DIAGNOSTIC SURVEY REPORT

Results of Visual-Nondestructive In-home Survey

Prepared For
Paul Mall
9999 Anywhere
Downtown, MD 20817

Prepared By
Arthur Lazerow

Inspection Date
10/10/2009

RESNET
APPROVED
www.resnet.us
In 2008, the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) adopted the first ever national standard for the
performance of energy audits on existing homes. Almost at the same time, the Obama administration, the
Senate and the House of Representatives are in agreement that a primary path for decreasing the energy use
of our existing homes and businesses is through the application of energy efficiency upgrades. On February
17, 2009, President Obama signed the 2009 stimulus bill (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009) that made significant changes to the energy efficiency tax credits. The highlights of these changes are:

The tax credits that were previously effective for 2009, have been extended to 2010.
The tax credit percentage has been raised from 10% to 30%.
The tax credits that were for a specific dollar amount (ex $300 for a CAC) have been converted to 30% of
the cost.
The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1500 for 2009 and 2010. However, some
improvements such as geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels are not subject to
the $1,500 maximum credit.

In addition, the US Department of Energy has announced that 5 billion dollars has been allocated for the
Weatherization Assistance Program. This money will be used to insulate, seal leaks, or modernize heating and
air conditioning equipment for low-income families "at a cost of up to $6,500 per home." The assistance is for
families making up to approximately $44,000 per year in the lower 48 states, $55,140 per year in Alaska, and
$50,720 per year in Hawaii.

There has never been a better time to improve the energy efficiency of your home. There are numerous
issues we are dealing with as a nation:
The nation cannot address its energy and environmental issues without improving the energy
performance of buildings.
According to the Energy Information Agency 70% of all electricity consumed in the U.S. is from buildings
(36% from residential buildings).
39% of carbon emissions in the U.S. comes from buildings (21% from residential buildings).
The International Energy Agency reported that improving the energy performance of buildings
represents the most cost effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions.
“If every American household replaces light bulbs in their five most frequently used fixtures with ENERGY
STAR compact fluorescent bulbs, we could save more than $8 billion in annual energy costs and prevent
greenhouse gasses equal to the emissions of more than 10-million cars.” Lynn Clement of Focus on
Energy
The EPA estimates that more than 1.25 trillion gallons of water, which would equal the annual combined
water use of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, leaks from US homes each year.

Your home works as a system of interacting components. An energy survey considers the interaction of these
components and seeks to provide a combination of improvements that maximize the energy savings for you
the homeowner. As such, I recommend concentrating on sealing of the heat and air system and ducts first, air
sealing between the house and the attic second, adding insulation third, and then considering what other
improvements you want to make after that. I can help you find contractors to perform the energy efficiency
upgrades on your house.

Sincerely,
Inspection Date: 10/10/2009 Inspection Time: 12:45 am
Name: Paul Mall Home Owner Concerns:

Address: 9999 Anywhere

Downtown MD 20817 Energy Efficiency of Building Ext. Walls
Home Phone: 301-555-1212
Cell Phone: 301-555-1222
Fax: 301-555-1213 Rooms With Pressure Outside the +/- 3 Pascals Threshold

Email: None Room Pressure 0

Room Pressure 0
Year Built: 1950 Square Feet: 2235
Room Pressure 0
Climate Zone: 2 Volume: 19800
CFM50: 8500 NACH: 1.29 Adequate Whole House Ventilation?: No

COMPONENTS

Exterior Brick: Yes Wall Construction: Wood

Exterior Rock: No Cantilever Floor: No
Exterior Siding: Masonite Laundry Faucets: 1
Slab: No Lavatory Faucets: 4
Crawl Space: No Kitchen Faucets: 1
Basement: Conditioned Floors: 2
Bath Exhaust: Yes Condensation: No
Bath Exhaust Outside: Yes
Condensation Location:
Kitchen Exhaust: Yes
Kitchen Exhaust Outside: No

ATTIC INSPECTION

Attic Insulation R-Value: 19 Attic Insulation Type: Fiberglass

Wall Insulation R-Value: 11 Wall Insulation Type: Fiberglass
Framed Floor Insulation R-Value: 0 Framed Floor Insulation Type: None

Furrdowns Sealed?: N/A Floor Joists Blocked?: Yes

Fireplace Sealed?: No Plate Penetrations Sealed?: No
Hot Walls Backed?: No Kneewalls Backed?: No
Skylights Insulated?: No Skylights Backed?: No
Chases Needing Sealing: 1 Attic Doors Needing Sealing: 1

Ventilation 1:300: Yes Chimney Blockage?: N/A

Vent Type: Passive
LIGHTS, WINDOWS, DOORS

# of Unsealed Can Lights: 4 # of Incandescent Bulbs: 15

# of Other Hard Wired Light Fixtures: 7 # of Light Fixtures Eligible for CFL: 22
# of Windows Not Low E: 12 Window Frame: Wood
Window Type: Single # of Exterior Doors Needing Sealing: 2

APPLIANCES

Refrigerator Age: 17 Refrigerator Efficiency: Non-ES

Freezer Age: 0 Freezer Efficiency:

Dishwasher Age: 12 Dishwasher Efficiency: Non-ES

Clothes Washer Age: 12 Clothes Washer Efficiency: Non-ES
Clothes Dryer Age: 12 Clothes Dryer Efficiency: Non-ES
Trash Compactor Age: 0 Trash Compactor Efficiency:

Microwave Age: 4 Microwave Efficiency: Non-ES

MISCELLANEOUS

Utility Bills Requested: Yes

Was Rater Referred: Yes

Name of Referred Rater: GWS - (888) 488-0206

Comments:
Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning System Number: 1

Heating Unit Model: Trane XP7485673 Heating Unit Make: Trane

Heating Unit Type: Furnace Heating Fuel Type: Gas

Condenser Make: Trane BP6466 Heating Efficiency: 65%

Condenser Tonnage: 3.5 Condenser Model: MG432

End of Lifecycle?: Yes Cooling Efficiency: SEER 10

Mechanical Ventilation?: No Location: Basement

Unit Orientation: Vertical Combustion Air Provided?: No

Unit Type: Upflow Condition of Exhaust Air Vent: Good

Duct System Sealed: No Duct Location: Conditioned

Duct Insulation R-Value: 0 Duct Type: Metal

Air Filters Clean?: Yes Evidence of Flame Rollout?: No

CFM25: 2000 Heating Unit in Conditioned Space?: Yes

Water Heater System Number: 1

Unit Model: AO 65 Unit Make:

Unit Capacity: 65 Fuel Type: Gas

Unit Age: 3
 BENEFITS

Reduce Dust and Moisture Intrusion

Reduce Greenhouse Gasses Consider replacing your older cooling and

Improve Indoor Air Quality

Avoid Carbon Monoxide

heating systems with EPA Energy Star units.

Reduce Radon Hazards

Improve Resale Value

Reduce Energy Costs
Reduce Air Pollution

And remember to purchase EPA Energy Star

Improve Comfort

rated appliances for your home.

BENEFITS ENERGY SAVING ACTIONS

Turn off lights and ceiling fans in unoccupied rooms
Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry

FREE
Clean refrigerator condenser coils annually
Use energy saving setting on all appliances
Repair leaking toilets and faucets
Set water heater to 120o F

1 YEAR PAYBACK
Install compact fluorescent light bulbs
Seal all leaks in air ducts
Install low-flow faucet aerators & shower heads
Replace broken windows
Install insulation jacket on water heater (check warrenty)
Install a programmable thermostat and USE IT
3 YEAR PAYBACK

Insulate exterior walls to at least R-13

Control indoor air pressure to avoid back-drafting
Seal air leaks in building envelope from the inside
Insulate attic to DOE specifications
Insulate attic knee walls to DOE specifications
Insulate rim-joists to at least R-13
 COST SAVINGS ESTIMATE
The only accurate method to determine actual savings by replacing energy consuming items is to perform a
Comprehensive Home Energy Analysis of your particular home using a computer simulation with your specific costs of
energy in your location. This is called a CHEA and involves a rating of your home. There is however a range of replacement
costs and savings, which can be generalized using average BTU per year (MMBtu/Yr). Your actual usage might be higher or
lower in your location, building components and lifestyle. The chart below gives a range of savings estimates to help you
decide on cost effective repairs to your home. The chart below is for general guidance only. The normal starting point for
cost effective retrofit deals with duct system sealing, air sealing, and insulation. Note that each home will achieve differing
energy savings dependant on the components and configuration of the house.

Current Upgrade MMBtu/Yr Percent Typical

Component Efficiency/ Efficiency/ Savings Energy Cost
Base: 328.8 Savings Range**
Component Component
MMBtu/Yr
Duct Sealing 30% leakage to 5% leakage to 26.4 8-12% $750 to $1200
outside outside
Attic Seal 0.57 NACH 0.20 NACH 34 10-15% $0.50 to
$1.50/sf
Knee Walls- R-15 with R-4.0 1-3% $2.00 to
R-11 no backing backing
0.6
$4.00/sf
140 square feet
Attic insulation R-10 R-40 blown 17.5 5-10% $1.00 to
$2.50/sf
Combination of As above As above 78.5 23-27% $4800 to
first four above $11,500
Paint added to roof 6 1-4% $2.00 to
Radiant barrier None deck $4.00/sf
Compact Change 50% of 1.5 1-4% $6.00 to
Fluorescents Incandescent existing bulbs $15.00/bulb
Compact Change 80% of 2.4 1-5% $6.00 to
Incandescent
Fluorescents existing bulbs $15.00/bulb
Furnace 65 AFUE 80 AFUE 37.7 11-15% $2000 to
$4000
Furnace 65 AFUE 92 AFUE 61.6 18-22% $2000 to
$4000
Air Conditioner 6.5 SEER 13 SEER 26 7-10% $2000 to
$4000
Air Conditioner 6.5 SEER 16 SEER 30.7 9-12% $2000 to
$4000
Furnace and Air 65 AFUE and 6.5 92 AFUE and 16 92.3 25-28% $6000 to
Conditioner SEER SEER $10,000
Gas Water Heater 14.6 4-7% $1000 to
0.50 EF 0.90 EF $3000
Electric Water 14.4 4-7% $1000 to
0.50 EF 0.90 EF
Heater $3000
Replacement or U-factor: 1.2 U-factor: 0.40 56.9 14-19% $250 to $750/
Storm Windows SHGC: 1.0 SHGC: 0.40 each
Replace Dishwasher: 0.35 Dishwasher: 0.9 <0.5% $400 to $1000
Dishwasher EF 0.65 EF
Replace Refrigerator: Refrigerator: 1500 1.7 <1% $1000 to
Refrigerator 500 Kwh/Yr Kwh/Yr $3000
Assumptions from computerized analysis: **Costs will vary depending on current utility costs in each geographic area.

1 . on 2500 square foot home built in 1970 in Climate Zone 3.

Based 2 Assumed a 1970‛s default efficiency of furnace, A/C, and water heater.
3 Assumed 0.57 natural air change rate in existing house. 4 Assume 30% duct leakage.
5 Electricity costs: 0.108/kWh 6 Natural gas costs: 0.7922/Therms
PRIORITY LISTING OF ENERGY EFFICIENT IMPROVEMENTS

Duct Sealing
Combustion Air
Can Lights
Blower Door
Air Leakage
Chases
Hot Walls / Knee Walls
Fireplace
Attic Insulation
Incandescent Bulbs
Exterior Doors
Skylight
Basements
Mechanical Ventilation
Exhaust Fans
Windows
HVAC Equipment
Appliances
Attic Access
Duct Sealing

The ductwork is the delivery system by which air is carried from the unit to the different rooms of the house. It
can be made out of metal or flex duct, be a building cavity, or use other code-approved products. Whatever the
case, leakage as low as 25% will require the need for an additional one-ton of air conditioning to overcome this
leakage. This drops the overall efficiency of the unit when conditioning the air. If the return air system is a major
factor in the duct leakage, attic air and dust will be drawn into the house and dispersed throughout. Because of
this, you can easily see the necessity of sealing the duct system. Duct sealing is the number one priority for any
work you are having performed in your house.

Problem Correction
A product called duct mastic is the recommended material for all duct sealing. M astic with fibers offers better
coverage when sealing larger holes. Mastic has a consistency similar to toothpaste but slightly more dense. This
product can be applied with a paintbrush or putty knife, or your hand and a cheap pair of gloves. Duct tape or
any other type of cloth tape should never be used as a means of duct sealing. The diagrams above show many
areas in the duct system where sealing needs to be accomplished. Mastic should also be applied at the connec-
tions of the furnace to the coil when present, where the supply plenum is attached, and where the return
plenum attaches. The product can also be used to seal return boxes and supply boots to the drywall although
canned foam is a much faster application for this sealing area. Flex duct connections can be air sealed as above
to meet duct tightness goals.
Combustion Air for Combustion Appliances

Combustion air is air needed by any combustion furnace or water heater for the ignition and burning of natural
gas, propane, fuel oil, or other fuel source. Codes at one time allowed for combustion air to come from the living
area. Occasionally, in older homes, louvered doors were placed at the mechanical closet to allow for combustion
air to enter the closet through the door. Aside from allowing the intrusion of outside air into the house this is no
longer seen as a good practice from a health and safety standpoint. Today, we want the combustion air to come
either from the attic or from the outside. A licensed heat and air contractor must correct this problem.

Problem Correction
Today’s International Residential Codes are the reference for providing combustion air. Where vertical ducts are
used to connect to the outside, each opening must have at least 1 square inch per 4,000 Btus/per hour (550
mm²/kW) of net free air for the total input rating of all combustion appliances within the combustion appliance
zone. In the case of horizontal ducts, each opening must have a net free area of at least 1 square inch per 2,000
Btu/per hour (1100 mm²/kW) for the total input of all combustion appliances in the space. When rectangular air
ducts are being installed, the minimum cross-sectional dimension must be 3 inches (76 mm). If combustion air is
being taken from the attic, there must be sufficient attic ventilation for this purpose and the end of the duct
cannot be screened. For further information, contact a qualified heat and air contractor to guide you in this
process.
Can Lights (Recessed Lighting Fixtures)

Your house contains a number of non-air tight can lights, also called recessed lighting fixtures. These units can
cost as much as $1.00 a month per fixture in utility bills because of the loss of conditioned air to the attic or the
intrusion of attic air into the living space. In addition to the air leakage, any air entering the house from the attic
will carry with it particulates and possibly volatile organic compounds, gases given off during the heat of
summer by materials in the attic and on the roof.
New can light—top diagram.
Existing can light—bottom diagram.

Problem Correction
The top picture shows the new air tight can lights and their installation. These should be used in new construc-
tion or if remodeling. Older can lights will need to be covered with airtight boxes made from a UL listed, thermal,
fire rated product. The box should be air sealed at the box and drywall connection with caulk, canned foam, or
duct mastic. This action will also help any dust problem in the home. If the addition of these boxes for air seal-
ing causes the lights to turn off by tripping the thermal sensors, the inclusion of compact fluorescent bulbs will
alleviate this problem and also save on your monthly lighting costs.

ID # 3000
Blower Door and Air Leakage

The envelope of the house can be loosely defined as the area of the house where people live in conditioned air,
whether it is heated air or cooled air. The blower door is a device that consists of a frame and nylon screen, a fan,
and a manometer, a device for measuring pressure and air- flow in cubic feet per minute (cfm). The frame and
screen take the place of the door while the fan is used to either pressurize or depressurize the house. The
manometer is used to read the amount of air passing through the fan in cubic feet per minute and then that
reading is used to estimate the amount of air coming into the house through openings to the exterior. If the
blower door test showed a natural air exchange rate (NACH) of greater than 0.35, this is another indication air
sealing measures need to be considered.

Problem Correction
The blower door will tell us how leaky a house is and will also help us find where the actual leaks are. With the
door running to depressurize house, an inspector will go through all parts of the house and feel for air leaks. We
can use smoke to observe where air is coming into or exiting the conditioned space. The blower door test will
give a better idea as to where the leaks of the house originate.
Whole House Air Leakage

All houses have some air leakage but too much decreases the energy efficiency of the house. Natural air leakage
is the air that both enters and escapes the building envelope through holes. The amount of air coming into the
house depends on the size and location of these holes and upon the driving forces (pressure) at work. Keep in
mind that infiltration and exfiltration are always occurring at the same time and at the same rate. The number
one place of air intrusion is the ceiling plane separating the house from the attic. Stopping air in the attic from
entering or conditioned air from exiting the house into the attic has very high priority. Air from the attic carries
dust and contributes to poor air quality.

Top Plate Penetrations: Top plate lines as viewed from the attic:

Problem Correction
The typical areas of natural air infiltration for a home include many of the following areas: around the supply
boots and return boxes, penetrations through the wood top plates of the walls for plumbing, HVAC, security
system or electrical installations, between the top plates and the sheetrock, and around electrical boxes in the
ceilings and walls. In addition, air can leak where floor cavities between floors on a multistory building are
connected to the outdoors at the rim and band joist, at the joining of a porch covering to the house, at staircases
framed against exterior walls and where wood framing is set on top of concrete walls. If you have a whole house
fan in the ceiling or you home, this can be a major area of air leakage. Newer fans have covers on them for the
purpose of adding insulation and dramatically slowing air leakage. Sealing of these areas by an application of
caulking and/or canned foam will improve both the overall energy efficiency of the house and the indoor air
quality of the house.
Chases

Although they may have other functions, chases are building cavities, associated with heat and air equipment.
Chases are used to get supply air to or return air from different areas of the house. When the chases are open to
the attic, an unconditioned basement, or crawl space, they allow for the introduction of air from these areas to
enter or exit the wall cavities and the house. The same problems can occur if building cavities themselves are
used as part of the HVAC system.

Problem Correction
These areas should be air sealed and insulated by adding an approved air sealing material such as oriented
strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam. For an unconditioned crawl space or basement, seal at the level of the first
story floor. Seat at the ceiling plane if the problem area is in the attic. You can provide further air leakage
control by sealing the material’s edges with caulk or canned foam. When building cavities are used as part of the
air system, coverings must be removed in order to air seal the cavity.
Hot Walls and Knee Walls

Hot walls are any second story walls having conditioned space on one side and attic space on the other. Related
to these walls are knee walls, which are the upper portions of walls, usually one to two feet in height, that have
the same conditions as the hot walls. Studies have shown that the R-value of these walls drops by over 40% if
these walls do not have exterior sheathing applied to the attic side of the walls, which serves to minimize air
infiltration into and around the insulation.

“Seal all gaps with caulk or canned foam”

“Fire Blocking”, not just blocking

Knee Walls 12” or less Fire Blocking is required.

Problem Correction
We recommend the addition of an approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam
to these walls so the insulation can fully perform the job for which it was installed. After the air sealing material
has been added, the edges and corners of the material should be further sealed through the addition of canned
foam or caulk.

ID # 7000
Fireplace Cavities

Many fireplaces either on the interior of the house or on an exterior wall, especially metal ones, are set in a cavity
within the house. In your home, the top of this area is open to the attic. This area would be similar to a furrdown
or dropped ceiling but it extends from the ceiling joists all the way to the floor of the house.

Problem Correction
These open areas should be air sealed with a approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or
rigid foam at the ceiling joist level and then insulation should be installed over the area. Please note that codes
do not allow anything flammable to be installed within 1 inch of the vent flue so a metal collar around the flue
should be installed and sealed with high temperature caulk. Then caulk or canned foam should be used where
the outer metal collar meets the other air sealing material.

ID # 9000
Attic Insulation

Insulation is called a thermal barrier. Insulation slows heat transfer by trapping pockets of air. There are typically
three types of insulation used in a residential application: fiberglass, cellulose, and foam. The thermal resistance
or R-value is a rating system that tells how well a specific insulation will decrease heat transfer. The higher the
R-value, the better the thermal resistance. In the southern climate, a house needs a minimum of R-13 in the walls
and an R-30 in the attic. The optimum amount of insulation for the attic in southern climates is an R-40. In the
north walls should also be a minimum of R-13 but the attic may need to be as much as an R-46. If the number
listed on the data sheet is below R-30 for the attic, more insulation should be added.

Unvented attic assembly: Conventional insulation:

Problem Correction
It is critical to install new insulation at the manufacturer’s recommendations for proper density of pounds per
cubic foot. The newest approach for insulating the attic is to create an unvented attic assembly. This procedure
involves the addition of foam insulation to the underside of the roof deck instead of adding it to the attic floor.
Insulation on the attic floor should be removed if this process is selected. This course of action places the attic
within the conditioned space and negates the need to air seal the ceiling plane of the house. Closed cell foam is
suggested in northern climates and southern climates can use either closed or open cell foam.

The traditional approach is to add more insulation on top of the existing insulation. Both ways should be done
by and insulation contractor. Please note that if you choose this type of application, adding insulation to the attic
floor should be the last step and all other improvements in the attic should be done first in order to avoid tracking and
compressing the new insulation.

ID # 10000
Incandescent Bulbs vs Compact Fluorescents or LED

Incandescent bulbs are the most expensive of all bulbs to operate both from the standpoint of the amount of
energy they use and because they typically have a fairly short life cycle. 90% of electrical energy goes to produc-
ing heat and only 10% actually creates light. Compact fluorescents are more expensive to purchase initially but
use less energy, approximately 75% less than conventional incandescents, and have a much longer life, usually 5
to 10 times longer depending on the type of bulb. LED lights are just coming on the market and are the most
efficient but currently are also the most expensive.

Problem Correction
One good practice is to trade out incandescents with fluorescents as the incandescents burn out. Or, you can
obviously replace all incandescent bulbs at one time. Talk to a qualified individual when buying bulbs to gain
knowledge of color rendering and instant on capabilities. NOW is a good time to start because the current
federal plan is for incandescent bulb manufacturing to be phased out by 2012.

ID # 11000
Exterior Doors

It was discovered during the survey that there are exterior doors, or doors opening to an unconditioned
mechanical closet or an attic area, needing new or additional weather stripping. Air sealing of doors involves
both the sides around the jambs and along the bottom of the door. These are fairly easy to install and may stop
as much as 200 cubic feet per minute of air leakage for each door.

Problem Correction
For sealing around the jambs, the addition of self adhering foam insulation is the easiest to do and is shown in
the drawing above as option A. Option B is a metal and vinyl combination added to the wood doorstop is be
more durable than foam insulation. For the bottom of the door, either add a new aluminum and vinyl threshold
or add a door sweep at the base of the door.

ID # 13000
Skylight Shafts

Skylight shafts are the vertical hot walls leading from the ceiling of the house to the skylight itself and are walls
having conditioned space on one side and attic space on the other. Since these areas will normally have
substantial heat gain from both the sun and the attic in summer, they need to be well insulated and air sealed.

Problem Correction
Many times, the shafts are constructed of 2x4s turned flat instead of using the 3.5-inch width of the board. In
this situation, 2 layers of ¾ inch rigid foam can be used to insulate between the studs and 3 additional layers can
be used to encase the entire skylight shaft, providing an R-value of about 13.4 at the studs and 15.2 between the
studs. Sealing edges with canned foam or caulk will also provide for very good air leakage control. If the 2x4s
are installed so the 3.5-inch width is available for insulation, add insulation to the wall cavities and add backing
of an approved code material such as oriented strand board, gyprock, or rigid foam over the insulation. The last
step will be to air seal all edges and corners of the backing material.

ID # 14000
Basements

Basements can be unconditioned, indirectly conditioned or directly conditioned. Unconditioned basements are
typically used for storage only and have no heat and air equipment (HVAC) in the area. Indirectly conditioned
space will have a HVAC system installed in the area but will not have air from the system going directly to the
area. There may or may not be insulation on the walls and none on the ceiling. For a directly conditioned area,
there will be an HVAC system supplying air to the basement and possibly insulation on the walls.

Climate Dependent R-Value

Tiger teeth or other permanent

mechanical attachment method.

Problem Correction
For basements that are unconditioned and used only for storage, air sealing any penetrations between the
ceiling of the basement and the conditioned space should be done first. After air sealing, insulating the ceiling
(the underside of the first story floor as depicted in the drawing above) is the next recommended course of
action. For indirectly or directly conditioned basements, the walls need the insulation. The drawing above
describes the means by which the walls can be only insulated or completely finished, as long as the basement
stays dry.

ID # 15500
Whole House Mechanical Ventilation

Mechanical ventilation is the process of bringing outdoor air into the house. The purpose is to insure contami-
nants are not collected in the atmosphere of the house and are diluted with outdoor air. This can be accom-
plished with heat recovery ventilators (HRV) in heating climates, energy recovery ventilators (ERV) in the south,
dehumidifiers in mixed or hot humid climates, or by using the forced air system of the home as a means of
providing ventilation.

Problem Correction
If bringing outdoor air into the conditioned space is needed, you must first choose the means for the delivery of
the air. Both the ERV and the HRV are balanced systems. Each brings as much air in as is exhausted to the
outside and therefore does not change the home’s operating pressures. A whole house dehumidification
system, which is a ducted system separate from the HVAC system, can do the same thing. A humidifier attached
to the HVAC system is not recommended because of the possibility of contributing to fungal growth within the
duct system and equipment. The most inexpensive means of accomplishing ventilation is through the use of a
device called an Air Cycler™ that turns the furnace fan on and brings air into the house through the return air
system. This design is pictured above. All of these options are installed by a licensed heat and air contractor.
Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans are installed in homes for several different purposes. Kitchen exhaust fans are for exhausting
moisture and odors associated with
cooking. Bathroom exhaust fans are installed primarily to move moisture from bathing to outside the condi-
tioned space. Other appliances that exhaust air from the conditioned space to the outside are clothes dryers
and central vacuum cleaners. The tighter a home becomes, the more important it is to remove moisture to the
outside. Stored moisture can precipitate fungal growth and furnish an atmosphere necessary for the growth of
biological contaminants such as dust mites or bacteria.

Problem Correction
Bathroom exhaust fans are now rated for noise and are typically much quieter than in the past. Today’s codes
mandate all fans for bathrooms must exhaust at least 50 cubic feet per minute (cfm) to the outside. For a very
large bathroom, one rated between 60 and 80 cfm may be necessary. Codes also state that kitchen exhaust fans
must send at least 100 cfm to the outside. Commercial kitchen vent hoods are not recommended because they
can expel in excess of 1000 cfm, which in turn can cause the house to operate at negative pressures. This allows
the potential of causing backdrafting from combustion appliances within the conditioned space and outdoor air
and pollutants such as soil gases and moisture to be pulled into the house. Consult with a qualified electrician
when making upgrades in this
Windows

Windows are always hard to deal with because they are very expensive to replace and the average savings on
energy is returned over a fairly long period of time. More efficient windows have a Low-E coating on them to
reflect solar heat and are better insulated. A study by the HUD’s Partnership for Advancing Technology in Hous-
ing, the NAHB Research Center, and DOE determined storm windows without Low-e saved homeowners 13%
whereas Low-e storm windows saved homeowners an average of 21% on energy expenditures. Total house
installation costs for the new storm windows ranged from $1344 to $2661 and a payback period, the time
needed to recoup the investment through energy savings, was from 5 to 10 years.

New Storm Window: Solar Shades:

Problem Correction
If you home has single pane windows, consider window replacements or Low-e storm windows. Should your
house already have double pane windows, instead of window replacements, you might consider the addition of
solar shades or solar film. Solar shades in the south may be the best route to take because you can lower them
in summer to block heat gain from the sun but they can be raised in winter to allow for solar heating. If deciding
on replacement or storm windows, find a company that installs windows as a primary part of their business and
not as an add-on to other services. Replacement windows should cost between $250 and $650 each and storm
windows should be at the lower end of those prices.

ID # 21000
Heat and Air Equipment

Since your heat and air equipment (HVAC) appears to be approaching the end of its usable life (usually 15 to 20
years), you may want to consider new HVAC units. Newer combustion equipment is rated by Annual Fuel Utiliza-
tion Efficiency (AFUE) for furnaces and boilers with the more efficient units having a 90% rating or higher. Water
heaters are rated by Energy Factor (EF), which should be 0.90 or higher. Should you decide to go with electric
appliances like an air source heat pump or geothermal unit, these are rated in either Heating Seasonal Perfor-
mance Factor (HSPF) or Coefficient of Performance (COP). Good HSPF numbers may be as high as 10 and the
COP ratings will range from about 1.5 to 4. Air source heat pumps also come in a dual fuel configuration mean-
ing you can use gas as emergency backup if needed for the furnace and still get the efficiency of the heat pump.
Geothermal units use the ground or a water source instead of outside air as the source for heating and cooling.
Air conditioners use a rating called the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio and will have numbers as high as 20 and
above for.

Typical Air Source Heat Pump: Typical Furnace and Air Conditioner:

Problem Correction
The obvious course of action is to choose the highest efficiency of equipment that is within your budget, prefer-
ably ENERGY STAR rated equipment. You will want to find a licensed HVAC contractor that is experienced with
industry standards for properly sizing the equipment, sealing the duct The obvious course of action is to choose
the highest efficiency of system, installing to correct refrigerant charge and insuring there is proper airflow
throughout the house based on load calculations (Manual J) performed on your particular house. Ask to see and
keep the load calculations for your next HVAC change out.
Additional Appliance Loads

These are listings of additional loads to your house that increase the overall bill each month. An old refrigerator
or freezer in the garage can cost as much as $20 to $40 per month using 2 to 4 times more energy than the
newer energy efficient models. Typically, the older the equipment, the more they cost to operate. Dishwashers,
refrigerators, freezers, and clothes washers are all rated for efficiency.

Problem Correction
When your budget allows, you should begin to replace all your existing older appliances. Do some research by
looking at manufacturer’s information or talk with local sales people in order to find the best value from an
energy efficiency standpoint. Keep in mind that all the most efficient models will have the ENERGY STAR label
attached.
Attic Access Doors and Panels

Your home has either a wall panel leading from the house to the attic or ceiling or floor panel leading to an attic
or an unconditioned crawl space. In all these situations there is a need for weather stripping or some form of air
sealing gasket to stop the air leakage between the attic and the conditioned space. You will also need to insu-
late the panel or door.

Problem Correction
The included diagram above shows how to air seal and insulate the typical attic access. This diagram also relates
to a crawl space access panel in a floor or a wall panel for attic access. For attic access panels, there are also
manufactured commercial products available that are installed as a single unit and provide both air sealing and
insulation. Whatever the course of action, both air sealing of the edges and increased insulation to the panel are
necessary.
Termite Damagte in Attic

Bath Vent in Attic

Lead and Air Seal Neede-Garage