Home Energy Audit 111 Years Old
I accumulated my auditing gear and led off to a nearby community to perform a house energy audit that was constructed in 1901. Before I head out of the office and leave the comfort of my desk computer, I look up the house via County Records to find out about what year the house was constructed, about how large the residence is, and when documents reveal any remodel years.
When records suggest construction in 1901, I know that I am dealing with a very old residence which has had some amount of care through the years or it would not even be standing. I am aware that the home was initially heated with a wood fireplace or 2 and that some type of up-dated heating supply has been added. Additionally, I am guessing if the base hasn't been replaced, the foundation is going to be a little shaky.
This home energy audit was a team effort. We took two vehicles, my spouse would take the equipment in 1 rig and I would meet him there in a different rig. This way, since it is Friday afternoon, I will have a brief cut home after the audit.
Why is it I enjoy my own unruly dog, however I do not have a lot of use for other people's unruly dog. After greeting the lady of the house and her 3 year-old son in the front door, I have to fight my way into the home beyond the offensive nose of a big dog. I have to have some actual interesting smells on me, the dog won't let up.
About this time, the puppy owner see's I'm being treated like a sniff-and-scratch and, with raised voice, orders the dog to get back and go lie - that the puppy pays no attention to and goes right on vacuuming my denim.
The husband has taken off work to be here throughout the home energy audit. The gentleman of the house arrives and my partner finally shows up with all the equipment. The very first order of business is to ask the homeowner to carry us on a tour of the house.
1. Remodel and enhancements:
The homeowner does not know for certain, but I suspect this home has been inserted onto two. Looks like a back porch area was added as living space at some point and an addition with a master bedroom and bathroom was inserted on behind the porch.
The whole inside of the home has under gone major updates. Position in the kitchen on the timber laminate floors, looking at the granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, an individual wouldn't assume this home was here for 111 decades.
The inside walls are replaced with drywall and freshly painted. The exterior walls are replaced with t1-11 and freshly painted.
2. Electrical system:
The loft still has signs of the first knob and tube electrical wiring. Today, the electrical system has all been upgraded to romex wiring and a grounded, 200 amp circuit breaker board. All electric outlets, light switches, and fittings are replaced.
3. Plumbing System:
Water fittings and taps have been upgraded recently. The old iron pipes remain and seem to carry loads of water pressure. A contemporary gas water heater sits at the utility room cupboard beside the furnace.
4. Heating system:
From the older portion of the house, both supply and return heating ducts are in the ground. In the master bedroom addition, both are from the ceiling. A 90% efficient gas furnace stays together with the water heater in the utility room closet. There is no air conditioning.
5. Insulation:
The back of the main house has black visqueen attached to the base of the floor joist. But, only about 50 percent of the floor has fiberglass batt insulation. The more recent addition with all the master bedroom and bath has no floor insulation.
R-13 batt insulation was added to the outside walls when the exterior siding has been replaced. The infrared camera tells me there is a few small areas which were missed.
The upstairs has two bare rooms - at least they are unfinished now and also the roof trusses are vulnerable. The homeowner informs us this was his bedroom when he was growing up. The homeowner is in the process of renovating the upstairs and has eliminated all the interior wall covering. Insulation was never added to this part of the home.
6. Windows and Doors.
Doors and windows are replaced. Front door is metal with 1/2 glass along with a storm door. The utility room door is metal and the master bedroom has a vinyl framed, double glass, sliding door.
All of the windows have been updated to vinyl framed, dual glass units. I suspect U-35 with some Low-E glazing.
Homeowner Concerns and Wish List
The homeowner would love to utilize their available weatherization funds to help insulate the upstairs remodeling project. By using the funds to put in the insulation, their remodeling budget could be spent on drywall and floor coverings.
Also of concern to the homeowners is the trendy places in the living room and the hot place in the master bedroom. The living area has two supply registers located near inside walls and two return overlooks located beneath the living area windows. They discover that there's noticeable cool air that comes from this return registers, so they have put the puppies sleeping mat over them and a fluffy pillow across the other.
Because of the cool air that rises from the return registers, they've effectively closed
ll87 compliance them off. The only working return air register is in the master bedroom. I asked them why the return air grill in the ceiling of the bedroom was dented and had been advised that the register could rattle when the furnace was on so he struck it with his hands until it stopped rattling.
The Blower Door and Air Infiltration
1. First blower door test is with all inside doors open.
Blower door has been set up in front door opening and the house was ready for the evaluation. With all interior doors open, the air leakage was 4,100 CFM ( cubic feet per second). I think for this home, this reflects approximately 9 air changes per hour.
2. Secondly test is using the doorway near the peak of the stairs recorded off. This carries the upstairs air leakage from the equation. But, there's leakage from the recessed lighting in the kitchen, bathroom, and hallway which means the downstairs is still connected, air leakage wise, into the upstairs. Second congestion evaluation was 3,200 CFM.
3. Third evaluation was completed following the ducts were taped off in preparation for the duct blaster. This should remove duct leakage in the overall home air leakage figure - this reduced the home leakage into 2,300 CFM.
By eliminating both the upstairs and the heating ducts from the atmosphere leakage, the home is about 4.5 air changes per hour.
The Duct Blaster and Heating Duct Leakage
The duct blaster enthusiast is placed over one of the return air grills in the living area and the rest of the supply and return registers are all taped off. The enthusiast is cranked up and air is forced into the ducts. In cases like this, air leaks out of the ducts as quickly as the enthusiast is able to put air in. The ducts are so leaky, no studying is possible.
More About This Home Energy Audit and Heating Ducts
A hint of things to come has been visible while we were taping of the return air registers in the living space. The return air ducts were shaped by attaching sheet metal into the bottom of the floor joists. By taking away the register, it is possible to see that the metal has become quite rusty and has rusted through. I am able to look through the rusty hole and see the crawl space below. No wonder that the duct leakage is indeed much.
There is adequate head area at the crawl space. From the normal confusion of leaving the workplace, I have forgotten my coveralls, boots, masks, and head lighting. Oh well, the show must go on - that I have a flashlight.
The heating ducts beneath the old portion of the home.
1. The return air ducts.
As I mentioned earlier, the return ducts are formed by attaching sheet metal into the bottom of a few floor joist. In several places, I will see where rust and time has caused the sheet metal to fail leaving quite noticeable holes. The biggest holes are directly beneath the floor registers.
2. The supply heating ducts.
The distribution ducts are 6 inch round metal ducts wrapped in debris. They attach to a central metal plenum that's located directly under the furnace.
How to choose the ideal energy saving measures.
As we begin to remove the tape out of the registers and put away the blower door, my partner and I begin to go over with the homeowner just how can you conserve energy within this 111 year old residence.
It is always a debate that centers on the many facets.
1. What's the most cost-effective energy saving step?
2. How much cash is available to spend on energy saving steps right now and how much might be accessible later on?
3. Which energy saving steps need to be achieved by a contractor and that which could be a do-it-yourself project?
5. Are a few energy saving measures more linked to home comfort than others?
What ought to be done to conserve energy as a result of this home energy audit?
The audit of the home has provided invaluable advice concerning what needs to be carried out with this home to conserve energy. Without the audit and the information offered by the blower door along with the duct blaster, the acute failure of the heating duct system would not of been accomplished by the homeowner.
1. Uncover return air distribution registers:
Don't cover the two return air registers in the living room. This restricts the circulation of air back to the furnace and causes the air flow to be out of equilibrium. In affect, the furnace is hungry for air which raises the energy required to heat the home. No cost associated with removing the walkers mattress from the top of the register.
2. Air seal heating supply and return plenum:
From beneath the house, open the heating up plenum that's beneath the furnace and air seal all connections and joints with duct mastic. Mastic, gloves and labour, $65
3. Install a new return air register and duct:
Increase the size of the supply register that is situated next to the interior wall in the living area and also make it a bigger return air register. Connect this register into the return air plenum attached to the return air register is located in the middle of the house. Estimated price $300
4. Install two new distribution registers:
Both return air registers which can be found beneath the windows will need to be connected as supply registers. To keep out of cutting new holes in the ground, have a sheet metal builder build two new supply boots to be placed in the present floor cutouts. Connect these new boots into the supply plenum that is located at the furnace. Estimated price $600
5. Replace all supply ducts in the old part of the home.
Gently remove and bag the debris covering that is around the old metallic ducts. I feel the homeowner can do so himself, otherwise a licensed Asbestos Remediation Contractor will have to get used. Need to look at your local jurisdiction concerning the processes for removing asbestos.
Replace all old metal distribution ducts with new duct material. Flex duct is good and so is suitably air sealed metal ducts. If using round metallic ducts, wrap with insulating material based on building codes. Estimated cost $800
6. Insulate the attic.
Install a 2x2 furring strip into the vulnerable 2x4 roof rafters. This increases the thickness of the rafter area and allow for the installation of high density fiberglass R-21 insulation batts. Before installing the insulation, air seal the cavities.
If funds are available, this is an ideal application for using spray foam insulation.
Estimated cost with fiberglass, including 2x2 furring, $1,800. Price utilizing spray foam, $4,000.
7. Insulate the floor.
Eliminate the black visqueen in the bottom of the floor joists. Air seal the ground. Install large density R-25 fiberglass batts. Install an air barrier into the bottom of the floor joists such as Typar or Tyvek house wrap.
Thank you for coming along with this house energy audit and becoming acquainted with this 111 year old home. We found some ways to save energy and maybe you can use this home as an example of how you might save energy in your home.
UNDER MAINTENANCE
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