Energy Audit Inspections

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

Blower doors are mainly used in residential work. They are used in smaller commercial work also but as you move up in size you may need 2-3 fans to really depressurize a building. Some HERS programs, R2000 and better (Class A) energy audits all use a single fan blower door for accurate numbers of airtightness.

With high rises and other big buildings with commercial HVAC systems, the large air handlers are dampered /controlled to provide the needed exhaust volumes.

See:

CGSB. (1996).

CAN/CGSB-149.15-96, Determination of The Overall Envelope
Airtightness of Buildings by the Fan Pressurization Method Using the Building’s Air-Handling Systems. Canadian General Standards Board. (Note: I sat on the committee for this standard for 4 years.)


See: http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/bsi/86-3_e.html
In this, there's a bit of history on how far back we knew about the need for air leakage control but the building industry ignored it. A lot of rotten roofs/walls and failed brick veneer walls (corroded brick ties due to exfiltrating moisture) may have been prevented had Neil Hutcheon's words been heeded or understood.

Point taken, Brian.

But, I take the time to check things.

If the windows are crap and I see no air infiltration, I just bring out the blower door. If the tool is needed, and there is more than one indicator, but the results don't match, do more testing. But why shlep out every tool you have, every time, when the problems are pretty obvious? You are just proving what you alreay know.


Never rely on just one tool, or one group of tools. Always use the basic, Mark I brain.

[dharris]

Blower doors are mainly used in residential work. They are used in smaller commercial work also but as you move up in size you may need 2-3 fans to really depressurize a building. Some HERS programs, R2000 and better (Class A) energy audits all use a single fan blower door for accurate numbers of airtightness.

What are the names of the books decker got all his wisdom from?
Gotta buy me a couple of them,
After I read them, I gotta make sure I send him and his buddy 500 bucks to learn how to do , and get certified to do IR inspections.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by dharris

What are the names of the books decker got all his wisdom from?
Gotta buy me a couple of them,
After I read them, I gotta make sure I send him and his buddy 500 bucks to learn how to do , and get certified to do IR inspections.

No. you won't, Dan. You and I and everyone else here knows this.

So, your post is just plain silly.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by wdecker

It's also surprising how windows can appear to leak, even when they are OK. You get cold air flowing down the window. You have to remember that even the best thermally insulated windows only have an R 3.8 rating (as opposed to and effective R 14 - 16 for exterior walls.).

Better windows have been around for quite a few years. Heat Mirror has had a double "low E" with krypton gas that are R7-8 center glass R value and overall about R5.5 with a "warm edge" spacer. They've been improving their products regularly and claim some now are in the R10+ range with an incredible claim of R20 last fall (don't know how much light this window transmits though!!!)

See: http://www.southwall.com/southwall/H...tingGlass.html

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

Better windows have been around for quite a few years. Heat Mirror has had a double "low E" with krypton gas that are R7-8 center glass R value and overall about R5.5 with a "warm edge" spacer. They've been improving their products regularly and claim some now are in the R10+ range with an incredible claim of R20 last fall (don't know how much light this window transmits though!!!)

See: http://www.southwall.com/southwall/H...tingGlass.html

I was talking about a static R value (heat barrier), but your source is neat. I wasl speaking about windows insulating from cold exteriors, not keeoing the heat out.

Seen anything about Silica Aerogel insulatio? Claimes to be R 10 per inch, but haven't been able to find any vendors who will actually install the stuff.

[James E. Braun, CMI]

I have seen our county use blow doors on low income residents. They test before and after the winterizing. The difference is amazing.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by jbraun

I have seen our county use blow doors on low income residents. They test before and after the winterizing. The difference is amazing.

In what way. I am interested.

Winterizing is usually just removing the water from the pipes.

[Marc D. Shunk]

Originally Posted by wdecker

In what way. I am interested.

Winterizing is usually just removing the water from the pipes.

He may be thinking "weatherization" and used "winterizing" by mistake. The government has weatherization programs.

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by Marc D. Shunk

He may be thinking "weatherization" and used "winterizing" by mistake. The government has weatherization programs.

Thanks, Mark. I don't do government.

They have all kinds of "experts" and staff that come up with some really crazy ideas (Can you say "global Warming" and "second hand smoke" and "carbon credits" and, silliest of all, "local building codes" (which, in our area, often contradict each other and the local governments have, by state law, liability if they mess up).)

If and when the "government" (who are usually people who can't make any kind of living, in the real world) comes up with a consistant requiremement and take the time and do the work (government people, actually working?) and enforce the law, then I will have a look.

Seems to me that all the innovation and work is being done by the private sector, the people who actually know what they are talking about because the actually do it.

I am responsible to my clients. They hire me and trust me to do the best for them. They put their money where their desires are.

And, so far, I haven't had any complaints.

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by wdecker

In what way. I am interested.

Winterizing is usually just removing the water from the pipes.

I think JBraun means "Weatherization". This term has been used for 15-20 years for the work done on low income retrofit programs. Some of the programs blow cellulose at higher than normal densities so as to increase its airsealing properties. At normal densities in walls of 2 story houses, I have measured 34 -39% decrease in whole house air leakage using fan door testing!!

Will:
The Heat Mirror windows have high R's when keeping the house heat in also. The Argon or Krypton gases, being quite heavy, resist convection inside the sealed glass (an extra R1+ for each space) and each Low E coating adds R1+ by reflecting radiating heat in the IR spectrum back inwards.

The real neat thing about the Heat Mirror product is that they have researched this field well and now can fine tune the glass at the design stage for the local climate in which the windows will be installed!

[William J. Decker]

Originally Posted by Brian A. MacNeish

I think JBraun means "Weatherization". This term has been used for 15-20 years for the work done on low income retrofit programs. Some of the programs blow cellulose at higher than normal densities so as to increase its airsealing properties. At normal densities in walls of 2 story houses, I have measured 34 -39% decrease in whole house air leakage using fan door testing!!

Will:
The Heat Mirror windows have high R's when keeping the house heat in also. The Argon or Krypton gases, being quite heavy, resist convection inside the sealed glass (an extra R1+ for each space) and each Low E coating adds R1+ by reflecting radiating heat in the IR spectrum back inwards.

The real neat thing about the Heat Mirror product is that they have researched this field well and now can fine tune the glass at the design stage for the local climate in which the windows will be installed!

Cool. Didn't see any prices or vendors. Expensive? Cost / benifit ratios?

[Larry D. Kage]

Originally Posted by wdecker

I use these, but I check them out.

Word to the wise.

And what did you find?

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by wdecker

My point exactly, Dave.

Permission to use (with attribution, of course)?

Absolutely, Will.

Per our conversation last evening (by phone)....I'll email you additional IR pics today.

[David P. Valley]

Originally Posted by mcyr

Dave, isn't the white correspond to your color thermometer at the right?

Marcel

Marcel,

That's another very important factor in performing IR inspections properly. Thermographers must be able to distinguish the colors from each other.

If you look closely, the nailers are not in the white scale: they are in the lighter purple range which tells me that they are a bit cooler than the outer most portion of the ceiling.

The only color that comes even close to being white (86 degress) is in the lower right hand corner of the pic (which is in the orange scale).

[Brian A. MacNeish]

Originally Posted by wdecker

They have all kinds of "experts" and staff that come up with some really crazy ideas (Can you say "global Warming" and "second hand smoke" and "carbon credits" and, silliest of all, "local building codes" (which, in our area, often contradict each other and the local governments have, by state law, liability if they mess up).)

If and when the "government" (who are usually people who can't make any kind of living, in the real world) comes up with a consistant requiremement and take the time and do the work (government people, actually working?) and enforce the law, then I will have a look.

Seems to me that all the innovation and work is being done by the private sector, the people who actually know what they are talking about because the actually do it.

Can't figure it out!!! In Canada and the US, we have 2 of the most prosperous and free countries in the world but everyone runs down the gov'ts as if they had nothing to do with what we have. We are the gov't........we elect it and can change it. Gov'ts set the regulations we live by......safety standards for cars, planes, etc. It ain't perfect but not many people are leaving to move to other countries.....it's predominantly the opposite. As someone said "We get the government we deserve". (edit: Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve- George Bernard Shaw)

I know that in the energy conservation field, gov'ts have been in partnerships with private industry to develop, test, run programs , do research, etc. In Canada, the R2000 program (now being copied by other countries; Joe Lstiburek cut his teeth working for R2000 in the early 1980's) was a private/gov't collaboration. In the US energy field, I always see the Oak Ridge National Laboratories and Lawrence-Berkley labs doing the testing of new technologies and various thermodynamic processes regarding insulation systems, etc. They are the unbiased arbiters in this field of "smoke and mirrors" advertising claims. (Note: Over the years, I have developed a list of 85 or so "popular energy misconceptions" where there is a bit of scientific fact but a lot of fluff. See the claims of the P2000 insulation folks!! http://p2000insulation.ca/ )