THE RICHARD STOCKTON COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY

Energy Audit Report Phase II Assessment

Samantha Merkh, Cody Cook and Dylan Martello

March 2014

This audit was performed at the residence of in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey.

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Table of Contents

Goal of the Audit 2

House Description 2

Tests Performed 2

Exterior Thermography 2

Blower Door Test 3

Internal Thermography at 50 Pasqual’s 3

Results and Recommendations 3

Front Door 3

Garage Door 4

Windows 4

Sliding Glass Door 5

Fan Cutouts 5

Roof 5

Underfloor Insulation 6

Attic Entrance 6

Shower 7

Bathroom Windows 7

Creases between Ceilings and Walls or Two Walls 8

Structural Damage 9

Missing or Poorly Installed Insulation 9

Blower Door Results 10

Health and Safety Concerns and Recommendations 10

Carbon Monoxide 10

Indoor Air Quality 11

Executive Summary 11

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Goal of the Audit

The house of was built with energy efficiency and exceptional

building tightness in mind. The goal of this audit is to measure how tight the house

is, to identify problem areas in the insulation and seals of windows, doors, or walls,

and to determine if the house meets ventilation and indoor air quality standards.

House Description

Mr. entryway opens up into a large living space that connects the family

room, dining room, and kitchen. This openness, as well as the box-like design of the

house, which has few bump-outs, promotes energy efficiency. All utilities, electric

and plumping are kept inside the home and insulated accordingly. There is an air-

exchanger already installed in the house that is used during times of high-occupancy

and heavy cleaning or cooking.

The house has two stories with a total square footage of 9,920 square feet. It boasts

9’ ceilings with engineered beams that run along the tops of walls to keep all electric

work outside of the walls and inside the envelope. The house was built with 12”

thick walls that have are insulated to an R value of 12 (1R per inch). The basement is

insulated with an R value of 20, the floors are insulated with foam and have an R

value of 40, and the ceiling has 22” of insulation with an R value of 60. The front

door is tightly sealed all the way around and has an R value of 8.

purchased special windows from Canada that allow heat into the house; they are

triple paned with an R value of 6. The house was built with many southern windows

to receive maximum sunlight exposure, but the roof extends enough to block solar

radiation through the windows in the summer months, yet allow solar radiation and

heat into the house in the wintertime.

Tests Performed

Exterior Thermography

Thermography measures surface temperatures through infrared imaging. It

is used in energy auditing to determine different surface temperatures in the

home, specifically to recognize the difference between walls with and

without insulation, leaky windows or doors where cold air is coming in, and

problem areas that show temperature variation that cannot be seen with the

naked eye. Exterior thermography was performed while the house was in

normal operation with an interior temperature of about 70°. Few problems

were discovered; see picture’s below.

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Blower Door Test

Blower door tests depressurize a house to 50 Pasqual’s so that the houses

airtightness can be measured. The home is set in winter-time conditions,

with all exterior windows closed tightly and all interior doors opened.

A blower door test was performed and two measurements were taken. The

first measurement was of the entire house including all rooms that are

heated and cooled, and the other calculation was of the house in normal

operation with the guest bedroom and the mudroom doors closed, excluding

them from the calculation.

To determine air changes per hour (N), the air flow into the house (Q), in

cubic feet per minute, is multiplied by 60 minutes and divided by the volume

(V) of space within the house, or in other words N=60(Q)/V.

Internal Thermography at 50 Pasqual’s

While the blower door was depressurizing the house, internal thermography

was performed. This exposed air leaks, poorly installed or missing

insulation, and cracks or loose seals. There were a handful of notable

problems; see pictures below.

Results and Recommendations

Front Door

The R-value of the door was lower

than the walls

There was leakage evident along the

upper right corner and around the

seal for the glass window

The glass window’s R-value did not

appear to be much different from the

door

It is recommended that the seal

around the door be checked regularly

to ensure a tightness all the way around

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Garage Door

The garage door was less insulated

than the walls around it

Because the garage is not heated or

cooled this is not a problem

Since the utilities are kept in the

garage, it is good to keep in mind how

very cold or hot temperatures could

affect the garage’s temperature

It is recommended that the mudroom

door leading into the garage have a

high R-value to keep garage

temperatures from entering the

house

It is also recommended that ductwork

be checked regularly to assure proper

insulation

Windows

All windows have the potential for

leakages since windows have lower

R-values than walls and the seals

have very low R-values

The guest bedroom window, shown

below, on the west side of the house

had significant leakage.

Regular weather stripping can

prevent severe leakages

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Sliding Glass Door

The sliding glass door was loose in

many spots and did not show

significant leakage because the inside

deck was not heated or cooled

However, this looseness could pose a

problem since air could leak into the

house

It is recommended that the door be

fixed so that leakages do not occur.

Fan Cutouts

The square cutouts for cooling fans

were boarded up with insulation that

had a very low R-value

It is recommended that the fans be

put in with a tight insulation to

prevent very cold or hot air from

entering the deck portion of the house

and ultimately leaking into the main

house

Roof

Above the guest bedroom, the roof

showed possible heat leaking above

the walls

This could be because of improper

installation of insulation and it is

recommended that it be fixed to

ensure a tight envelope

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Underfloor Insulation

The areas pictured were of where

cold air was leaking into the house

through the floor

The first picture was taken on the

right side of the sliding glass door

The second, middle picture was of the

floor under the kitchen cabinets

The third, bottom picture was taken

in the mudroom under the cabinets

against the wall

It is recommended that these areas be

insulated properly to ensure a tight

envelope

Attic Entrance

The attic entrance is improperly

insulated and cold air can leak into

the house through it.

It is recommended that this

entranceway be insulated and closed

tightly. A simple solution may be to

use foam board insulation on the

attic-side to prevent cold air from

leaking through.

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Shower

Both pictures are in the

mudroom/laundry room shower

The top picture shows there is

significant leakage through the wall

into the room

The bottom picture shows that there

may not be insulation in the corner

behind the shower

To ensure a tight envelope, it is

recommended that these areas be

fixed appropriately

Bathroom Windows

These pictures were taken in the

downstairs bathroom and showed a

leaky window mainly in the corners

This is another example of how

window seals have low R-values and

need to be maintained regularly by

weather stripping

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Creases between Ceilings and Walls or

Two Walls

There were trouble spots between

ceilings and walls and between two

connecting walls

While these spots are not visible

with the naked eye, thermography

indicates where these leaks are

occurring

There were spots seen in the

mudroom, bedrooms, bathrooms,

guest room and in the room at the

top of the stairs

To reduce leakages in these creases,

caulk can be used to seal any cracks

Interior cladding or crown moldings

can be used as well

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Structural Damage

Even small structural damage, like

this hole in the living room, can

reduce building tightness.

It is recommended that any

structural damage be repaired for

maximum building tightness.

Missing or Poorly Installed Insulation

In the north wall of the guest

bedroom, along the western side of

the room, there are two missing

battes of insulation

This improper installation of

insulation could cause serious

problems, reducing the room’s

tightness and allowing internal

temperatures to escape

It is recommended that this

insulation be added.

In the ceiling over the alcove in the

guest bedroom the studs in the

ceiling between the insulation could

be seen

This reduces the overall R-value of

the envelope

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Blower Door Results

N=60(Q)/V

Q: Airflow (Cubic feet per minute) at 50 pa

V: Volume of Space (cubic feet)

N: Air Changes per Hour

Whole House (all heated/cooled areas of the house)

1030 cfm 22,796 f3 2.71

House in Normal Operation (without mudroom and guest room)

800 cfm 18,720 f3 2.56

Your home during normal operations, with the mudroom and guest bedroom

doors shut, has 2.56 air changes per hour, and 2.71 air changes per hour with

all interior doors open. According to ASHRAE, the American Society of

Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, a healthy house

should have 0.35 air changes per hour.

A home that is too tight may have high indoor humidity, mold and mildew

problems, stale air, indoor air pollution from particulate matter, carbon

monoxide, and carbon dioxide, and may be noticeable by anyone living in the

house because of headaches, wheezing, asthma, or allergy-like symptoms.

A home that is not tight enough will be drafty, inefficient, and lose a lot of

heat or air conditioning. The house will typically have high energy bills, heat

and/or air conditioning units that are constantly running, and uncomfortable

for those residing in it. Pollutants may still build up inside of a leaky house

because outside weather conditions may prohibit new air from entering the

home.

Recommendations: Your house meets the ASHRAE guidelines of 0.35 air

changers per hour, but is within 2-4 air changes per hour, indicating a tight

house. Even with proper maintenance, weather stripping, and correcting

improperly installed insulation, the house should stay within those

guidelines.

Health and Safety Concerns and Recommendations

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is produced during incomplete combustion and is an

odorless, colorless gas that cannot be detected by human senses, but can

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cause serious health problems. Combustible appliances, like water heaters,

furnaces, ovens, stoves, and wood burning fireplaces are found in many

residential homes, but carbon monoxide detectors oftentimes are not. CO is

not a problem where it can be dissipate readily, but in homes that are very

air-tight, it can become a major problem.

Recommendation: Since your home has many combustible appliances,

including a fireplace, and is very air-tight, it is highly recommended that a

carbon monoxide detector be installed if you do not already have one.

Indoor Air Quality

Combustible appliances, cleaning agents, mold, mildew, and some building

materials and furnishings can cause indoor pollutants. High temperature and

humidity levels can increase their concentration and prevent them from

leaving the home easily. Pollutants may not be able to disperse easily in a

house that is too tight or even too loose. Mechanical ventilation can reduce

and prevent indoor air quality problems.

Recommendation: The air exchanger you have installed gives you control

over your houses ventilation. Continue to use it during times of high

occupancy and during periods of heavy cleaning and cooking. It may also be

worthwhile to use in humid conditions and when you are using your

fireplace.

Executive Summary

house boasts an impressive air-tightness, but may require mechanical

ventilation to continuously meet indoor air quality standards. The house is very well

insulated with few major problems and promises energy efficiency and financial

savings already. While it is recommended to seal cracks inside the home, maintain

weather-stripping around windows and doors, and properly insulate walls, such as

in the guest bedroom, it is also important to recognize that the house is already in

fantastic condition to promote energy efficiency. While the house meets ASHRAE’s

guideline of 0.35 air changes per hour, the house is still very tight for a residential

building and it is important to recognize that mechanical ventilation may be needed

more often than previously thought to maintain healthy and comfortable living

conditions. Overall, residence seems to have met its goal of being a

model of how insulation and building tightness can promote energy efficiency and

still be a comfortable place to live.