Energy Audit

Brian

Could you explain to this Canuck what an "Energy Audit" for a new home is? Is it just a Heat Loss and Heat Gain or is there more to it.

Thanks
Brian

ed wallace

energy audit

typically an energy audit looks at the heat loss of a house they look to see where heat is escaping from house due to drafty windows and doors they also look at the amount of insulation in walls and ceilings also look at the water flow from faucets and shower heads

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Mark Hunt

All of that and


then some.

As I have posted here a number of times, I am involved with the "Energy Smart with Energy Star" program here in New York State.

An audit consists of the following:

Upon entering a customers home, we are constantly monitoring for CO.

We check the age of the appliances,(Refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.....)

We do a complete combustion analysis of any fuel consuming appliance.

We perform a "worst case depressurization" test of the "Combustion Appliance Zone" or "CAZ".(This test consists of putting the home in "winter mode" and running any and all exhaust fans in the home as well as any air handling equipment.)This is very important when atmospheric vented appliances are present as they may not be able to overcome the negative pressure that may be produced.

On air systems we perform a duct leakage test. This is done with a "Duct Blaster" after we seal all the supply and return vents. This will determine how much air is being lost due to leakage and how much air is "leaking" into the system from "outside" sources.

We perform a blower door test to quantify air leakage and then calculate what the "Minimum Ventilation Guide" or "MVG" recommends for the house. (Based on several factors including building volume, # of occupants, etc.....)

We visually inspect attic areas when possible to measure insulation thickness, coverage, vent area, etc....

We will probe exterior walls to determine if insulation is present and if so how much.

While the program does not cover plumbing issues, we will point out problems like Ed Wallace mentioned. As a matter of fact, we have had a slew of homes lately where the main vent stack terminated in the attic, and I am talking about NEWER homes here.

Once we complete the field audit, we enter all of the information we collect into a data base. We also enter our recommended measures with pricing. Since I am a heating contrator, I refer all of the shell issues to a shell contractor that is also involved with the program. They will then enter any recommedations with pricing as well into the data base.

We then produce a 10 page report for the customer showing the actual results of the audit compared to what the house should be. The final page is a cost and savings page where they can see the projected pay back for each proposed measure.

In the event that we find serious health and safety issues, i.e. CO spilling into the house, we will shut equipment down and contact the utility immediately.

The building science courses I have taken REALLY opened my eyes to many things I never considered before.

That is how we do our audits.

Mark H



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Brian

Energy Audit

Wow,they don't have anything that detailed up here but in this case it is to get a building permit so all you are working with is a set of plans.

Thanks
Brian

PJO_2

Mark,

> then some.

>

> As I have posted here a number

> of times, I am involved with the "Energy Smart

> with Energy Star" program here in New York

> State.

>

> An audit consists of the

> following:

>

> Upon entering a customers home, we

> are constantly monitoring for CO.

>

> We check the

> age of the appliances,(Refrigerators, washing

> machines, dishwashers, etc.....)

>

> We do a

> complete combustion analysis of any fuel

> consuming appliance.

>

> We perform a "worst case

> depressurization" test of the "Combustion

> Appliance Zone" or "CAZ".(This test consists of

> putting the home in "winter mode" and running any

> and all exhaust fans in the home as well as any

> air handling equipment.)This is very important

> when atmospheric vented appliances are present as

> they may not be able to overcome the negative

> pressure that may be produced.

>

> On air systems

> we perform a duct leakage test. This is done with

> a "Duct Blaster" after we seal all the supply and

> return vents. This will determine how much air is

> being lost due to leakage and how much air is

> "leaking" into the system from "outside"

> sources.

>

> We perform a blower door test to

> quantify air leakage and then calculate what the

> "Minimum Ventilation Guide" or "MVG" recommends

> for the house. (Based on several factors

> including building volume, # of occupants,

> etc.....)

>

> We visually inspect attic areas when

> possible to measure insulation thickness,

> coverage, vent area, etc....

>

> We will probe

> exterior walls to determine if insulation is

> present and if so how much.

>

> While the program

> does not cover plumbing issues, we will point out

> problems like Ed Wallace mentioned. As a matter

> of fact, we have had a slew of homes lately where

> the main vent stack terminated in the attic, and

> I am talking about NEWER homes here.

>

> Once we

> complete the field audit, we enter all of the

> information we collect into a data base. We also

> enter our recommended measures with pricing.

> Since I am a heating contrator, I refer all of

> the shell issues to a shell contractor that is

> also involved with the program. They will then

> enter any recommedations with pricing as well

> into the data base.

>

> We then produce a 10 page

> report for the customer showing the actual

> results of the audit compared to what the house

> should be. The final page is a cost and savings

> page where they can see the projected pay back

> for each proposed measure.

>

> In the event that

> we find serious health and safety issues, i.e. CO

> spilling into the house, we will shut equipment

> down and contact the utility immediately.

>

> The

> building science courses I have taken REALLY

> opened my eyes to many things I never considered

> before.

>

> That is how we do our audits.

>

> Mark

> H

>

>

>

> _A

> HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=

> 238&Step=30"_To Learn More About This Contractor,

> Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A

> Contractor"_/A_

PJO_2

Mark,

Do you guys do anything with the electrical usage end as well? I am just wondering, because in my own experience it's been pretty beneficial to use compact flourescent bulbs where appropriate, and other things...without distracting too far away I also have an off-peak meter that saves me a few hundred bucks a year (paid for itself in less than two years).

Take Care, PJO

Mark Hunt

By all means


In fact, electrical consumption is a big reason for the audits.

We do recommend fluorecent light bulbs for high use areas and the "Home Check" software can even estimate the pay back period and enrgy savings.

We look for older appliances and window A/C units, dehumidifiers etc......... and there are cash incentives to the homeowner for upgrading.

Mark H

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Terry

Permit

Brian, If this is for a permit & you only have a set of plans to work with, I believe they are looking for the heatloss on the building.

Banks will also request this when the buyer is applying for mortgage (to estimate heating costs)

Hope this was helpful.

Terry