Not always, in fact, in many cases insulation, infiltration sealing, and heating/cooling equipment upgrades can often provide better cost performance. There are many reasons to upgrade windows, but window replacement are not the first priority.
It is not the home, but the occupants in the home that need to breathe quality air. The best way to deliver quality air is by controlling air leakage, and then providing quality ventilation. Our air quality consultants will calculate the exact heating, cooling, and ventilation requirements for your home based.
Mold is a symptom of another problem in the home. Mold requires three things to grow: a mold spore, a nutrient source, and water. Mold spores are everywhere. Our homes are composed of wood, paper, and starches – all sources of food for molds. The only thing that we can control is moisture. Limit moisture (or humidity) and mold will not grow. Your heating and cooling system has a major impact on humidity control in the home.
We encounter many homes where clients have installed 92% efficient furnaces and have a 50% efficient duct systems. In order to have a heating system that performs well, a properly designed duct system is essential. Remember, bigger is not always better, and with heating and cooling systems the opposite is usually the case.
We believe strongly in responsible and efficient usage of energy, but when recommending equipment upgrades we like to look at the “big picture” to first consider if the additional cost of the 92% furnace is justifiable in terms of payback for our clients.
There are times when duct cleaning may be recommended, but only after the source of dirt entering the ducts is identified and repaired. Remember, properly sealed and designed ducts should not be getting dirty in the first place.
Well, congratulations! But, when sizing your range hood, was consideration given to the law of physics that says something like “air that is exhausted, needs to be replaced from air from somewhere else.” A large exhaust fan in the home can draw moldy air from the crawlspace or attic into the home and can depressurize the home so that combustion gasses are ‘back drafted” into your home. We can test to see if building pressures are within a recommended range.
This is a myth that we find well intentioned clients frequently believing. In a residential forced air heating system, all the ducts are connected into the same system. Closing the register in one room will just divert more air to the other rooms. Not only will this not save energy, but we have seen this contribute to mold growth in unheated rooms.
We design our home solutions to provide optimal comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. Responsible energy use and comfort are not mutually exclusive.
