With summer in full swing, the question many home owners ask is; do radiant barriers actually work? The answer is yes; but not as well as advertised. A radiant correctly installed in an attic can reflect the radiant energy from the sun and help reduce the cooling load. Reducing the air conditioning costs by 0-10% is the most you can gain.
Insulation, air sealing, duct sealing and duct insulation are improvements that will help reduce the air conditioning costs and improve the comfort of the home.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Air Conditioning in Boise
We’ve had a fairly cool summer this far in Boise but sooner or later it’ll get hot and you may need to replace your air conditioning system. A couple of key points to consider when getting a new air conditioning system.
When it comes to the size or tonnage of an air conditioning system; bigger is not better. Contractors routinely install a much larger size air conditioning unit than necessary to make sure the home is cool and to get a larger sale. The over-sized units are less efficient and wear down faster because they cycle on and off to frequently. Unfortunately, archaic rules of thumb such as “1 ton per 400 square feet” are still commonly used. An air conditioning contractor should use a calculation procedure called Manual J to properly size the unit. Windows, insulation, air leaks orientation and duct system should all be evaluated to know how much heat needs to be removed from the home. The orientation of the home can swing the cooling load by as much as 30%.
A higher SEER rating is better. A high SEER rating of 15 or better is recommended for a dry climate. If your air conditioning system is more than 30 years old, you could expect your air conditioning costs to be cut in half.
Make sure the new unit is properly installed with both the correct refrigerant charge and flow. Often the unit was not charged or the air flow across the cooling coils is too fast or too slow which can lower the performance of the unit.
The air conditioning system may be all that you want replaced, but the whole house should be considered in order to install the right system that will optimize your comfort and home energy efficiency. BPI certification is a credential that shows the technician understands how the whole house works and can install the right air conditioning system for your home.Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Energy Audits
What is a home energy audit? The answer depends on who is doing the audit.
Utility companies often do energy audits for their customers. These energy audits are generally basic in nature. During the audit the utility rep may measure the attic insulation or count the light bulbs. They may do a bit more such as look at efficiency of the furnace or check if the hot water heater has a wrap, but the audit is generally basic without diagnostic tools.
Other energy auditors may use some diagnostic equipment such as thermal imaging camera or they may analyze high utility bills or they may focus on one area such as insulation, air conditioning or heating. These auditors may have a few diagnostic tools and some training but generally do not understand the "whole house".
Another audit is a comprehensive energy audit or a home performance evaluation. Like the name implies, the evaluation is comprehensive. The auditor is usually certified by BPI or RESNET and evaluates the insulation, furnace, hot water heater, cooling equipment, appliances, doors and windows, ducts, combustion safety, utility bill analysis and thermographic scan of the home.
The energy audit that is right for you depends on your own needs. A utility audit is generally free and can provide a homeowner with useful insight to conserve energy. A comprehensive audit is performed by a trained professional and can provide the homeowner with road map to deep energy reductions as well as identify the cause of comfort issues or safety issues. A list of certified Boise energy auditors can be found at the Idaho Office of Energy Resources website.
Utility companies often do energy audits for their customers. These energy audits are generally basic in nature. During the audit the utility rep may measure the attic insulation or count the light bulbs. They may do a bit more such as look at efficiency of the furnace or check if the hot water heater has a wrap, but the audit is generally basic without diagnostic tools.
Other energy auditors may use some diagnostic equipment such as thermal imaging camera or they may analyze high utility bills or they may focus on one area such as insulation, air conditioning or heating. These auditors may have a few diagnostic tools and some training but generally do not understand the "whole house".
Another audit is a comprehensive energy audit or a home performance evaluation. Like the name implies, the evaluation is comprehensive. The auditor is usually certified by BPI or RESNET and evaluates the insulation, furnace, hot water heater, cooling equipment, appliances, doors and windows, ducts, combustion safety, utility bill analysis and thermographic scan of the home.
The energy audit that is right for you depends on your own needs. A utility audit is generally free and can provide a homeowner with useful insight to conserve energy. A comprehensive audit is performed by a trained professional and can provide the homeowner with road map to deep energy reductions as well as identify the cause of comfort issues or safety issues. A list of certified Boise energy auditors can be found at the Idaho Office of Energy Resources website.
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