Topics: Love Where You Live, Care & Maintenance, blower door, energy audit, green, green remodeling, infrared, IR camera, scientific tests, Thompson Remodeling
Thompson Remodeling is a Green Remodeling expert. Green has been a part of our practice for the last 15 years.
Yesterday we did two energy audits for clients and friends.
Many people have questions about what an energy audit is so here's my definition. An Energy Audit is a series of scientific tests on an existing home. The two main instruments used is a blower door and an infrared camera. A blower door is inserted into an exterior door of the house. It looks like a screen door with a piece of red plastic sheeting and a big fan in it. The fan blows air out of the house creating negative pressure on all surfaces of the house equivalent to a 30 mph wind. Gauges on the fan measure the volume of air pulled out of the air and measures total amount of leakage.
With negative pressure on the house the auditor (and myself and the clients) walk around the house looking for cold spots (in winter) where cold and/or cold air is leaking into the house. Common areas of leakage are recessed light fixtures, tops & bottoms of walls, bulkheads, whole house attic fans, and around windows & doors just to name a few areas.
The auditor then does calculations or computer modeling on the house and makes recommendations for energy improvements. Not all audits are the same. Some are much more involved than others. They can cost between $300 and$600.
Topics: Love Where You Live, Care & Maintenance, blower door, energy audit, green, green remodeling, infrared, IR camera, scientific tests, Thompson Remodeling
