All buildings that use a fossil fuel source for space or water heating, such as natural gas, liquid propane (lp), fuel oil or wood, have the risk of back drafting burned exhaust gasses into the structure.
Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Combution Appliance Zone (CAZ)”
The Energy Audit-Ohms Law
As an energy auditor, I am often in homes because of high electrical bill complaints. Conducting electrical testing and calculating energy costs are part of my job. There is a formula for figuring these electrical costs. Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Ohms Law”
The Energy Audit-Air Conditioners
Summer has arrived, bringing warm temperatures and higher humidity. As a kid, I remember hot nights sleeping in the upper story of an old farm house, often also suffering from sunburn. Now, I can’t imagine not having at least one cool room in the house for relief. What a wimp I’ve become. Many homes in Minnesota have some sort of air conditioning today. This blog posting is going to discuss the different types, efficiencies, and operating costs of common air conditioners along with the basics of how they operate.
Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Air Conditioners”
The Energy Audit-Blower Door Test
I’ve talked about blower door testing several times on this blog. This discussion will dive deeper into this type of test, when it should be completed, the different tests done with the blower door, and interpreting the information. Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Blower Door Test”
The Energy Audit-Dehumidifiers
Working as an energy auditor, I am often in homes that require dehumidification. Controlling the humidity level within a home is very important for indoor air quality and the durability of the home. Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Dehumidifiers”
The Energy Audit-Energy Costs
Most of the energy audits and assessments I conduct are because of a high bill complaint. Some homes have heating related issue, some have specific equipment adding to costs, some, the homeowner just needs a little education. When looking to decrease energy costs, where are the best places save? The Department of Energy has categorized and estimated the energy used by the typical American home…
The Energy Audit-Light Bulbs
The first commercially available incandescent light bulb was a product of Thomas Edison and has been available since the late 1800’s. They remained, for the most part, unchanged for the first 100 years. Continue reading “The Energy Audit-Light Bulbs”
The Energy Audit-A Discription
As I stated in my previous post, I am a part time energy auditor. This is my favorite job, I wish I could audit full time, but living in a small community, there’s only a limited supply of people in need. I conducted my first audit, actually an energy assessment, in 2009. I’ve learned and seen a lot since then. Continue reading “The Energy Audit-A Discription”