House Too Hot? Five Common Problems that are Simple to Fix with Rebates Available.

The heat wave this summer has put a strain on the electric grid, increased utility bills and made a lot of homes unbearably hot.  We have been inspecting about 25 homes a week all summer long and these are the most common issues that we see which can be easily addressed and also qualify for rebates from your local utility.

1.       Problem:  Inadequate Attic Ventilation and Attic Temps that Commonly Exceed 135 Degrees:

Due to an oversight in the building code some 40 years ago, standards for the Front Range were accidentally lumped in with the Rocky Mountains, so nearly every attic has about half the ventilation that is recommended today. 

Solution: Install additional passive ventilation, like ridge vents, roof vents, gable vents and/or soffit vents.  This is affordable and highly effective (also, choose a lighter color whenever you replace the roofing). 

2.       Problem:  Excessive Building Air Leakage, especially in Architecturally Interesting Homes: 

Many newer homes have complex floor plans, roof lines and framing.  This often results in numerous hidden bypasses between the indoors and the outdoors.  Bypasses allow over-heated attic air or 100° outside air to migrate into interior building cavities causing overheated homes.  The old “brick box on a basement” might not be as interesting, but they are usually easier to heat and cool.

Solution: These bypasses can be identified with a low-cost home energy audit, using a blower-door test and infrared camera.  The leaks can be cost-effectively fixed by a skilled air-sealing crew and rebates often cover much of the cost.  Insulation can also be added if needed.

3.       Problem: High Solar Gain through West-Facing Windows:

Here on the Front Range “mountain views” are highly desirable, but large west-facing windows drive up interior temperatures significantly. 

Solution:  Apply reflective window film to reduce solar-gain by up to 60% and reduce the costs of cooling these rooms significantly.  Materials and Labor costs are about $5 per square foot and rebates cover 30-50% of that cost depending on your utility company.  This is considered to be so effective that it’s one of the few improvements that still qualify for federal tax credits.

4.       Problem:  Summer “Tiered-Rates” for Electricity Driving Up Monthly Electric Bills for AC Use.

Cooling a home during the day with air conditioning is expensive.  The typical 3-Ton AC system uses 3500 watts and a 5-ton system uses about 6,000 watts.  With tiered summer electricity rates, the 3-Ton system costs 50 cents an hour to run and the 5-ton system cost 85 cents per hour, which adds up to $5-$10 dollars per day or $150-$300 a month in cooling costs.

Solution:  Cool the Building at Night with an Energy Efficient Whole House Fan.  The Northern Colorado Front Range is high and dry which gives us a 30-40 degree temperature difference between the daytime high and the overnight low.  The latest generation of whole house fans are designed to run quietly all night long, bringing in the cool night air and “pre-chilling” the building to as low as 67 degrees.  The truly amazing part is that this only costs 5 cents per night or $1.50 per month. 

5.       Inadequate AC Airflow and Inadequate Return Duct Airflow on the Upper Floor:

On a hot day, three-story homes are often 65 degrees in the basement, 75 degrees on the first floor and 85 degrees upstairs.   Sound familiar?  The hottest air in the home just stagnates on the upper levels.  One common reason for this is the inadequate system air-flow and minimal “return-vents” on the upper floor. 

Solution: AC systems in Colorado need 400-500 CFM per ton of cooling.  Adding additional dedicated return air ducts to the top floor will moderate temperature differences between floors.  Depending on the home, this can be a simple job or more involved.      

Feel free to call or write with questions regarding the efficiency or comfort of your home at:

 www.ThisEfficientHouse.com

info@thisefficienthouse.com

970-204-9931