Phoenix Air Conditioning Repair and Home Energy Audits Blog: 2017

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Air seal flu shot

Do you have problems with sickness, allergies, and asthma in your home?

Are you looking for a way to breathe easy and feel better without medication?

We have the solution:

Air seal your home!

We liken air sealing to getting a flu shot – it protects your health and saves you money in the long run.

Air that leaks through your home’s envelope not only wastes energy and increases costs, but creates an unhealthy (and potentially unsafe) environment for you and your family.

Air leakage occurs when outside air enters and conditioned air leaves uncontrollably through cracks and openings. This results in poor indoor air quality and moisture problems, both of which can affect the health of the occupants. In addition, sealing air leaks reduces outside noise; causes less pollen, dust, insects, and pests to enter the house; and controls humidity – all of which will improve your health in your home.

Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation particles, and dust can enter your duct system, aggravating asthma and allergy problems. Sealing ducts can help improve indoor air quality by reducing the amount of pollutants entering ducts and circulating through your home.

During normal operation, gas appliances such as water heaters, clothes dryers, and furnaces release combustion gases (like carbon monoxide) through their ventilation systems. Leaky ductwork in your heating and cooling system may cause “backdrafting,” where these gases are drawn back into the living space, rather than expelled to the outdoors. Sealing leaks can minimize this risk.

In addition to the health aspect, leaky ducts can reduce heating and cooling system efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Sealing and insulating ducts increases efficiency, lowers your energy bills, and can often pay for itself in energy savings. Plus, if you’re planning to install new heating and cooling equipment, a well-designed and sealed duct system may allow you to downsize to a smaller, less costly heating and cooling system that will provide better dehumidification.

For more information about how you can live healthier in your home, be more comfortable, and save money, contact Green ID at (602) 926-1650 today. Ask us how you can get started with air sealing – the flu shot for your home. Protect yourself and your family!

Monday, November 13, 2017

4 Energy-Saving Tips to Illuminate Your Lighting Habits

Saving money and energy by only changing your lighting? Sounds like a bright idea to me! Energy efficient lighting is one of the easiest ways to save money on your energy bills. Here are some ideas to save money more than just changing out incandescent bulbs to CFL or LED bulbs.

You might think that something so small in your home, which uses so much less energy than, say, your AC unit, might not make a difference. If that’s your thought, let me illuminate you: lighting is one of the easiest ways to save energy, with the most immediate results. Even if you’re not paying much just to light your home, waste is waste, so let me bring a few ideas out of the shadows and into the light:

Firstly, keep your lamps (and even your other appliances!) away from the thermostat. Every thermostat has a sensor so that it can tell how warm the room is, and whether it needs to be running the air conditioning. If the sensor is too close to a warm lamp, the sensor will pick up on its warmth and run the AC longer than necessary.

Lamp placement can help save energy in other ways, too. For instance, try putting a lamp in the corner of the room. A lamp placed against a single wall only has one surface to reflect light off of, but placed against two walls, your lamp reflects twice the amount of light. This makes your lamp appear even brighter than normal, and offers an opportunity to use a lower wattage bulb for the same amount of light.

Speaking of lower wattage bulbs, another idea is to replace your lesser-used light bulbs with a lower wattage. While you do this, you can also upgrade your most used lights with an energy efficient bulb.

Keeping your lights on a timer helps you keep your energy use on a regular schedule, while a motion sensor attached to your lights allows you to make sure you are only keeping lights on when you need them, instead of when you forget about them.

Who would've thought you could do so many different things to save energy from just your lights? At Green ID, we can help your energy efficiency shine bright with a home energy audit. Don't be in the dark about your home's energy waste, call us at (602) 926-1650 today!

Want to convert your garage into a man cave? Here are some practical ideas.

Converting a garage into livable space takes some planning but is well worth the effort. A carefully planned mancave doesn't have to break the bank either and can become a hangout haven for everyone.

Start with an idea

Have you been looking for a place to display a sports or hobby collection, or maybe you are just looking for a place you can call your own to unwind, or would you like a media and entertainment center to watch your favorite movies? Draw your layout of the room on graph paper. Typical garages are about 20' x 20', give or take. Plan where you will hang your cool collections, watch TV and sit and draw lighting, electrical, cable and plumbing plans around the design. You may find you run out of space and have to rework the design based on the layout of the garage.

We can't help you on the design, but here are the essentials you need to do to create a comfortable, functional and low cost man cave.

1. Insulate the walls

No, you don’t have to remove the drywall to insulate the walls, a simple drill and fill is all that is needed. A drill and fill method is easily done from the inside of the home where a two to three two inch holes per stud will be drilled and the wall cavity backfilled with cellulose insulation. Cellulose insulation has a higher R-value per inch then loose fill fiberglass. Because it is loose fill, it will fit around the electrical boxes, plumbing vents and electrical outlets. The holes are replaced with a foam plug by the insulation contractor. Garage door slots can be filled with 2" foam board reflective insulation and/or insulated and drywalled right over, taking away about 6" of space from the wall.

2. Insulate the ceilings

Here in Phoenix our attached garages are not insulated when our homes are built but if you are from back east or the Midwest most attached garages are insulated. Why? Well the temperature swings in cold climates are much more dramatic than here, even in the desert. In Chicago, for example they go from 0 degrees outside to 65 degrees inside, a change of 65 degrees. In Phoenix, we go from 110 degrees outside to 75 degrees inside, a change of only 35 degrees. That difference and also because sub-freezing temperatures are much more damaging than super hot temperatures, makes the difference when insulating attached garages in Phoenix. An R-38 or 12 inches of blown insulation is recommended for an attached garage.

3. Add ducting or a minisplit

You will need to take a look at your air conditioners size if you want to add more ducting to the garage for this upgrade. If your system is oversized, it will actually work to your benefit here where you can use the extra cooling capacity to help cool the garage. A rule of thumb is 1 ton of cooling capacity satisfies 400 sq ft. An energy efficient homes can stretch that ratio out to about 600 sq ft per ton. The location and size of the ductwork is also important and a function of your main home size, HVAC system size and airflow. Another alternative is to add a minisplit ductless AC system to cool the garage. These mini splits are great because they have no ductwork and potential for duct leakage. They can be framed into an external wall and can only be used when needed, helping to save energy.

4. Radiant barrier above the garage to keep the heat out

A radiant barrier will help keep the garage cool in the summer time and should be stapled along the roof truss not laid on top of the insulation. The reason is that once a radiant barrier gathers a layer of dust, it is totally ineffective. That is why radiant barrier chips or radiant barrier laid on the insulation do not work.

5. Electrical, cable and fiber lines

Plan where you will need electrical outlets, overhead lighting and light switches for electrical runs. Have an electrician check if your sub panel has enough space for the additional loads. Smurf tubes with a looped rope are convenient if you think you may need to add more cables like cable or power cords through the walls. Plan the location of your TV and if you will need an internet connection and their location. To minimize work, try to keep your major plumbing and electrical on the shared wall to the main house. Watch only movies or what can be accessed through the internet via a smart TV or a game console may not warrant the need for cable lines to be run.

6. Plumbing

If you plan on having a separate bathroom, wet bar or kitchen area, try keeping it close to your existing home. If your existing water lines run under the slab, a plumber will have to find a manifold behind the common wall and run new lines through the attic of even through the wall. If you have an existing laundry room or bathroom against that common wall, you can tap into the drain for new plumbing if you are planning on having a bathroom or kitchen sink.

7. Drywall

You may need to relocate the attic hatch to a new storage closet along the wall of the main house to conceal the existing attic hatch if it's in the middle of the garage. Usually 5-6 feet of length is taken off of the garage area and sectioned off into a bathroom, bar area, storage closet with the attic hatch, and a media cabinet.

8. Flooring

Since most garages are concrete slabs, you want to make sure it's not post-tension before hammering it up. If you plan on using your garage more as a work space, a coating of acrylic paint can transform the room by itself. If you plan on using the man cave more as living space, a sub floor base is essential just like the main part of the home.

Cool man cave ideas and links
http://www.diynetwork.com/videos/poker-man-cave/42441.html

Man Cave Club http://www.mancavesite.org/

Those are the essentials, next step is to decorate, get a 70" flat screen or movie projector and a comfort chair to kick back in. When done right, a man cave doesn't have to break the bank or drive your energy bills through the roof. For help with HVAC, duct design and insulation needs, contact Green ID to schedule your free assessment.

Friday, November 3, 2017

Want to convert your garage into a man cave? Here are some practical ideas.

Homes On The Market Should Be Getting Energy Audits

For $99, you can add an energy audit to the inspection of your possible new home or to the home that you’re selling. Whether you’re buying or selling, having an energy audit done on the home can save buyers thousands of dollars in future operating costs or identify just how efficient the home is. Energy audits do this by pinpointing features of the house that need corrections that would improve the energy efficiency of the home. By finding these features, it can let you know that the home is either and energy guzzler or a sustainable home.

Energy audits have been around for quite some time now but they are still not utilized in the real estate field. According to HERS, almost all energy audits are done on new homes instead of existing/resold homes. This is unfortunate because knowing the energy status of a home can affect the overall pricing of the home. After having an audit completed many buyers say: lower the price, fix the problems or I’m not buying. But as a seller, showing that you have an efficient home can be a selling point.

So, in a world where energy efficiency is a growing concern, where energy costs are high on the list of ongoing expenses, and where energy upgrades pay for themselves in bill savings, why aren’t more energy audits performed on houses being sold? Neither buyers nor sellers ask! Sellers want to avoid giving purchasers a reason to make lower offers or demand repairs before closing and buyers may simply not know that there’s another option. It isn’t recommended to most buyers.

On the contrary to what most think though, having an energy audit done on the home, or making energy upgrades to the home, can help sell houses. If a home is proven to be more energy efficient it’s more desirable and if it isn’t, buyers feel comfortable in knowing what exactly they’re going to get.

Green ID is one of the top energy auditors in Arizona. We offer competent, experienced, certified auditors and a comprehensive report once the audit is completed. You can find Green ID at YourGreenID.com or by contacting us at (602) 926-1650.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Is Insulating Your Garage A Good Idea?

We often get questions, normally in Arizona’s peak summer/winter seasons, about garage insulation. “Will insulating my garage make it more comfortable?” “Will adding insulation to my garage save me money?” “Is it worth it?”

Here at Green ID, we typically tell people that adding insulation to your garage is an unnecessary home upgrade. Adding insulation to your garage will not save you money on bills. Of course, if you have rooms bordering your garage or above it then that garage wall should be insulated. Insulating the wall that separates the room and the garage will protect that room from being effected by the garage’s temperature.
If insulating your garage is more about comfort and less about savings then we completely encourage it! If you’re one of those people who enjoys working in the garage then insulating the space might be a good idea. Insulating the garage will help you keep the warm or cool air inside without it escaping and being influenced by the outdoor temperature. Just be aware that that tempered air will escape immediately when the garage door is opened.

Some homeowners will insulate their garages during construction because they know that they’d eventually like to turn it into a bedroom years down the road. This is a fine idea as long as you’re using insulation that will not deplete over time like microfiber or spray foam.

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/is-insulating-your-garage-a-good-idea

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

How To Save Energy In Your Kitchen!

Whether you spend every night in the kitchen making dinner or its main use is warming up left overs, these tips can help you cut down your spending and energy use in the kitchen.

Pots, Pans, and dishes
Using a warped pan to cook can be an energy sucker. Using a warped pot to boil water can take longer and use 50% more energy! Not only does the state of the cookware matter but the material matters as well. Using a copper bottomed pan will cut the time of cooking down; they heat up much faster than some of the other options. Also, when using the oven it’s better to use glass or ceramic dishes rather than metal. If you use a metal dish you’ll need to turn your oven at least 25 degrees up to be finished cooking in the same about of time as you would with a glass dish.

Make leftovers
If you can, make double portions! You can freeze the extras and save them for later. It takes a lot less energy to reheat than it does to cook a meal twice.

Appliances
Trust me, when it comes to energy use, not all appliances are equal. Upgrading your appliances would be a great first step to lower your long term spending in the kitchen. Although the initial cost may be high, this change will make the biggest impact on your energy bills and has the potential to slash your spending. Aim for investing in energy star appliances because you’re guaranteed that they are the most energy efficient.

A convention is always preferred over a standard oven. Because the heated air is constantly circulating the temperature and cook time can both decrease. Making the switch to a convention oven, on average, will lower your ovens energy use by 20%.

Self-cleaning ovens are ideal because they’re built with better insulation.

Your burner pans
You know the metal bowl underneath the coil stove burners that catch water and crumbs while you’re cooking? Those are burner pans. Keeping your burner pans is crucial and so easy. Those pans are not meant just to catch whatever is overflowing your pots; they’re supposed to be a reflective surface! That surface reflects heat up to the cookware and helps your stove work more efficiently.

Fix that leaky faucet
A leaky faucet, though it seems only small and annoying, can really add up! A faucet that drips once a second can waste up to 1,661 gallons of water each year! Not only is that a complete waste of water, it can cost you up to $35 in electricity and gas.

Thursday, July 6, 2017

It's the Little Things: 5 Small Energy Saving Tips

The energy efficiency of your house depends on all kinds of different factors, from replacing your ductwork system to turning off the lights when you leave the room. Even if you have all the big stuff covered, that doesn’t mean you get to slack off when it comes to using energy-saving habits. Remember: Every bit counts. Even if it doesn’t seem like much, each step you take still adds to a more energy efficient home and lifestyle.

Unplug vampire appliances-

While this is not an unknown way to save energy, it’s pretty easily forgotten.
Energy vampires are appliances that don’t turn off. They either remain on “stand-by” mode or they simply stay on, but regardless, they suck out energy continuously from the lifeblood of your house. Hence the "energy vampires" name.
Use smart power strips, which will turn off those pesky appliances for you by shutting down anything that goes into standby mode. You can also simply turn them off, or group them onto regular power strips for an easier time turning them off.

Keep doors open-

When you keep doors in your house closed, it causes the air pressure to increase, which can possibly lead to your precious conditioned air to be sucked through any existing leaks into the attic, or even outside.
This is an easy fix: keep your doors open! Your house will have a single air pressure throughout and you won't lose your cold air.

Change the thermostat-

A programmable thermostat saves energy by allowing you to control the temperature remotely, and by adjusting the temperature by itself throughout the day in order to use the least amount of energy required. Some are advanced enough to learn your habits and adjust accordingly all on its own.
If your thermostat has a “vacation” setting, use it! Only keep your thermostat on when you need it.
Even if a programmable thermostat isn’t an option for you, there’s still something you can do- keep this rule in mind: it is better to set the temperature higher during the day while you’re gone and bring it back down in the evenings when you need it than to consistently keep it cool.

How you do laundry-

Use cold water in your loads- almost all of the energy required to do your laundry is just from heating up the water.
Wash only full loads.
Only run the dryer for as long as necessary. Even running it a seemingly small extra 10 or 15 minutes wastes a significant amount of energy. Try to stop it from running as soon as your clothes are completely dry- and drying full loads should help with this too.

Ceiling fan details-

Your ceiling fan should spin counter-clockwise, especially in summer. This will create a cooling, "wind chill" effect, as opposed to letting it run clockwise, which will cause the fan to recirculate warm air (which you might want in the winter, so don't forget where the direction switch is!).
This will allow you to cool down a bit without touching the thermostat.

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/its-the-little-things-5-small-energy-saving-tips

Air Seal: The "Flu Shot" For Your Home

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/air-seal-the-flu-shot-for-your-home

Do you have problems with sickness, allergies, and asthma in your home?

Are you looking for a way to breathe easy and feel better without medication?

We have the solution:

Air seal your home!

We liken air sealing to getting a flu shot – it protects your health and saves you money in the long run.

Air that leaks through your home’s envelope not only wastes energy and increases costs, but creates an unhealthy (and potentially unsafe) environment for you and your family.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Getting to Know Radiant Barriers

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/getting-to-know-radiant-barriers

The purpose of a radiant barrier is to reduce summer heat gain and reduce cooling costs. This is achieved by installing the highly reflective material, normally in your attic, so that it can reflect the radiant heat rather than absorbing it.

A radiant barrier’s effectiveness is dependent on both the type of radiant barrier and the proper installation. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory estimates the air-conditioning cost savings can range from about $150 annually for very hot climates to only $40 for cold climates and installing the barrier incorrectly or choosing the wrong product can prevent you from reaping those savings. Some consumers end up disappointed with the effectiveness of their radiant barrier and this is mostly because of improper installation and poor choice in product so it’s important to do your research.

It is best to use a certified installer but if you choose to do the installation yourself, carefully study and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and safety precautions and check your local building and fire codes. The reflective insulation trade association also offers installation tips.

The most important decision in the process of installing a radiant barrier in your home is the product that you choose to invest in. Radiant barrier paint, radiant barrier chips and radiant barrier foil are the three types of radiant barriers. We do not support radiant barrier paint or radiant barrier chips but do support the use of radiant barrier foil.

Radiant barrier paint

Radiant barrier paint is meant to be a paint that is reflective and can simply be painted onto a surface to reflect radian heat. There are a few flaws to the product. Radiant barrier paint can be diluted in the field with water and will lose its effectiveness when applied. I’ve seen many houses where the radiant paint looks more like gray paint rather than a reflective paint, which is a sign of dilution. In fact, radiant barrier paint is technically not even a radiant barrier, because its reflectance is only 75%. Radiant barrier paints also has lower performance standards with higher emittance values and lower reflectance values than traditional radiant barrier foils.

Radiant barrier chips

Radiant barrier chips are flakes of a reflective material that is scattered throughout the attic. The problem with radiant barrier chips is that installers usually do not install them with enough density to cover the entire surface area of the attic. The chips need to be several layers deep and must be evenly spread which bring us to the other issue of the chips being very easily moved.

Radiant barrier foil/sheathing

Radiant barrier foil is a sheet or board that is covered with reflective material. The radiant barrier foil comes either in single or double sided. Some foil may be breathable with ventilation holes. Some radiant barrier foil may also have a foam core with some insulation value to it. This type of radiant barriers, meeting certain criteria, can in fact be classified as insulation under the EPA, qualifying them as ENERGY STAR products. We support this method of radiant barrier because it’s the most effective, maintenance free, long lasting, and reliable.

Common Insulation Mistakes

The most common insulation mistakes that are easily avoided…

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/insulation-mistakes

As a homeowner your goal is to make your home comfortable, no matter what the season, at a reasonable price. Insulating your home is a great way of achieving that, if it’s done right. Here are a few common mistakes that will prevent you from experiencing the perks that come with an insulated home…

Using duct tapes without any insulation

Using duct tapes through an attic space that is unconditioned is one of the biggest mistakes that can be made during the insulation process. Duct tapes should only be used in conditioned spaces. If the room is conditioned then cover the duct tapes with Energy Star’s recommended home insulation R-value thickness (you can find that here).

Neglecting the role of natural light

Understanding and taking advantage of the natural light in your home is vital. Using natural light allows for natural heating in the winter months. Things like south facing windows, skylights, and tubular skylights will allow warmth into your home naturally and will also illuminate dark rooms.

Ignoring air leakage in your home

Insulation can only do so much to sustain a comfortable temperature in your home. If there are issues like air leakage you’ll be using more energy to keep a steady temperature. Leaks can cause energy loss up to 40%. Going through the home one time to seal these can save you a significant amount of money on energy bills.

Rushing through the insulation process

There are many steps and aspects that go into the process of insulating a home so it’s important to take your time to insure that all your bases are being covered and that all your options are being considered. It may be better to spend a little extra money and time if it means doing things right and saving energy as well as money long term.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Easy Ways Lower Your A/C Bill

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/easy-ways-lower-your-ac-bill

In Phoenix, air conditioning accounts for about 60% of your home’s electricity costs. In some cases, during the summer, energy bills will double because of the A/C use. To combat these outrageous energy prices, most Phoenicians will switch to the APS and SRP time of use plan. On this plan most will only do laundry at night and will set the thermostat up during the day. Here are seven ways you can save on A/C costs without spending thousands of dollars upgrading your A/C unit to a high efficiency unit.

Leave your doors open
Your interior doors of course! Phoenix air conditioning companies have spread a lot of false information out there about closing your vents and doors. You want all the interior doors open or at least cracked to help circulate air back to the return.

Seal the ductwork
Around Phoenix, most homes are losing between 20% and 30% of their conditioned air in their attic. If 60% of your energy bill is coming from your use of A/C in the summer and 20% of your conditioned air isn’t making in to the actual rooms then you can see how that can add up to quite a bit- especially over 5 years!

Some HVAC contractors don’t seal the ductwork on new, high efficiency air conditioners which is like driving a Prius with a hole in the gas tank. Sealing your HVAC ductwork not only saves money on your heating and cooling bills, it brings less dust in the home too.

Air seal your home
Sealing your home, especially around exterior doors, electrical and plumbing penetrations, and recessed canned lights will keep your conditioned air inside and the outside air outside. Chances are, when your house was built, the builder ran wires and plumbing plates through holes in the wall that are much bigger than the wires themselves. That extra space around the wires can let your expensive, air-conditioned air leak outside—and invite hot, summer air inside. This leads to heat gain quickly and makes your A/C unit work harder and more often.

Install shade screens
Shade screens block up to 90% of the sun’s conductive heat while still allowing sunlight in. Windows account from more than half of your homes heat gain because they have no insulation value and are (obviously) transparent.

If you’ve been holding back on shade screens because you don’t like the way they look, shop around! There are a lot of discrete designs that are coming out. Or, take them off in the winter! Shade screens are typically clipped onto the frame and can be very easily removed after the summer is over.

Increase your insulation’s R-value
Are you even surprised that Phoenix attics get really hot during the summer? The temperature difference between the attic and the house can be a major contributor to high A/C costs. Having the insulation up to R-38 can protect your home from taking on the heat from your attic and make sure it’s not taking a toll on your bill.

Make sure there’s no connection between your garage and your house
This is one of the lesser known causes of high energy bills and is surprisingly common in houses in Glendale, Scottsdale and Gilbert. Like the attic, the garage gets very hot during the summer. Temperature differences is one of the main drivers of heat gain and having a direct connection to that is like filling a pool with a slash in the liner.

Annual A/C unit tune up
The most important aspect to this tip is that the tune ups are done by a trusted, experienced, and reliable contractor. I personally know that finding a reliable HVAC contractor can be difficult. Just because your friend is in the air conditioning business does not necessarily mean that they will do a good job. I have been in too many homes where an AC contractor and friend installed a new unit and cut way too many corners simply because that’s the way they’ve been doing it for the last 20 years. After that’s done, fixing any of their work is much more difficult.

Here’s an easy test that you can do yourself to see if you’re paying too much for your A/C. With the A/C on, close a bedroom door. Place your hand under the door to see if you can feel air coming out of the room. If you feel air coming out then your room pressures are unbalanced and you are probably paying too much for your A/C. Have an APS or SRP Home Energy Auditor do a home performance assessment to actually measure the pressure in each room to determine if correction is needed.

Following these tips are a great first step to lowering your bills and taking control of your A/C use. For other ways to save money on your utility bills, be sure to check out our past articles and get up to speed on APS and SRP energy audits for your home. Feel free to call Green ID for more information or schedule your energy audit.

Thursday, June 29, 2017

The Arizona summer home checklist!

There are a few things that you can do to prepare for the intense Arizona summer heat that is headed our way! These tips can help you keep your home cool and give you the comfort you need!

1. Check attic insulation

Making sure that your attic is properly insulated can assure you that the cool air that you’re A/C unit is producing aren’t seeping right out of the walls!

2. Clean your air filters

Checking to make sure that your air filters are clean of dust and other things will assure that you’re getting the maximum amount of airflow in your home without that conditioned air being blocked by your clogged filter.

3. Make sure there are no air leaks

By making sure that there are no air leaks in your home or in your ventilation system you’ll know that your conditioned air is getting to each room and staying there. Warm air leaking into your home can waste a lot of your energy dollars. These leaks are most often found in a home’s ceilings, walls, ducts, door and windows.

4. Give your vents space

Blocking vents in your home with furniture or curtains could be limiting the air flow in your home. By making sure that there’s not any type of obstruction of airflow your homes cool air will spread more evenly throughout rooms.

5. A/C tune ups

Cleaning your air conditioning unit’s coils and fins once a year can go a long way. It’s even better to have it serviced annually by a professional to make sure that your unit is running to its optimum ability.

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The Most Common Home Efficiency Recommendations That Energy Auditors Give in Phoenix

All houses are different, but throughout the valley there are similar construction techniques and practices that are used on the majority of homes. These locally frequent practices could be the cause of your high energy bills, temperature differences within rooms, and poor indoor air quality. Through many years of experience, the energy auditors at Green ID have found that fixing these construction flaws can improve your quality of life through lower utility bills, better air quality, and consistent air temperature from room to room.

We will go into detail about what our auditors have found to be the most common home efficiency recommendations around Phoenix.

1. Seal the ducts. SRP estimates that the typical Phoenix home loses 20% of its air-conditioned air through faulty ducts. Some installers will take shortcuts when it comes the dealing duct leaks but ENERGY STAR tells us that a duct system that is properly sealed can save up to 25% of heating and air conditioning costs.

2. Air-seal the house. Chances are, when your house was built, the builder ran wires and plumbing plates through holes in the wall that are much bigger than the wires themselves. That extra space around the wires can let your expensive, air-conditioned indoor air leak outside—and invite hot, summer air inside. This leads to heat gain quickly.

3. Add insulation or fix improperly placed insulation. In hot climates, having a well-insulated attic is crucial. This means insulation should have an “R” value (efficiency rating) of at least 30 or higher. Some homes in Arizona don’t have any attic insulation at all or have attics with insulation where it’s improperly installed.

4. Shade your windows. Windows are one of the things that are most to blame for heat entering your home. Help keep this heat out by closing curtains on the sunny side of your home or adding shade screens to your windows. According to the Electric League of Arizona, shade screens can reduce heat from the sun by about 50%.

5. Upgrade lights and appliances. Incandescent light bulbs add heat to your home and use far more electricity. Swapping them out for CFLs or LEDs can significantly reduce your energy use and has one of the fastest payback times of any energy improvement you can make.

Get a home energy audit to get an in depth view of how your home is using energy. Homeowners won’t know which energy improvement projects are the most cost-effective if they don’t know how well or poorly their home uses energy. Home energy audits help pinpoint energy leaks and malfunctioning systems, and provide cost-benefit analyses for various energy-saving fixes. This service can find up to 35% in energy bill savings.

Know Your Ducts

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/what-you-need-to-know-about-ductwork-types

We’ve discussed different types of insulation, and why you should get a home energy audit, but what about ductwork? Simply put, a duct is the channel that carries cooled air from the air conditioning unit through your home, and also removes warm or stale air. Ducts for central air conditioning can also be used for heating and filtering systems. Let’s look at some of the different types of ducts needed for air conditioning.

Sheet Metal Air Ducts

The most common type of ridged air duct is constructed of galvanized steel or aluminum. Aluminum in particular is relatively light and easy to install. They may be round, rectangular, or in the form of a spiral oval. These are the types of ducts that you’ve see in movies – usually with an action hero crawling through them! Sheet metal air ducts are the most durable type of air duct construction, and because of their non-porous surface, are the least likely to have mold or biological growth.

Fiberglass Lined Air Ducts

Some sheet metal air ducts are lined with an external or internal fiberglass duct liner. Fiberglass lining is used to insulate air ducts from heat loss or to avoid condensation in cases where the supply air is very cold, or there is a high ambient humidity in the plenum. Fiberglass lining also provides sound attenuation, reducing the noise of the HVAC system. Because of the dampened sound benefit, this type of duct is common in office and commercial buildings. However, the fiberglass in these ducts can deteriorate and eventually release fiberglass particles into the air – which is a major health concern, especially with long-term exposure. Fiberglass lined ducts also have the potential to become contaminated with molds and bacteria.

Fiberboard Air Ducts

Fiberboard air ducts are constructed with boards of compressed resin bonded inorganic glass fibers. They have a foil face on the outside that serves as the air barrier and water vapor retarder. The interior of fiberboard air duct is sealed to prevent fiberglass fibers from entering the air stream. Fiberboard air duct also provides acoustical and thermal benefits, and are typically the most inexpensive air duct systems to install. This type of duct is good for cooling and heating systems because it is well insulated by itself. However, it is not recommended for ventilation because it can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew in humid climates. Also, because the surface is rough, it can affect airflow and efficiency.

Flexible Air Ducts

Flexible air ducts are constructed with a spring steel wire helix, encapsulated in a 2-ply, polymer plastic. Flexible air ducts are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to install. It is important that the lengths of the flexible air ducts be kept as short as possible as the amount that they bend greatly effects system performance. Typically, flexible ducts are tube shaped. This type of ducting is best in tricky spaces where rigid ducts are just not possible to install, or used to attach non-flexible ductwork to an air supply outlet. Kinks, bends, and turns need to be minimized in installation, as these issues reduce air flow and could hamper the efficiency and effectiveness of the air conditioner.

When installing an air conditioning system, consult with Green ID to find out which type of duct is best for your home.

After The Energy Audit...

http://www.greenintegrateddesign.com/blog/after-your-energy-audit

If you have an energy audit done for your house, feel free to give yourself a pat on the back. You just took the very first step to a more efficient and comfortable home.

But it's not over yet! You may have been given small verbal updates on the state of your house during the audit, but the true results don't come in until later. You should have a follow-up appointment scheduled soon after the initial audit, where you will be able to see your audit report in-depth and be able to ask questions about it. This is where you might receive a list of possible fixes for the found inefficiencies in your home.

The next step is to make a plan! Write down what issues you want to prioritize, and what solutions you want to use on them. A good portion of the expected work might require professional touches. But don’t think you can’t do anything yourself. Some quick DIY fixes, along with the additional fixes your home might need, can have your AC running in tip-top shape even as the summer heat rages on outside.

Friday, June 23, 2017

Energy Usage in Your Home

Thursday, June 22, 2017

Going Somewhere this Summer? Save Energy While You're Gone.

It's that time of year again. Beaches, barbecues, road trips, and more! If you're going on vacation this summer (or you're a snowbird), make sure you follow these 5 tips to save on energy while you're gone.

TIP 1: Turn up the thermostat! You've likely heard this one before, but it's still an important tip. Keep it at around 90 degrees. Warm enough to save energy on your AC, but cool enough to be able to come home to a livable house.

TIP 2: Turn off the water heater. It's not like you'll be using it! You can choose to either completely shut it off, or if there's a vacation setting, feel free to use it.

TIP 3: Get rid of your energy vampires. It's not Halloween yet, but there are still vampires lurking around in the shadows of your house. Your electronics! Again, you're not going to use them, so keeping them plugged in is just a waste.

TIP 4: Keep water around. Bottle up some gallons of water and place them around the house for when it gets too dry.

TIP 5: Cover up those windows. Your windows are a major source of heat gain in your house, so just by covering them up, you'll be saving a ton of energy. A window shade screen works best, but any kind of shading will do.

Safe travels, everyone!