How To Perform A Variable Speed Pool Pump Calibration & Save Money On Your Energy Bills

As energy auditors and home performance contractors we often find variable speed pool pumps that have never had a proper calibration. Although we do install Hayward and Pentair variable speed pumps because of the great energy savings realized, a post-install calibration can be performed DIY. Here are some easy steps to follow to save money on your energy bills and get the most out of your variable speed pool pump.

What you need to know about green energy barrier scams

While making energy saving improvements to your home is backed by both APS, SRP and the Department of Energy's Home Performance With Energy Star Program there are many unethical companies out there that are taking advantage of these programs and making a bad name for those home performance companies that are doing things right. Many of the unethical companies are using the APS and SRP program as a cover, making it appear that they follow the strict guidelines of their program by simply using their logos, mixing the solar rebate program with the home performance rebates, and taking the rebates off the top of the costs so it appears you are getting the rebate when actually it is just a smoke and mirrors trick. These companies are hurting both homeowners and home performance contractors alike.

Here are some guidelines to help you spot a phony from a real home performance contractor.

1. The company has called you from an auto dialer blast.
2. The company rep does not go past the attic hatch in their inspection of your attic (the pros know this is where the majority of your problems lie and it's not just about adding insulation or radiant barriers)
3. The company rep does not do a blower door test or a full energy audit on your home .
4. The green energy company rep is not BPI certified. This is the basic certification all energy consultants will have to know what to look for in your home and to give you energy saving recommendations based on what your home needs.
5. The company will start at a price point in the range of $20,000 for a solar/ solar water heater/ radiant barrier/ solar attic fan package.
6. The company will not perform a test-out audit with a blower door fan.

Here is what you can ask the green energy company to protect yourself from buying something that will not fix your hot and cold rooms or make your home more energy efficient.

1. The green energy companies BPI certification and make sure the energy consultant at your home is BPI certified.
2. Call APS and SRP at (602) 532-2991 to verify they are on the Home Performance With Energy Star Program.
3. Your energy consultant should talk to you about at a minimum hour air leakage, duct leakage, room pressure and duct static pressure. These are part of the required tests all APS and SRP certified companies need to do or their inspection.
4. You should complete a home performance authorization form found on APS and SRP's website.

Don't get us wrong, there is nothing wrong with solar electricity or solar hot water heaters. The danger or harm comes from homeowners thinking they are making their home more energy efficient when many issues are still left unfixed and things that were never tested for or addressed. Things like air balancing, high room pressures, high static pressure, insulation that is installed wrong, air barriers that leave the house uninsulated and overpromising the cost savings from radiant barriers.  An additional benefit to using a home performance contractor is that the utility companies will audit our work, so you have another party watching your back.

Disclaimer: Green ID's energy auditors are all BPI Certified. Green ID's founder, David Byrnes, is a BPI trainer and LEED AP professional. We do not recommend radiant barrier products without first addressing a homes' priority needs by performing a whole home energy audit.

Energy efficiency mortgages in Phoenix

This is not a secret and is accessible to any lender, there are standard guidelines through FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac.

Energy efficiency (EE) is a great selling point.

There is strong consumer demand nationwide, from the National Association of Realators, Time Magazine, and the buyers. Everyone asks about energy efficiency from buyers to tenants. In 2010 apartments.com did a survey have found that 89% preferred a green apartment community and more than 25% would pay higher rent. Green also includes low VOC homes and use of recycled content in buildings.

So how as sellers and contractors do we differentiate ourselves? The answer is energy efficiency. EE homes sell for more and at a higher prices. Homeowners want lower utility bills and EE delivers.

An EE home also means fewer buyer inspections with a HERS report already done which can help close a home quickly.

Seattle, Portland and California have all shown an 8.5 to 12% premium for EE homes.

For buyers you can have the dream kitchen you've always wanted plus energy efficient appliances. Plus Energy efficiency mortgages gives better income ratios which means buyers qualify for higher mortgage amounts. Sometimes the air conditioner will get up and walk away during the middle of the night and an EEM will cover the cost of that built into the mortgage.

Plus there are rebates from APS and SRP... up to $1000 is available to put more insulation, duct and air seal a home and shade screens.

An energy audit should be as important as a home warranty or home inspection for all homes. If a homeowner gets a $500 summer bill their first month in their home is not a pleasant surprise for a new homeowner.

Myths
- a bigger AC is better
- an Energy Efficient Home means a homeowner has to go solar
- underwater homes cannot be refinanced (you can refiance without a new appraisal through a new Energy Efficiency Mortgage)
- buyers cannot qualify (more buying power to make the appraisal work in some cases, the more information the better and can be the tipping point)

There are two designations for green realtors.
1. NAR green (how to run a green business)
2. Eco broker (more technical)

If you are not doing green mortgage or energy efficiency mortgage you are leaving money on the table.

FYI- a 203k loan can let you do the kitchen remodel with 5% of the appraised value available

From a real estate perspective, there are two types of energy audits.
1. BPI is required for the utility company
2. RESNET is critical to the mortgage

Real estate agents and loan officers can recommend a HERS rater. The lender will typically have an approved list of contractors.

Builders can use a HERS Index to also differient a builder in the marketplace.

What to look for in an energy efficient home?

A home energy audit is:
- Looking at how the energy is being consumed in the house
- duct leakage test
- combustion safety test
- lighting and appliances
- attic inspection and insulation inspection and quality and quantity
- how the house performs as a system
- measurements of the building dimensions and geometry
- report, HERS Index, improvement analysis report

The lender will check that the EEM premium is greater than the installed cost or the improvements are cash flow positive. This is required for the energy efficiency mortgage can proceed. The certificate of completion is signed by the loan Officier, HERS rater, and contractor. The lender will then release the funds.

It has to be cost efficient to be approved by the loan officer. All parties have to work well together.

What's available out there?

HUD energy action plan
Weatherization- add up to $2000 to any FHA Loan without a value determination on the property. There is no rating, all you need is a contractor and a bid. For the consumer the loan Officier will add it to the sales price. This can be done in every single loan

EEM energy efficient mortgage
FHA is 5% of the value of the property. Energy efficient components to a home and finance right into the main mortgage. No additional appraisal is required.

Fannie Mae- has to have an appraisal

VA - can do up to $6000 out right

Solar package - cost of solar maybe added directly to the base loan amount

Renovation loans (203k) - full renovation options for making several upgrades to improve quality of a home

Weatherization only applied to existing homes.

We can combine an EEM and Wearherization.

What upgrades can be done
- AC replacement
- insulation
- water heaters
- windows
- pool pumps
- appliances

This stuff with everyday expenses. If this is done right APS and SRP rebates can be included and the homeowner will recieve a nice rebate check to offset the initial costs of purchasing or refinancing a home.

Education is key and good expectations should be set, an initial audit is essential (any home built pre 2003 are good candatiates)

After the energy audit contractors will be obtained and the upgrades will be deemed cost effective or not. $5000 can go very fast and different upgrades need to be worked out between the contractor, lender and the homeowner. A $99 APS and SRP energy audit is a good first step to find out what is needed. Usually a good relationship between lenders and HERS raters helps if any of this falls through. It is also a good idea for the homeowner to have some skin in the game. An actual HERS index will cost between $250-$500. A 45 day close to escrow can be done and all this stuff can be done in parallel to what's happening in an energy efficient mortgage.

The improvements need to be completed between 30 and 90 days.

The biggest hurdle is industry professional not knowing about these but we hope that changes.

Appraisers can try to justify value, they cannot create value and these upgrades provide the justification for kWH savings.

www.dsireusa.org is an excellent resource for rebates.

Disclosure: Green ID is both BPI and RESNET certified and performs HERS Indexes and is a certified contractor with APS and SRP's Home Performance With Energy Star's national program and a Phoenix home energy auditor.

What Are APS’s Energy Saving Hours?

It’s obvious that APS makes money the more energy you use but there are times when even their power plants get stressed from too much, or peak demand.  In Arizona, guess when that happens?  When it’s 110 degrees outside and you want to keep a cool 78 degrees in your home.  With your air conditioner being the biggest energy user in your home, it’s no wonder why APS gets a little stressed during these times… and it’s because of those peak demands that the utility company incentives it’s customers to lower its energy use during those times.  To further the energy issue, the Federal government has mandated that APS reduce its electric usage by 20% by 2020.  That is the main reason why APS is paying its customers to make their homes more energy efficient and sponsoring the Home Performance With Energy Star energy audit program.  The APS energy audit program has the same affect on you, the homeowner in that it is designed to lower your energy bill each month but there is a big difference in the way that is accomplished. 

The biggest difference is the APS time-of-use plan and residential rate plan is about energy conservation, whereas the energy upgrades to make your home more efficient is about energy efficiency.  Saving energy at home through conservation is about tweeking your lifestyle to save energy, putting on a sweater when it gets cold outside rather than turning the heater on, turning the thermostat up in the summer even while you are home are energy conservation examples.

What I love and do everyday is about energy efficiency, and that is designing and installing a better constructed home to work more efficiently, so your energy bills go down every month, but you don’t have to change a thing and you are more comfortable.  These are things like checking and sealing the ductwork for leaks, airflow and room pressure issues and adding more insulation which can make a huge difference in how your home operates as a system.  So that was your tip for the day, now let’s get back to APS rate plans.

APS has several rate plans and depending on your schedule.  They are best suited for people that are regularly done for work Monday to Friday. 

http://www.aps.com/main/services/residential/rates/rates_29.html#standard

I thought APS had another 9 am – 6 pm rate plan, but as of this blog, I couldn’t find it on their website.  There is also the equalizer plan which many people like because of its predictability… except when it’s not predictable.  Under the Equalizer Plan you may the same amount on your bills each month as your usage is averaged over 9 to 12 months.  More information on the APS Equalizer Plan can be found below:

http://www.aps.com/main/services/residential/FAQ/ResFAQ_50.html

If you are interested in other energy efficiency ideas, take our quick quiz to the right sidebar and we’ll send you some insider DIY tips to save money on you bills.

Sell your old stuff and gadgets online

Being a Phoenix energy auditor is not all about crawling around insulation, measuring duct leakage and sizing solar electric systems for homes.  We are all about reducing your utility bills but there are many other benefits to an energy efficient home such as a more comfortable home, a home with less dust and a quieter heating and cooling system.  We recommend both conservation and efficiency upgrades to reduce your APS or SRP electric bills.  Conservation recommendations are if it is cold in your home, rather than turning on the heater, you put on a sweater.  Efficiency upgrades have to do with upgrading your insulation, ductwork sealing and window treatments so your home is more comfortable and you don’t have to change a thing.  

Here is a recommendation we don’t always talk about but many homeowners may find useful and that is what you can do with open, unwanted gifts or extra stuff lying around your home.  Lots of us have old books and other knacks we never use and you may not want to go through the effort of a garage sale.  With the web there are many places where you can sell your old stuff rather than the trash.  www.amazon.com is a great place to get rid of old books as is www.ebay.com.  If you aren’t getting any takers on those websites, try www.swap.com.  For your old gadgets try www.gazelle.com  and for your cell phones www.recellular.com or try your local women’s shelter.  Have old Apple iPod or a used iPhone?  www.tunecycle.com is a great place to sell old iPhones and Apple products.  

We hope you have a great holiday season and if you enjoyed this blog, please leave a comment or like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/aGreenID.  

Does Radiant Barrier Work or is it a Scam?

We have been getting lots of questions regarding radiant barrier products.  Radiant barriers seem to make sense to reduce attic temperatures in the summer. You may have seen the home show demonstrations where one side of a mock attic has a high pressure sodium lamp heating one attic with radiant barrier, and one attic without radiant barrier.  These are very convincing demonstrations that you can actually feel or see the temperature differences.  So does a foil radiant barrier product work?

Let me give you a background of where we are coming from as a US EPA Home Performance with Energy Star energy auditor and contractor.  We use a science based approach to reduce your energy bills and make your home more comfortable.  That means our recommendations are based on a comprehensive energy audit using a blower door, thermal camera, energy modeling and heat transfer principals… not on a PowerPoint Presentation someone developed who probably is not an energy auditor.  We have performed hundreds of APS energy audits and SRP energy audits so we have some experience under our belt and seen the benefits and a home that performs well, and the broken promises that are not only costly but bring down companies that do quality work.  So let’s get back to your question.

Here are the facts - 

1.       In Phoenix, with 360 days of sun a year, in a house with minimal insulationyour home is only getting a maximum of 20% heat gain from the attic.  We have written about the importance of your insulation being installed correctly in a previous post.  The majority of your heat gain is through the windows.

2.       Using the most outrageous radiant barrier savings claims of a 30% cost savings onyour heating and cooling bill (sometimes even the sales rep gets confused and says it’s 30% of your total bills), let’s do the math.  I’ve provided a radiant barrier savings calculator you can use to get accurate estimates on your savings below, just enter in your highest summer electric bill.  Let’s say that’s $300 and 50% of that is from cooling.  So that means you are spending $150 on cooling for, let’s be generous and say May, June, July, August, September (5 months).  $150 x 5 months = $750 on cooling (overestimated).  Then we’ll find how much of your cooling bills is from the attic (20% from #1 above) by taking $750 x 20% = $150.  Now take 30% of $150 = $45.  That’s your annual savings from radiant barrier, $45! 


3.       If you are spending $2,000 on a radiant barrier to save only $45 a year, there are much better ways to save money on your bills!  One would be to install a solar hot water or even solar electric system for a much quicker payment and ROI.  That is why we will never recommend a radiant barrier product without tacking the big items found in a home energy audit first.

We hope that helps and feel free to leave comments below or like us on Facebook for a free Energy Savings Guidebook to learn how you can start saving today.

Help! I have to run my clothes dryer at least twice to dry my clothes – a story from a SRP energy audit

During my APS energy audits and SRP energy audits I occasionally run across a home that has high utility bills but as I am going through my inspection of the air leakage, duct leakage, insulation, room pressures, HVAC system and ductwork there is not a huge problem identified.  In one SRP home in Gilbert, I fell back on the homes motors, pumps and appliances and started exploring other options to pinpoint the cause.  During this home’s SRP energy audit the homeowner informed me that she was running the dryer three to four times just to dry a load of laundry.  It can be frustrating when it takes longer to dry your clothes than it does to wash them, especially if you have a couple loads of laundry to do.  I know what that’s like, having bought a 1995 home in Phoenix with all original appliances.  I hated having to run my dryer 3 or 4 times just to get my clothes dry!  If you are in the same situation or you may even have a new washer and dryer set – before you go out to buy a brand new dryer here is a quick tip I found can save you literally hundreds a year on drying costs. 

Your dryer is actually the second biggest energy using appliance after the refrigerator.  Plus if you are having to run the dryer twice or more to get your clothes dry then it is using even more energy.  The washer actually doesn't use that much energy, the costs for the washer come in when it needs to use hot water (try buying cold water detergent and seeing how your clothes come out).  Your dryer vents can be anywhere from a couple inches to 20 feet of ducting to get to the outside.  All that ducting collects lint inside and could clog the vent and decrease the efficiency of the dryer.  By cleaning dryer vents at least once a year you will increase the efficiency of the dryer and help prevent the risk of fire.  A good way to clean the dry vent is to use a shop vac or leaf blower and suck all the lint outside.  You want to be sure to snake the whole system to prevent a buildup.

In this case the SRP energy audit recommendations was mostly around the home’s pool pump run time, recirculation pump, 4 combined refrigerators and freezers and the clogged dryer rather than construction defect upgrades.  This homeowner was still able to take advantage of the SRP rebates available for the variable speed pool pump and the refrigeration recycling program as well as the duct sealing rebates.

7 Ways You Can Save On Air Conditioning Replacement for Phoenix residents

Air conditioning in Phoenix accounts for up to 60% of a home’s annual electricity costs.  It is not uncommon for energy bills to double in the summer time in Phoenix even if a homeowner tries to manage his or her energy use by switching to the APS and SRP time of use plan, only doing laundry and running the dishwasher at night, and setting the thermostat up during the day.  Here are seven ways you cans save on air conditioning costs without spending thousands of dollars replacing your AC unit with a high efficiency unit.  


Air Conditioning Saver #1 - Leave your doors open


No, not your exterior doors but your interior doors.  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.  Here is a quick test you can do to check if your air conditioning costs are higher than they need to be.  With the air conditioning on close a bedroom door and place your hand under the door to check if you can feel air coming out of the door.  If you can feel air escaping, your room pressures are likely to be unbalanced every time the door is closed.  Have an APS Home EnergyAuditor or SRP Home Energy Auditor do a home performance assessment of your home to actually measure the pressure in each room to determine if correction is needed. 


What if you have teenagers or relatives are staying over or you have dogs that you don’t want in a room so you have to keep the door closed.  Your energy auditor will probably recommend a transfer grille or jump duct be installed to relieve the built up room pressure and can go over the options with you.


Air Conditioning Saver #2 - Seal the ductwork.


Between 20% to 30% of an average home in the metro Phoenix area is wasting conditioned air in the summer and heated air in the winter to the attic.  If 60% of your energy bill in the summer is from air conditioning and 20% of that air is not being delivered to the rooms it needs to go to, that can add up to quite a bit of change over 5 years.  HVAC contractors do not seal the ductwork even on a new, high efficiency air conditioner 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 Conditioning Saver #3 - Air seal your home.


Making sure your exterior doors are well weather-stripped, air sealing any electrical and plumbing penetrations and sealing any recessed canned lights will help keep your conditioned air inside and the outside air outside.  A leaky recessed canned light can increase heating and cooling bills by as much as $5 to $30 per canned light.
Air sealing your home will also help stop the stack effect which causes warm air to rise and cool air to enter the home.  If you have a wood burning chimney, a chimney pillow will help stop heated air from escaping in the winter and save on your winter heating bills.  If you only have some areas of doors that you can see light through there are easy upgrades you can do with filler weather-stripping to fill those voids without replacing your doors.  I know what you are going to say, don’t houses have to breathe?  Yes, you need to have a supply of fresh air into your house for health and safety concerns but it is better to seal your home as tight as possible and bring controlled ventilation in from the outside than live with a leaky home and rely on dirty attic air as your “fresh air” for the house to breathe with.  An APS Energy Auditor or SRP Energy Auditor will calculate theacceptable “breathing rate” of your home and compare that number with the measured “breathing rate” or house leakiness from a blower door test.  


Air Conditioning Saver #4 - Install shade screens in the summer and remove them in the winter


Shade screens help reduce air conditioning costs by blocking up to 90% of the sun’s conductive heat through the windows.  Windows account for more than half of the heat gain into your home just because they are transparent and have almost no insulation value.  If you do replace yourhome’s windows, gas filled, vinyl windows are the way to go.  


Shade screens are typically clipped onto the frame and can be removed during Phoenix’s winter season when we use our heat to get maximum sun exposure to save on heating costs.  APS and SRP also give rebates for shade screens if you don’t already have them.


Air Conditioning Saver #5 - Go up to R-38 insulation in your attic


Is it a big surprise that Phoenix attics can get hot in the summer?  That huge temperature difference between the attic and the house is another cause of rising air conditioning costs.  Against popular thought though, the notion that the quantity of insulation is more important than the quality is completely wrong.  It is more important how the insulation was installed than how much you have and a home energy auditor will be able to properly assess your home and tell you how much higher your air conditioning bills are than they should be.


Air Conditioning Saver #6 - Check if there is a direct connection from your garage to the house.


This is not a commonly talked about cause of high air conditioning costs but I have found this problem in houses in Glendale, Scottsdale and Gilbert.  The garage is another area that can get very hot in the summer and like I said before, temperature differences are the main driver of heat gain into homes.  Using a blower door, your energy auditor will be able to test the house-to-garage connection that occurs above the drywall where you cannot see and estimate the heating and cooling loss occurring from the problem.


Air Conditioning Saver #7 - Have your air conditioning unit tuned-up annual by a trusted HVAC contractor. 


I personally know that finding a reliable HVAC contractor can be difficult.  Even though you have a friend in the air conditioning business does not mean they will do a good job.  I have been in too many homes where an AC contractor and friend installed a new unit and probably not purposely, but unfortunately cut way to many corners simply because that’s the way it’s been done for the last 20 years.  After that is done, fixing any of their work is 10 times more difficult.  First, the homeowner doesn’t want to point fingers at their buddy’s work, second the homeowner probably doesn’t know what “correct” looks like.  Like a good handyman, every homeowner should have a good HVAC contractor.


Those are the 7 ways you can reduce your air conditioning costs dramatically.  For others ways to save money on your utility bills be sure to check out our past articles and get up to speed on APS energy audits and SRP energy audits for your home.

Air Leakage Around Recessed Canned Lights

If you have had an APS energy audit or SRP energy audit performed on your home the auditor probably showed you the blower door readings or thermal images of your canned lights.  These are notoriously leaky and if a smoke pen is held up to the light, you can see the smoke gets easily sucked right up into the attic through recessed light.  If your home has more than 10 of these recessed lights, it can be a significant source of air leakage in your home.  The average home wastes about $5 to $30 per year per recessed light so it is an important cost savings consideration and health and safety concern if moisture escapes into the attic as well. Here is a little background on these lights and what you can do to stop excess air leakage in your home.

Recessed lights are typically installed in areas of high traffic areas like kitchens, hallways and family rooms.  Canned lights are either IC rated, insulation contact rated, or non IC rated, which cannot come into contact with insulation.  If additional insulation has ever been added to your home you may want to check that the insulation contractors put some sort of protector around the light before blowing more in.   Typically in homes built before 1995, non IC canned lights were used but I have seen plenty of newer homes with non IC rated canned lights installed.  You can find out if your lights are IC rated by going in the attic and looking at the nameplate of the metal light.  There is usually a label glued on top of the light that says the specifications of the light and it will say, “IC Rated”. 

Recessed lights in a two story home can also contribute to the stack effect if there are enough lights in the ceiling.  The stack effect is when warm air rises and is replaced by cool air entering the home through outside penetrations and duct leakage.  The stack effect and air leakage can be stopped by air sealing the home including the canned lights.  To find more information on how canned lights can contribute to the stack effect in your home check out this article by the Pennsylvania Housing Research Center.

There are several ways you can effectively seal your canned lights by either replacement or retrofit.  Replacement options can be done with air tight LED lights or air tight recessed canned lights.  Both replacements are very effective, the advantages of LEDs are a longer lifespan, are fully dimmable, and use less energy.  Replacements done with air tight recessed lights are also very good.  I recently performed an energy audit on a home built in 2006 that had the new air tight recessed lights and can verify that the leakage of the light is very low.  The reading from the canned light you see on my manometer is 0.9 Pa and a typical canned light measures at 40 Pa, which is a lot of leakage.

The other option is to build energy lids with at least 3-inches of clearance between the light and the box.  The energy lid can be fitted over the canned light and sealed at its edges.  Warning!  Do not use expanding foam to seal a canned light; the foam can drip down into the house and on the trim.  The energy lids can be effective if you have non IC rated recessed lights and need to add more insulation to your attic.  You can view more tips on how reduce your energy bills here.

For a guide on ways to seal up your home check out EnergyStar’s publication on air leakage and air sealing your home.

What were they thinking!?

Crawling around in attics for APS and SRP's home energy audit program has given me a pretty good idea where I can expect to find hidden “inefficiency jewels”.  I feel like a kid at Christmas discovering open wall chases, uninsulated soffit drops, misaligned insulation and unconnected ductwork. It’s like finishing a marathon, reaching the river at the Grand Canyon or reaching the Seven Falls in Tucson… well, add a little sweat, being in a 140 degree box and a chiropractor and welcome to my world of home energy audits.  Once I do find these things I often say to myself, “what were these contractors thinking!?” 

Now a home performing as a system is a relatively new concept as are the APS and SRP rebates available for helping homeowners reduce their bills and make their homes more comfortable but some of the insulating contractors, framers and developers just left their common sense at home. When insulating a home, wouldn't you want all the interior walls insulated? Or why would insulation be installed with the paper facing inside on some kneewalls and have it facing the other way of kneewalls right next to it?  I would like to share some horror stories through pictures of common and not-so-common defects in homes.  I think all good energy auditors in Phoenix will have photos and stories similar to mine, so cheers!

This is a huge source of heat gain into the home, causing hot and cold rooms and driving up energy bills each month.

APS and SRP will help pay for the cost of fixing these insulation problems.

Through the APS and SRP home energy audit program, construction defects like these will be found and fixed.

Part of the enthusiasm in finding these inefficiencies is the potential to save money on energy bills and dramatically increase the homeowner’s comfort.  Another good thing about these construction defects is that APS and SRP offer $1,000 in rebates to fix these deficiencies.

Save Energy While on Vacation or Away for the Summer

A good number of the APS and SRP home energy audits I do are for eco-conscience snowbirds.  These residents typically reside in the Phoenix, Surprise and Scottsdale areas during the winter and go back north for the summer months.  Even though homeowners are only here for part of the year, many are still motivated to have the upgrades done because of comfort and air quality problems.  Other homeowners will have efficiency upgrades like duct sealing, air sealing and insulation work done because of the APS and SRP rebate program and to drive down energy costs.  During the homeowner interview, I am always interested to find out what each homeowner does to “summarize” their home.  For Phoenix’s permanent residents, the summer is a time many will take vacation for more temperate climates.  Either way presents opportunities listed below to save energy and money while away.

Tips for “Summerizing” Your Home While on Vacation

-          Turn the water heater off completely at the breaker or shut the gas line off.  At the least, set the dial to vacation mode to minimize stand by losses.

-          Turn the thermostat up to 90 degrees.  This will keep your home cool enough to not damage the structure or your belongings.

-          Fill gallons of water and place several throughout the house to add moisture over time.

-          Unplug energy vampire’s aka electronic devices.  TV’s will use more energy in stand by mode than when turned on.  Prevent wasteful spending by simply unplugging your electronics while away.

-           Keep window shades closed and sun screens on the exterior windows to minimize heat gain during the daytime.

For more tips on “summarizing” your home while away, visit here.

How to stop home allergens

This spring I was surprised to hear a friend tell me she was glad her spring allergies are back, because that means the winter is over.  Although nobody likes the itchy eyes, sneezing and running noses that some unfortunate people suffer through every year, your allergies can be prevented while in the comfort of your own home.  That is an important distinction that some people never notice and are suffering unnecessarily. 

Cleaning furniture and flooring and keeping windows and doors closed are things everyone should be doing to reduce dust and pollen inside but there may be hidden causes that may be the main culprit in circulating unwanted pollen.  These culprits have most likely been present since the home was built and are also causing you to overpay your utility bill.  They are air and duct leakage and how the framing, drywall and insulation were installed aka the thermal boundary and they may be residing in your home.

The Problem: Our Homes

Small and large holes from any penetrations and duct connections in the house are not only a major source of energy loss but also can have negative health and air quality affects.  Every other week your home may get a good cleaning from dust build-up and the regular activities; now imagine how much more you would have to clean if a 12-inch by 12-inch hole was made directly to the attic and was just left there.  Put a large fan above the hole pushing your attic air into your home, and you’ll get a clear picture of the negative effects of duct and air leakage on an average home in the US.

Duct leakage explained

Duct leakage is common to every home and it is so important because the air handler is putting the distribution system under a lot of pressure, so a hole the size of a penny becomes a hole the size of a basketball under pressure.  On the return side where you change your filter, a negative pressure is sucking in dirty attic air post filter and distributing that throughout the house.  Want to stop indoor allergies; don’t clean your ductwork until you seal your ductwork first.  Do unwanted critters frequent your home?  Try sealing all the holes in the house from wires and plumbing vents to recessed lights.

Insulation performance explained

All attics are dusty but if the insulation is not in contact with the drywall, you can bet your attic will be excessively dusty and that dust will find a way into your home through air and duct leakage.  Insulation is like a blanket, it needs to be touching your body to keep you warm.  If the insulation is not in contact with the drywall (attic floor or kneewalls) as is sometimes the case because of electrical wires walking studs, recessed lighting or changes in the ceiling height that insulation is not working.  The gap between the drywall and the insulation allows air to pass through the insulation, depositing dust and dirt on the insulation.  That’s why you may see a cloud of dust form if you just touch your insulation.  If the insulation was installed directly over an electrical penetration, leaky recessed lights or any gaps between the drywall- that insulation will be darkened with dust deposits.  All the dust in the attic is more likely to enter the home and worsen allergen reactions. 

Both the APS Home Energy Audit program and SRP Home Energy Audit program will assess and measure the condition of a home’s ductwork, air leakage and insulation performance among other tests.  A cost savings analysis is given to each homeowner upon completing the home energy audit but the main benefit that some homeowners will feel is the cleaner indoor air quality, reduced dust and allergens and a more comfortable home.  Learn more energy saving tips here and visit our friends at everyday health to learn many more tips on stopping home allergens here.  We hope you enjoy the beautiful weather out and stay healthy and happy while at home.

Solar, hybrid and tankless water heaters and your choices

With triple digit temperatures last week, we have successfully made the jump right past spring into summer here in the Valley of the Sun.  Here a week of 110 degree weather is considered normal and hot water during the summer is not a choice, it’s the only choice.  Hot water heating can be the second or third biggest energy user in the home, right behind the air conditioner and saving on water heating can knock off up to 20% of your total utility bill.  Using the power of the sun to supply your hot water needs is an efficient method of heating water, but there are more cost effective technologies outlined below that will keep more green in your pocketbook.

A tankless water heater is preferable to solar water heaters for gas-fired tanks.  To prevent cold water sandwiches, tankless water heaters now feature a 20-gallon reserve tank and still heater the water only when needed.  Tankless heaters use a sealed combustion venting type that prevents carbon monoxide from backdrafting into the home or garage.

A hybrid water heater is ideal for Phoenix residents and preferable to solar water heaters if you have an existing electric water heater.  The hybrid water heater uses a heat pump, which sits on top of a traditional electric water heater to heat the water.  The heat pump works just like your refrigerator or AC condenser, but in reverse.  That is it takes the ambient heat out of the surrounding air and uses that to heat the water and expels a small amount of cool air (perfect for a garage application).  Your refrigerator will extract the surrounding cold air and circulate it to provide chilled food while giving off a small amount of heat on the bottom of the unit.  Hybrid water heaters are more than 50% efficient compared to solar water heaters for half the cost.

Solar water heaters may be good for a large family who like to take long showers (most of the energy used to heater water goes to showers).  An 80 gallon tank or two 50 gallon tanks will be installed with solar water heaters, so there will never be a shortage of hot water but can be overkill for most homes.

Some homeowners are even switching from gas water heaters to electric because they are putting solar panels to generate their own electricity.  The thought is that a big enough solar array will cover the energy needed to heat the water.  Solar hot water proponents will argue that homeowners should have both – a solar water heater and a smaller solar electric system because the efficiency of the solar water heaters (1.2 efficiency factor) is greater than the efficiency of a conventional electric (0.89 efficiency factor) or gas tank.  I definitely agree that efficiency steps should be done to stretch that solar electricity dollar, but the cost of a solar water heater makes other water heating options such as a tankless water heater or hybrid water heater a smarter choice (which are all more efficient than using solar electricity).



Bottom line if you are considering solar hot water:

-  Homeowners with gas water heaters and families with children should go with a tankless water heater with a 20 gallon reserve

- Homeowners with electric water heaters should go with a hybrid water heater

- Homeowners should consider solar hot water if they are planning on living in the same house for more than 13 years

How much will solar save?

The Valley of the Sun doesn’t get any better for solar energy production if you are thinking about installing solar panels on your home.  In fact, southern Arizona is the best location for solar in the nation.  APS, SRP and TEP still provide rebates for solar electricity and producing your own energy to spin your meter backwards is an attractive idea to many homeowners and businesses. But how many solar panels do you need to do so? 

Part of the equation is limited to the amount of panels you can fit on your roof, house orientation and external shading and aesthetics.  A good southern exposure is ideal for solar power, however solar panels can be west-facing or on a west-facing slope and angled towards the south.  Some homeowners want to completely zero out their energy bills for the whole year.  Other homeowners go with smaller systems to zero out just their winter energy bills and a lower summer bill.  To calculate the size of photovoltaic’s you will need to accomplish either goal you are going to need your electricity bills for the past 12 months. 

Once you have that, add all the kWh you used each month for the entire year and divide that by 1.7.  The number you get will be the total system size needed to take your annual usage down to zero (if you divide that number by 1,000, you get kW).  So let’s say after I added all the kWh’s used for the year and came up with 23,480 kWh/year (a large home).  Take 23,480 / 1.7 = 13,812 watts.  So I would need 13.8 kW’s of solar panels to completely zero out my energy bills.  Now I can go with half of that number (7 kW system) to reduce my bills by approximately half also. 

The 1.7 factor is an estimate for only a particular type and efficiency of panel, but it will give you a good idea for starters.  If you are a visual person, feel free to contact me and I can send you a spreadsheet where you can enter in your monthly kWh usage, and a nice graph will visually show you what you are spending now on energy bills, and what they would like with a 5 or 10 kW solar electricity system.

For more information visit http://www.dsireusa.org/ to find current APS/SRP or TEP rebates and federal tax incentives for going solar.  Visit APS’s website here, SRP’s website here and TEP’s website here for more tips and information.  Michael Blue Jay also has a great website and solar calculator here.  You can schedule a free site assessment on your home with Green ID to discuss possible options for solar.  For certain homes, coupling solar with efficiency upgrades will stretch your dollar spent 30-40% compared to solar alone.