With qualified and experienced inspectors an energy audit will pinpoint the cause of many problems that lead to an uncomfortable home. Whether its uneven temperatures, bad air quality, or dust problems it is important to look at the home as a system to find the appropriate solution. There are many important areas to test and […]
Blower Door, Duct Test, Energy Savings, Green Living, Healthy Home, Home Performance
What is the average lifetime of a gas water heater? The average lifetime of gas water heater is 9 years. The range is 5-14 years. How are FHR and Therms used to compare the efficiency of water heaters? The first hour rating (FHR) tells you the number of gallons per hour of hot water. Therms […]
To make the process of having a Home and Duct Performance test as smooth as possible, you can follow the steps below. Many of the steps can be done in the days leading up to your test while ‘for safety reasons’, you might want to wait unit we arrive (or just before) to handle others. […]
AeroSeal, Blower Door Testing, Duct Analysis, Energy Star, Home Performance, Home Testing, PTCS
Summary: This fact sheet will help you select an energy-efficient water heater for your home. Many homeowners wait until their water heater fails before shopping for a replacement. Because they are in a hurry to regain their hot water supply, they are often unable to take the time to shop for the most energy-efficient unit […]
Solar Water Heaters, Storage Water Tanks, Tankless, Types of Water Heaters, Water Heater
NOTE: this article assumes you know what a ductless heat pump is, if you need some pre-education, click here. You can also visit my YouTube Channel for walkthrus on installed systems! Single Zone Basic (i.e: Lennox MS8) Single Zone Feature Rich (i.e.: Daikin L Series) Single Zone Specialty (i.e.: Fujitsu RLS2) 2-4 Zone Basic (i.e.: […]
COP, DHP, Diakin, Ductless Heat Pump, Energy Savings, Fujitsu, HSPF, Lennox, Mini Split, Panasonic, rebates, Super Multi, Tax Credits
The best place to start may be “what is variable speed?” “For any furnace, providing maximum comfort means achieving the proper amount of airflow. This is true for both heating and cooling operations. Unlike conventional single speed motors, a variable speed motor runs at a wide range of speeds. Using intelligent technology, it continually monitors […]
Constant Fan, ECM Blowers, Evergreen Blowers, Furnace Blowers, Variable Speed Blowers, Variable Speed Motors
A forced air furnace or boiler’s efficiency is measured by annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE). The Federal Trade Commission requires new furnaces or boilers to display their AFUE so consumers can compare heating efficiencies of various models. AFUE is a measure of how efficient the appliance is in the energy in its fuel over the […]
AFUE, Carrier, Coleman, Energy Efficiency, Furnaces, High Efficiency Systems, Lennox, Understading AFUE
Selecting the fuel and heating system best suited for your needs depends on the following factors: The cost and availability of the fuel or energy source The type of appliance used to convert that fuel to heat and how the heat is distributed in your house The cost to purchase, install, and maintain the heating […]
Energy Use, Fuel Choices, Fuel Costs, Heating Fuel, Natural Gas, Oil, Propane Costs
Heat pumps can be much more efficiency than other systems. Here in the Northwest, a heat pump can have an efficiency starting at 300%, while electric heating systems have an efficiency of 100%. Oil heat systems range in efficiency from 50% to 85%. Natural gas systems range in efficiency from 50% to 95%. The efficiency of a heat pump is […]
COP, Energy Efficiency, Heat Pumps, High Efficiency Systems, HSPF, ROI
