See a Mosby Home Energy Audit
Monday, November 17th, 2008A South St. Louis City homeowner recently had us out for an energy audit, and was kind enough to let us photograph the process so we could share the details of some of the testing that can happen during an audit.
The home was built in 1939, and is in great shape for its age, but the owners had a few concerns when it came to energy efficiency. A partial list of their issues included:
● Vinyl replacement windows were installed in the early 1990s, and they seem to work fine, but cold drafts pour in during the winter
● Are there other air leaks in the house?
● Is the water heater still working right or is it time for a new one?
● The gas oven is old but still does a good job; can it stay or should it be upgraded?
A blower door test measures air tightness, calculating how much air is lost based on square footage of the house.
Eric, a Mosby energy technician, came to their house, and after measuring the house and reviewing utility bills with them, set up the blower door test in the front entry door. This tool measures air tightness and calculates how much air leaks out based on the home’s square footage. This test confirmed what the owner suspected: the windows themselves are still good, but cold air is coming in through leaks around the frame. The blower door also showed major leaks around the back and basement door frames, as well.
An infrared thermal camera takes images that show surface temperature differences. This helps pinpoint exactly where air leaks compromise efficiency.
An infrared thermal camera, which takes snapshots showing temperatures as colors, is used to pinpoint exactly where air leaks. Turns out the dining room and living room window frames are compromised, and the basement door frame, according to the homeowner looking at the thermal images, “leaks like a sieve!” In all cases, the windows and doors themselves are good. It is a case of sealing up and weatherproofing the frames around them, and the client put that on the list of items for Mosby to repair for them.
In the kitchen, the gas oven was turned on and tested for carbon monoxide. When the carbon monoxide levels leveled off, Eric indicated that it was producing unsafe levels, and should be checked out by a service technician or replaced with a new Energy Star model.
A Mosby energy auditor checks a gas water heater for carbon monoxide levels. The heater is safe, but working past its life expectancy.
In the basement, there were no carbon monoxide problems at all, and all tests confirmed the water heater was perfectly safe, but it is working several years past its normal life expectancy. Now would be the time to consider replacing it with a new sealed combustion or tankless version to increase energy efficiency.
A combustible gas leak detector is used to check the safety of a home's gas lines.
Using a combustible gas leak detector, Eric found 5 areas around connector joints leaking minor levels of gas. These leaks aren’t large or dangerous, but they are wasteful, and that adds up on the gas bill!
With the testing done, Eric gave the homeowners a brief written summary of the energy audit. Within two weeks, they will get a detailed report on the findings and, most importantly, a list of recommendations on how to improve the safety and efficiency of their home.
This energy audit confirmed a few things the owners already suspected, highlighted what they do right, and revealed a lot that was unknown. The follow-up report and recommendations will give a clearer understanding of which repairs should be done immediately and what to plan for in the near future. For instance, they will begin shopping for new Energy Star appliances, and asked us to take care of sealing air and gas leaks. They told Eric that one of the reasons they chose Mosby Building Arts for their energy audit was because they like dealing with only one company that they trust to take care of it all, from research to repair.
