ducts. Because hot air rises and cool airdrops, couple with the fact the registers location in the ceiling, the fan for these systems are usually 2,000 to 3,000 CFM.<br /><br />The results are quietness and an unawareness when these systems go on and off. On top of all that, they cool the home extremely well. This system has a flawless design; it is the installation that has concerns. Attics can reach temperatures above 135 degrees F. and though these air handlers are insulated, that attic temperature will have an adverse affect on your cooling cost. The best location for the air handler is to suspend it from the ceiling inside the home in a closet or laundry room and feed the return and supply ducts into the attic. The next concern is leaky ductwork.<br /><br />If flexible ductwork is used, without question, your ducts are leaky. After inspecting well over 10,000 homes with this type of system, not one was ever found not to be leaky. Some of the places you will find leaks are; the access panel for air handler, after a few times of opening and closing the weather stripping wears off, access ports for wires and hoses on air handler, they are poorly sealed or not at all. Others are the return and supply plenums, all couplings, flexible ducts attached to couplings and more. An example of duct sealing cooling systems is to remove the flexible duct from the main trunk.<br /><br />The coupling will be exposed. Where the coupling joins with the trunk, take mastic with a putty knife and seal where the two meet. Then take the flexible duct and pull back the insulation exposing the duct. Slip the duct onto the coupling making sure it is kept one inch away from the trunk. Then take a strap clamp and secure the flexible duct to the coupling. Where you left that one inch gap between the duct and trunk, take a piece of saran wrap and wrap it around the flexible duct and coupling. Tape over that and slide the insulation up until it is snug against the trunk. Tape the insulation to the trunk and that joint is sealed.<br /><br />This system must be sealed during the winter. The best way to do so is to take down the registers. Take a plastic bag and crumple some newspaper in it so the bag is fluffy. Stuff the bag into the duct and take a piece of saran wrap to cover the opening and then reinstall the register. If your return register has a filter in it, take it out and wrap it in a plastic bag and reinsert. If you do not do this, warm air will enter the system during the winter and condense. It will also lower your fuel bills if you seal the system during the winter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0