Kentucky Guide Homeowners

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Energy Provisions o the

Kentucky Residential CodeGuide or Homeowners



I you are interested in buying a home or want to learn about the energy code and how

to make your home more energy ecient, this checklist provides a quick way to assessenergy perormance and identiy opportunities to improve energy eciency.

This checklist doesn’t cover every aspect o Kentucky’s energy code, but it addressesthe requirements that are easiest to understand and see in a home ater construction iscomplete. Energy-ecient homes are more comortable, cost less to operate and reduceair pollution.

Lighting P age 4

Air LeAkAge P age 4

AccesshAtch P age 3

WindoWs P age 5

ducts P age 3

thermostAt P age 4

crAWL spAce P age 5

energy certificAte P age 3

hVAc P age 4

Kentucky Energy Code Guide

FOR HOMEOWNERS

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Attic Access Hatch/Door InsulationAttic access can be a major source o air leakage in homes, causing utility bills to be high and creating

uncomortable drats. According to national minimum standards, hatches/doors to the attic must beweather-stripped and insulated. They should be well-made so that they are airtight when you close them(Test by closing door or hatch on a piece o paper. Can the paper be easily pulled out when the hatch/doois closed? I yes, the door/hatch is not airtight.) The insulation should

be the same value as the surrounding areas and attached so that itisn’t damaged or become loose when the hatch or door is openedand closed.


FOR HOMEOWNERS

Ductwork Ductwork should be insulated and sealed. Leaky ducts can beresponsible or 10-30% o energy loss in a home.

Unless the attic ceiling (underside o the roo) and walls areinsulated, when ducts run through attic space, Kentucky’s energy

code requires that they be insulated to a minimum o R-4. Are theducts in the attic insulated? Look at the label on the ductwork insulation – what R-level is it?

Is ductwork sealed properly? All ducts and air handlers should besealed with mastic (a special type o caulk that is easily visible);duct tape isn’t sucient. Either oil tape or mastic is preerableas they will stand the test o time and help reduce energy waste.Without proper sealing, your system will simply be heating (or

cooling) the attic or crawl space – wasting considerable energy. Inexisting homes, leakage should be assumed and mastic should beapplied along every seam and connection.

This duct has been sealed but not insulated

Insulated attic hatch and insulated ducts 1

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Energy CerticateAs o November 2007, the

energy code in Kentucky hasrequired builders to attachpermanent certicates on orin the circuit breaker box (i.e.electrical panel box) listing the

materials and equipment valuesand ratings that demonstratethat a new home meets coderequirements. The certicate isan important means by whichthe consumer can veriy that thehome complies with the code.Is there a certicate attached toyour electrical panel?

2007 KRC Energy Certicate Examples




FOR HOMEOWNERS

Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) SystemsImproper installation o heating and air conditioning systems can waste signicant energy and resultin costly utility bills. All contractors installing new systems (rather than replacement systems) must belicensed by the state, apply or permits to install systems, and must have new installations inspected. I youare getting a system installed or replaced, ensure the quality o your new system by asking the contracto

to apply or a permit and have the system proessionally inspected ater the installation is complete. Todetermine whether a contractor is licensed, get the name o the person who did the installation and visithttps://hbc.ky.gov/licensing/electrical/license_lookup.asp. Contact the state (phone number listed on thewebsite) with any questions or concerns.

Energy Efcient LightingLighting has an enormous impact (approximately 12%) on the energy use in homes.

The energy conservation code requires that builders put high eciency light bulbsin at least 50 percent o hardwired lighting xtures. High eciency bulbs caninclude compact orescents, high-eciency halogens, LEDs, etc.

A compact orescent (CFL) bulb

Air LeakageLook or sources o air leaks into and out o the home. Air leakage is responsibleor 30% or more o the energy loss in homes. All joints, seams, and penetrationsbetween the inside and outside o the home should be sealed. Typically, caulk,spray oam or weather stripping is used to seal air leaks.

Check to see whether leaks have been sealed in a home by looking at where phone lines, electrical linesplumbing and other services enter the house. Are the holes plugged with caulk or other sealants?

Check the holes in the attic oor where pipes and ducts lead to the rooms below. Are they sealed withoam, caulk, or other materials to prevent airow?

Open the cabinets under the kitchen sink, under the kitchen island, under bathroom sinks, etc., andlook at pipes leading to the oor below or out through walls. Are the spaces around the pipes lled with

caulk, oam, or other materials to prevent airow?

In the basement, look at exterior walls where pipes and wires leadto the outside. Are there airspaces around the pipes/wires or havethey been sealed?

Check where pipes and ducts pass up through the basemenceiling to the oor above. Are there gaps and spaces that createdrats and waste energy or are they sealed tightly?

Why Do Air Leaks Matter? I a home is not properly sealed, dirt, dust,and moisture enters the home and can

lead to a variety o respiratory problemsincluding asthma and allergies. Did you

know that up to 40 percent o the air webreathe on the rst oor o our homecomes rom the crawlspace?

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Programmable ThermostatProgrammable thermostats can generate annual energy savings o 10%.

According to the energy code, homes with orced-air urnaces must haveprogrammable thermostats installed. Regardless o the heating and coolingsystem in a home, programmable thermostats can save money. The averagecost o a programmable thermostat ranges rom $30 to $50.

A programmable thermostat




FOR HOMEOWNERS

Crawl SpaceGet under the house and get to know the crawl space. Either the oor over the crawl space should beinsulated or (preerred) the crawl space walls should be insulated and the crawl space should not bevented. Insulation should be attached securely without gaps.

WindowsWindows and doors account or 18-20% o energy loss in homes. There

are a number o actors that should be considered in evaluating olderwindows, as energy perormance varies signicantly based on thematerial that windows are made rom and the condition they are in.

Can you see daylight around the sides o the window rame or sash?

Are windows loose in their tracks; can you slip a piece o paperbetween the sash and rame when they are closed and locked?

What are the windows made o? Aluminum is typically a poor insulator.Fiberglass, wood, and vinyl do a better job, but much depends on the

construction o the windows.

Are windows single, double,

or triple-paned? Note: stormwindows installed over single-paned windows can perormabout as well as conventional double-paned windows, but do notmatch the perormance o high-perormance windows with low-Eglass and gas lls.

The ability o double or triple-paned windows to block heat transerdepends greatly on whether they are “low-E coated”. Low-E coatings

are invisible, but can be detected by specialists.

To learn more about window technology and benets, please visit the Ecient

Windows Collaborative web site:http://www.ecientwindows.org/code_overview.cm

Proper installation (no vent)

Double-paned window with an insulatedberglass rame

A sample window certicate

Improper installationCrawl space vent 3 4 5

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June 2011. Kentucky Homeowner Guide

Additional information can be found at the Kentucky

Department of Housing, Buildings, and Construction’s web site:

http://www.dhbc.ky.gov/bce/ecd/consumer.htm The consumer education campaign is made possible by the combined eforts o the ollowingorganizations: Kentucky Department or Energy Development and Independence, U.S.Department o Energy, Building Codes Assistance Project, and the Kentucky Department o Housing, Buildings, and Construction.

Photo Credits

Courtesy o Tim Carter

Courtesy o energycodes.gov

Courtesy o homeconstructionimprovement.com

Courtesy o Owens Corning

Flickr Creative Commons, user jcestnik

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Kentucky Guide Homeowners