Allbritten » indoor air quality

Home Energy Assessement/Audit: What to Expect

andread — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:18:05 +0000

Done correctly, you determine the most cost effective way to solve the comfort and energy issues in your home.

From dramatically reducing your utility bills to ensuring your home is healthy and safe, an Allbritten Comprehensive Home Assessment will reveal the smarter way to prioritize your home energy upgrades. Lots of contractors are offering them, however, it’s important to get a comprehensive audit that is accurate and actionable.

To be accurate, the audit needs to include a thorough inspection and a range of diagnostics tests. To be actionable, solutions need to be recommended and easily understood by you and any installation contractor you might hire to complete them.

A simple “clipboard audit” or home energy rating won’t cover both of these for you, so make sure you get what you need. And don’t waste your money on what you don’t!

During a comprehensive home energy audit, a (certified & trained) home performance advisor should conduct a variety of tests customized for your home, including:

Utility Bill Analysis — to determine usage patterns and look for ways to reduce looking at your electric and gas (or oil or propane) consumption
Blower Door Test — to measure and locate all the sources of air leaks in your home
Infrared Scan — to identify hidden defects including insulation gaps, air leakage, duct leakage, and moisture issues
Visual Inspection — to find evidence of problems affecting the durability of your house
Insulation Inspection — to determine insulation levels in various areas of your home’s shell
Attic Inspection — to identify evidence of maintenance problems, verify insulation, check for moisture damage to roof from attic side.
Furnace, Boiler, Air-Conditioner, Heat Pump, and Hot Water Equipment Inspection — to examine the overall condition of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment.

This includes several of the following tests:

Carbon Monoxide Tests — to measure carbon monoxide levels in the flue gases of your heating appliances and in the air of your house to ensure safety
Combustion Draft Tests — to ensure that your combustion appliances are venting properly and that combustion gases are not being dumped into or pulled back into your house
Combustion Efficiency Test — to measure the efficiency of your heating system
Flue Pipe Exhaust Inspection — to examine your combustion equipment flue pipes for blockages, disconnects, or other unsafe conditions
Duct Air Flow Test — to determine the amount of air moving through your duct system (available in certain regions).
Duct Leakage Test — to measure the leakiness of your duct system (in some areas, as much as 30% of the conditioned air moving through ducts leaks directly outside!)
Visual Inspection for Mold and Moisture Sources — to look for areas where there is evidence of mold or high humidity.
Visual Inspection for Indoor Air Quality Indicators — to look for evidence of potential sources of indoor air pollution
Exhaust Fan Inspection — to measure whether fans are moving enough air to properly ventilate your home, and should include an inspection of the exhaust fan ductwork to ensure proper venting
Clothes Dryer Venting Inspection — to ensure dryers are vented properly to avoid moisture and combustion safety problems
Lighting Upgrade Inspection — to identify opportunities to replace incandescent lighting with more efficient fluorescent and LED bulbs and fixtures that use less energy and last longer
Appliance Inspection — to look for opportunities to save money and improve performance
Pool and Well Pump Analysis — to check pumps for sizing and efficiency and look for opportunities to reduce pumping costs

In most homes, the audit procedure should take about two to three hours and create minimal disruption to your regular household routine.

A comprehensive assessment should also include a full “test out” conducted after all the improvements are installed. This will ensure the best results and ensure the safety of your home.

Air Purification KMJ Radio Ad

andread — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:12:23 +0000

We installed a new Carrier air purifier in Ray Appleton’s home here in Fresno, and he was BEYOND excited about the results. Listen to this commercial, and find out for yourself how impressed he was with the end result and a little more about air purification. This isn’t your basic little room, standup and plug-into-the-wall room air cleaner. This is state of the art stuff, that works for the whole house! This doesn’t just capture those pests and keep them in there alive and then require you to clean the filter. This captures and KILLS airborne viruses, bacteria, mold spores, pet dander and other pollutants and allergens.

This uses the same exclusive technology trusted to protect secure government facilities and hospital room patients. This is HUGE in the valley, since so many have allergy problems and are sensitive to molds, pollen, pets, etc. Listen to this testimonial below…

Allbritten- January 2010 Ray KMJ

Preventative Home Maintenance Tips

andread — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 20:53:59 +0000

Preventative Home Maintenance Tips

Preventative maintenance may seem inconvenient and tedious at time, but as they say “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. Just a few minutes of your time can keep your family safe and minimize costly repairs in the future.

Here are some easy home maintenance tips:

Toilets. If you think you might have a leaky toilet there is any easy way to check. Put a small amount of red food coloring in the tank and check the toilet bowl about 15 minutes later. If the water has turned red, water is seeping through from the tank and you need to fix the leak.
Washing machine. Cracked or leaky washing machine hoses are one of the leading causes for Homeowners Insurance claims. Check your hoses periodically for leaks, and replace plastic hoses every three years. Also make sure the drain hose is secured to the washing machine outlet box. If not properly secured, the pressure could cause the hose to jump out of the drain outlet when the pump activates, spilling tremendous volumes of water onto your floor.
Garbage disposal. Run plenty of cold water when using your garbage disposal. Do not overload it or dispose of things like bones, cornhusks or fruit or vegetable peels. Rice and pasta should be disposed of in a trash container.
Pipes.
- Make sure you know where your water shut-off valves are located and know the difference between the outside water shut-off and the inside water shut-off in case of an emergency.
- When leaving your home for an extended period of time during the winter months, set your thermostat to approximately 60 degrees and leave your cabinet doors open inside. If pipes freeze, turn up heat, open all cabinet doors, and close crawlspace vents.
- To help prevent clogs, fit all your tubs and shower drains with a strainer that catches hair and soap chips.
- Do not rinse fats or cooling oils down the kitchen sink. They will solidify in your pipes and cause clogs.
- If you can’t snake it yourself, call a professional plumber!
Water heater. Always shut off the power or gas before doing anything to your water heater. At least once a year, drain the water from the tank to remove sediment buildup. At least once a year have your water heater inspected by a service technician.
Air Conditioner. Check the condensate hose to be sure it is not blocked with algae. Clean the outside condensing unit screen of leaves. Listen for unusual noises and call a professional when necessary.
Furnace. Have your furnace serviced by a service technician once a year to make sure it is running safely and at peak efficiency. Change or check filters at least once every couple of months.