Do you trust your water?

by | Feb 21, 2014 | Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect

There has been a lot of water issues in the news as of late. Do you trust your water? What happens in an emergency – do you have a water plan?

figure 4

Poor water quality can impact us all from wildlife to humans. Virginia has reported $6.1 billion in drinking water infrastructure needs over the next 20 years according to a report from the 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Our systems are getting older and it is hard to maintain them in this tight economy. Here are some recent news reports about water quality issues.

West Virginia chemical spill spurs long-term health study

More gunk spills in West Virginia, turning creek black

We have been fortunate with water quantity in recent years, but it was not too long ago we were facing water restrictions in our area. 

17 California communities running out of water

So what can you do at home?

1. Get a water quality test to determine what is in your water.

2. Have a water safety plan in case something happens to your main water supply. A good rule of thumb is one gallon of water per day per person.

3. have a water filtration system installed in your home. If your water is provided by a well, ultraviolet lights provide protection against most water borne bacteria according to Phil Witry of Commonwealth H2O.

4. Capture rainwater in a cistern

5. install water efficient fixtures to minimize your usage

figure 5

Typical Home Energy Problems – Building Science Issues Identified

by | Feb 18, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect

Most homes built to code minimum standards (the worst possible home you can build by law) are energy hogs. This home is no exception.

Energy problemsDoing an energy audit and using a thermal image camera, you can immediately see there are problems. The band board in the basement is glowing, showing a huge thermal bridge to the outside. This is often an area lacking proper air sealing and insulation in this type of home. It does not cost more to get this right, it just takes time and education for your builder.

 

 

Energy auditThere are many more issues found from missing insulation to leaking duct work. Here you see air leaking from an interior wall showing a lack of proper air sealing in the attic.

 

 

 

 

 

Energy auditRecessed lights are also often not installed with any thought put into insulation bridges. You can see this one is neither air tight nor insulated right.

 

 

 

 

 

Energy auditAvoiding these common issues is not hard. Having the proper specification included in your initial design will stress the importance to your builder of energy efficiency goals. Give us a call if you want to learn more about how a proper set of construction documents can save you more money than it costs to create them.

Snow Storm Coming? Clean Out Your HVAC Unit For Max Efficiency

by | Feb 13, 2014 | architecture, Building Science, Harrisonburg Architect

Remember when you are clearing your driveway from a snow storm to also remove the snow from your outdoor units.

IMG_2319[1] snow

Snow, ice, and leaves can pile up around your outdoor heat pump which could drastically reduce the efficiency of the unit. The outdoor unit may also not be able to defrost as intended shortening the lifespan of the unit. Read more here to see how the snow can help you be more efficient. Have fun shoveling!