Dont Forget the Ducts!!

This week I would like to talk about a very specific aspect of your homes ventilation system (the V in HVAC), Ductwork. So often we overlook this very simple but very integral piece of a home’s HVAC system. Frequently the issues with duct system are neglected in favor of getting a bigger system in to solve cooling or heating problems. This has several consequences.

The Dept. of Energy estimates that the AVERAGE home loses 25% - 40% (Energy Star puts it at 20%) of its heating/cooling capacity through the ducts. The AVERAGE home… I have seen houses where the ducts aren’t properly connected (and have even found a case where they weren’t connected at all) and can get 90%-100% loss!! On average about 50% of your bill is on cooling and heating, if you can cut back that leakage by 10% - 25% you could be saving around 5% on your energy bills (just keep in mind that getting under 10% leakage on a basic retrofit is pretty good).

With tighter and tighter homes being built (sealing up leaks from building envelope), many homes can have “right-sized systems” which can bring the leaky duct issue right to the forefront. With fewer holes to the outside less capacity is needed from the heating and cooling units. That means we can install a smaller system and a smaller system will run longer than an oversized a/c or heating unit (though counter intuitive, a smaller system that runs longer is more efficient and more comfortable, but that’s a whole ‘nother article). But if the smaller system is running longer, it will blow more overall air which means even more heating/cooling capacity lost. 

If you are thinking about upgrading your a/c or heating system make sure your contractor takes a look at your duct system. This should at the very minimum include a visual inspection. However, a visual inspection will NOT show you all of the leaky areas, just the obvious ones. A better solution is to have them do a Duct Blaster test. This will give you a quantifiable number in cfm (cubic feet per minute) as to how much you are leaking. Add to that a little work with a smoke pencil, and you are going to have a great ideal of what needs to be done.

This link is to Energy Star’s guide to hiring a duct contractor.

Energy Star - Duct Contractor

This one is link to an Energy Star duct sealing brochure. It has more info and a couple of good illustrations of where leaks can happen and what can be done to fix them.

 Energy Star - Duct Sealing

If you have any questions about Energy Retrofits feel free to post them in the comments section or contact me with the information below:

  

Kerry Hutchison

Project Manger

TexEnergy Solutions

817.538.1202

kerry @ texenergy.org

TexEnergyAudits.org

PS. Dont forget to sign up as a follower. The more people that like this blog the easier it is going to be get the support to keep bringing you great information!!

NEW VIDEO!!

Hello all,

The first of the new stuff is up and running. We have created a Youtube channel and have posted our first video! You should see it to the right, all you have to do is click on the image and it will start playing.

This film features a couple of my co-workers, Jerold Davis and Jason Helm. It was a video shot for TXU's Power Savers Challenge. I may have another video to post (the follow up on the changes they made) here with in the next couple of days. Things are really starting to pick up, if all goes well I should be able to get a hold of few videos featuring your truly at the end of the week. If I do get them by Friday they will probably  be up by the middle of next week.

I am finishing up the first major "article" type post (see previous post for a sneek peek at the rough draft) today and should be posting it tomorrow. In case you don't want to go to the previous post its going to be about duct leakage and contain a couple links to the EPA's website. Their articles will show you a little more on duct leakage and some things to look for when you are out shopping for a duct contractor.

Dont forget to sign up as a follower for the blog. The more support I can get for this, the more I will be able to bring you.

Also, if you have a questions or suggestions for topics you would like to know more about feel free to post them in the comments or email them to me.

Kerry Hutchison

Project Manger

TexEnergy Solutions

817.538.1202

kerry @ texenergy.org

TexEnergyAudits.org

Great things are in the works!!!

Hello again,

I have recently gotten some help in maintaining this blog which means new stuff is on the way!!!

First and foremost, the expanded content. In the new posts I will have a small to medium sized article from me and links to other great websites/articles. I have already started compiling a list of great articles from Energy Star, EPA, Department of Energy and more. If it deals with saving money on energy, tips on what to look for in a contractor or being more comfortable in your home I am going to find it and get it out to you.

Second, Videos!! We already have a few videos produced for a recent TXU promotion. They feature Jerold Davis (TexEnergy) walking people through our Comprehensive Energy Audit. Over the next couple of weeks I hope to have those up on YouTube with a player running right here on my blog. Plus (when I get a hold of them), there are also some videos out there with yours truly.

If I can (and there is enough support for it) there might even be a pod/videocast dedicated to energy savings in the future.

Here is a sneak-peak of a post I am currently working on.

Ventilation. The “V” in “HVAC.” So often it is over-looked by Heating and A/C contractors. Being concerned with getting a newer/bigger system installed they will frequently not do a thorough testing of the duct system. The Dept. of Energy estimates that the AVERAGE home loses 25%-40% of its heating/cooling capacity through the ducts.

If you are thinking about upgrading your a/c or heating system make sure your contractor takes a look at your duct system. This should at the very minimum include a visual inspection. However a visual inspection will NOT show you all of the leaky areas, just the obvious ones. A better solution is to have them do a Duct Blaster test. This will give you a quantifiable number ((cfm) cubic feet per minute) as to how much you are leaking. Add to that a bit of smo…

…click the link below to go to Energy Star’s Duct Contractor guide. They have some good tips on what to look for. 

Energy Star - Duct Contractor

If you have any questions about Energy Retrofits feel free to post them in the comments section or contact me with the information below:

Kerry Hutchison

Project Manger

TexEnergy Solutions

817.538.1202

kerry @ texenergy.org

TexEnergyAudits.org

PS. Dont forget to sign up as a follower. The more people that like this blog the easier it is going to be get the support to keep bringing you great information!!

Latest Energy/Comfort Retrofit

Here is a job I completed 8-16-2010

By, The way..................This is my Mom's House!


Kerry

What is an Energy Retrofit? What is Performance Contracting?

I am a HERS Rater and Home Performance Contractor.  My job is to find out what is going on in an existing home and create a solution that makes you more comfortable in your home and helps you save money by using less energy. I spend about 4 hours going over your home with "a fine tooth comb".  I utilize various tools like a compass, duct blaster, blower door, thermal camera and smoke pencil.
I use building science to evaluate the "systems" of your home. Insulation and sealing is a system, Ductwork is a system and Mechanical Equipment is a system.

HVAC is a huge part of the equation. It represents between 50-60% of your utility bills.
Each additional SEER improvement on your HVAC has a significant saving on your cooling costs, For example, if you upgrade to a new 16 SEER unit, it will be 60% more efficient than your old 10 SEER unit.

The D.O.E. estimates that the average home’s Duct system leaks up to 40% of conditioned air in to unconditioned spaces like the attic.  Now, a 10% leak in your return duct, drawing in hot attic air, will reduce the unit’s efficiency by 30%. So, that new 16 SEER unit becomes only as efficient as an 11 SEER unit.

Air sealing is also a consideration when calculating the size of your new A/C unit. By addressing the duct and air leakage problems, that old 5 ton unit may need to be replaced with only a 4 ton. A common mistake is to install an oversized unit. This can result in the unit short cycling. Short cycling is the A/C equivalent of stop and start driving. The unit runs inefficiently because it cools the room without removing any of the humidity, it makes us feel clammy and uncomfortable.  A typical home has a "3ft x 3ft hole" hidden in exterior wall penetrations, building cavities, wire penetrations, plumbing penetrations and open wall cavities that are open to the attic or outside. Most people are running the A/C with "a window wide open".  Air Sealing also helps new insulation perform to its rated R value. In the right circumstance Foam is a great way to go; it brings the attic into conditioned space and seals up air leaks at the same time.

I identify everything that is wrong with your home from an energy & comfort point of view. My audit is great for identifying the most cost effective energy & comfort improvements for YOUR home, but it is of little value if you’re not going to act on the recommendations.

I take lots of photos, run measurements, perform diagnostic tests, develop a HERS Index, develop cost options, run return on investment calculations on the items that make sense and then give you a copy of all the documentation and a proposal so you can decide what order and what choices you wish to pursue.

After all work has been completed, I repeat the blower door and duct blaster test to Quantify the improvements. This means you can qualify for Rebates and Tax Credits.

As a Home Energy Consultant, one of my jobs is to figure out why you may be having comfort issues. I can help you figure out if you have the right size equipment, right size ducts, grills and returns. I can solve these problems as well. I utilize items such as a flow hood, duct blaster, blower door an infrared camera. I also utilize ACCA Manual J Load Software and CAD.

Paybacks

When modeling improvements, I put the turn key price to do the improvements in REM/Rate. The software gives me numbers that I utilize to determine simple payback, return on investment, present value and net savings. Simple payback is what most people look at. I am very conservative when I do one of these because I do not want to over-promise. When labor and indirect costs are entered, it gives paybacks, that to some may appear long. It is my belief that the entire cost of the improvement be entered, even if this lengthens payback. When a home has gone for a long period of time without improvements to the energy systems and there are multiple things to be addressed, the costs increase the simple payback. I want the homeowner to know everything going into a retrofit.

Now, what is really important to understand is that comfort and happiness is something that is not measured in a comprehensive home energy audit. If you want to be happy and comfortable in your home while cutting your CO2 emissions, then the economic portions of the report do not carry as much weight. Every home and homeowner is unique. A homeowner with low bills/consumption compared to someone else with a different lifestyle but a similar size/age home has an effect on numbers as well.

Please keep in mind that this report is intended to be a living, breathing book. I want to be your energy and comfort consultants for life. At any time, I will produce the additional reports needed if the scope of the job changes or if you want to see different scenarios. I will also produce test out pages for you to add if you proceed with a retrofit.

In closing, if I do a retrofit at your home, I will test out at the end of the project and during the project if needed.  My goal is 100% satisfaction. You can rest assured that I will perform to the highest level of integrity and you will be amazed!

Kerry Hutchison
817-538-1202
kerryhutchison@gmail.com