Energy Efficiency and Comfort Levels

Several factors can affect the comfort level and energy efficiency of a home. In reality all existing homes have a significant opportunity for improvement, especially those that were built 20 years ago when no or minimal research was being conducted on energy efficiency of buildings. Today energy conservation is an important issue due to rising energy prices and the possible effects it may have on our environment. In today’s world, home builders have a better understanding of what affects the energy efficiency and comfort of your home. We at Go Green California are making an effort to keep up with the latest technologies, construction methods, and scientific findings that can potentially have negative effects on energy consumption. Our goal is to understand our customer’s goals and concerns, educate them on how we can help them achieve a more energy efficient and comfortable home, and work together to find solutions .Not only does improvement increase comfort but it can also increase the resale value of your home.

           

            Good recommendations cannot be given without a proper inspection of the property. Inspection should start before visiting the property and identifying the climate zone in which it is located, important if it’s your first time visiting the area. The person who is conducting the inspection should also familiarize himself with local markets such as energy prices, construction methods, wages, etc. He should also attempt to get in touch with the local building department to see if he may acquire information regarding the drainage, age, additions, and type of construction of the property.  Inspections in home should be carried on by a well trained individual who has knowledge of construction practices and who understand what can affect the energy efficiency and comfort of a home.

Impacts on energy efficiency, health, safety, durability and comfort may result from duct leakages, air infiltration, insulation, moisture management, and building envelope air tightness. A building envelope is the insulation and building materials that surround the conditioned areas of a building and which help maintain the temperature of the conditioned area. An important action when trying to create an air tight building envelope is to identify potential sources of air leakage and take the appropriate means to seal them. Air ducts and pipes are sources where air leakage may occur and depending on what they carry they could have negative effects on comfort and health. Several homes suffer from seasonal issues such flooding, mold, and odor which could result from improper pipe drainage and duct leakage. Proper ventilation is also required in order to maintain good air quality. A tight building envelope helps keep the proper temperature inside a home but it does not help maintain proper air quality, in fact it may create problems such as high CO levels, moisture, and particulate dust. Therefore it is important to provide good ventilation where the amount of air entering and exiting a house is controlled, derived from clean, dry sources, and which helps maintain good air quality and healthy living.