Basics of Home Energy Efficiency Retrofitting

Energy efficient retrofitting, energy efficient remodeling, home efficiency upgrades … no one has really settled on a name. Whatever we collectively choose to call it, the goal is to improve your home’s energy efficiency performance.

Modern building scientists have taught us that homes work as a system or an ecological niche. Everything inside the home has an effect on everything else: the number of people and pets, how often the shower runs, efficiency of bathroom fans, floor insulation, which side the sun hits, crawlspace accesses, what cars are in the garage, etc.

Understanding how you live in your home is just as important to us as determining what your home requires to be more energy efficient. This sounds like it could get complicated, right? Nah. No matter how complex retrofitting may seem, there are four basic factors that guide how we improve each home’s energy efficiency (and comfort and air quality).

In a nutshell:
Sealing the house. We now know that this is the most important dynamic to address for comfort and energy efficiency in a home.  Tests prove that the more air-tight your house,  the more energy you conserve and the more comfortable you are. If you spend money/effort on just one item, this is The One.

Ventilate. When the house is more “air tight” you need to have proper indoor air exchange. Get that used air (moisture, heat, smell) out and the fresh air in!

Insulate. Insulation. You need it. But we never know what kind or how much (or any!) your house needs until we take a look. The energy assessor’s report gives us a good idea. (More on energy assessors in the next entry.)

Heat Source. This is kind of like insulation: we never know the level of efficiency until we can take a look at it. Frequently, we give the furnace itself an energy retrofit by sealing and insulating the ducts so it works more efficiently. Sometimes, a new heat source is the way to go. This is one of those situations when all we have to do is to compare the numbers for costs and return on investment (retrofitting vs. replacing). Usually the numbers speak quite clearly and the decision is easy.

Horn tooting:
We’ve been building energy efficient houses for 28 years. We are still in business despite the down economy because we are a quality, reputable builder. Scott (owner) is nationally recognized for his building practice and innovation. Northwest Energy Team is a natural branching of Scott Homes, Inc.

If you in the South Puget Sound area and are interested in having highly qualified home energy assessor examine your home, give us a call at 360-357-9167.

And have patience; our website (www.NorthwestEnergyTeam.com) will be launched before 9/9/11 so you can learn more about what we do.

---