The building is taking shape, rough-in has started on the first floor, and the heat of summer has arrived. Here is an update for the project that started here, here and here.
The ground breaking of a project is a very exciting first step of any project. You spend months on design, learning what the client wants, and testing variations to get it right. Then you submit the design to the city / county for final review and to get the permits required to do construction. Finally you get all the parts in place and the equipment shows up at the site. The ground breaking.
Installing a bigger badder Air Conditioner is not the best way to get your house comfortable in the summer. Although many HVAC “pros” will try to sell you one.
I have heard all the solutions that have been pitched to you by salesmen with the best of intentions. There is the attic fans, more insulation, dehumidifiers in vented crawl spaces, larger HVAC system, new duct work, and ceiling fans. These solutions do not address a holistic approach to the comfort issue in your home.
Our homes for years were built to “breath.” Then we started adding insulation and heating and cooling systems. At that point we should have stopped making houses leaky, but we did not change. We instead started installing larger heating and cooling systems that are so oversized they only function properly 4-5 days a year. Sure they get your house cold in the summer, but you are spending a fortune to get it there and doing nothing to address humidity. Throwing money at the problem without understanding building science is not the right solution. While a ceiling fan is nice when you are in the room, it is doing nothing to make your home more comfortable when you are not there, turn it off. An attic fan is making your attic cooler, but it is achieving that by sucking conditioned air from your living space causing you to have higher electric bills and poor indoor air quality. New duct work may be needed and you may need a new HVAC system. However, if you don’t have a tight thermal envelope, prepare to spend more money after bad building science. Before you invest in your home get to know the building science behind the problem.
R-Value is a measure of the reduction of heat transfer across a defined path. An R-Value of a product will provide you with information about the thermal performance of that specific product. It does not tell you the R-Value of the system (fiberglass, wood studs, sheathing, siding making up a wall assembly).
There is a test to determine R-Value where a sample of material is placed inside a testing chamber. This chamber has a hot plate and cold plate. The test determines how much heat goes through the material. This test does not factor into it, wind, humidity, human error, or temperature outside. These factors will greatly influence performance of the product being used with a given R-Value as well as the overall assembly of parts. Before you settle on a particular product with an R-Value you find acceptable – think through the entire assembly and climate you are placing the product.
In our household it seems we are always looking for ways to cut expenses to help make ends meet. An easy place to invest some money to get a quick payback is efficiency. Here are 5 tips to get started reducing your monthly utility bills.
1. Air seal your home – air sealing requires a low-level of skill and provides a high level of payback. Finding the gaps and cracks that leak your conditioned air to the outside is the key. Places that typically leak in a traditionally built home include light switches, electrical outlets, and around doors. Take off the covers and seal around the electrical outlets and light switches with caulk and weatherstrip the doors to stop the flow of air.
2. Insulate – It is critical to have insulation in the right amount, the right type, in the right places. However, if you are looking for the fastest payback, start in the attic. Typically attic insulation is installed to code minimum standards. Adding that second blanket of insulation in your attic, like you do on your bed in the winter, will make you more comfortable year round.
3. Adjust your thermostat – Turning your thermostat up 1 degree in the summer and down 1 degree in the winter from your typical setting will save you around 3% each month. Installing a programmable thermostat is even better.
4. Capture rainwater – Using rainwater to irrigate your lawn, garden, and flowers will cut your water usage each month. This easy strategy to cut utility bills also captures a better water for your landscape (no added chemicals) so things grow healthy and strong.
5. Install a ceiling fan to cool your home, use a clothes line to dry your clothes, open windows on cool summer nights, and close shades to block unwanted heat gain. So I could not fit it all in 5 tips – go ahead, pick one of these and get started.