Tanya Morris’ 3-story row home in the Belmont  neighborhood  was rehabbed in 2005. Morris, an Energy Coordinating Agency (ECA) employee, wanted to take advantage of the EnergyWorks program  to educate herself further on energy efficiency issues as well as to make her home more energy efficient.

Through EnergyWorks, Morris was able to receive a $50 rebate on her home energy assessment by completing at least $1,000 of the recommended improvements. For more information, visit http://energyworksnow.com/.

Project Details

ECA’s auditors performed an energy assessment on Morris’ home. The initial blower door test revealed a CFM50 of 4200. This test, and infrared scanning, helped to pinpoint where gaps and cracks in the building envelope existed.

Air Sealing and Insulation

Morris’ basement was especially prone to temperature swings, so TR Insulation  air sealed the perimeter of the basement, especially around electrical, water, and gas piping, and venting ducts.  Weather stripping around the front door was replaced in order to create a tight seal. Morris also had low-cost, high R-Value cellulose blown into her attic to increase the insulation level in her home.

Heating System

Morris’ heater  had a number of issues: corrosion due to high levels of moisture in the basement, and the filter had to be replaced and a door constructed. Since the filter slot did not have a proper door, dirt and moist air from the basement was getting into the circulation system and degrading the air quality in Morris’ home. BQ Basement Systems installed a dehumidifier in Morris’ basement to decrease the moist air’s impact on the mechanical systems there and also improve the home’s air quality, and a filter door was constructed to keep basement air from circulating throughout Morris’ home.

White Roof Coating

ECA installed a white acrylic, elastomeric, or “cool,” roof coating on Morris’ roof. These reflective coatings can be sprayed on the roofs to help a home maintain a lower temperature during the summer and reduce the urban heat island effect. With white roofs, about 90% of sunlight is reflected, as opposed to a dark roof, where 95% of sunlight is absorbed. The white roof is highly reflective and emissive and allows  less heat to be absorbed into the home as a result. This is important because high roof temperatures can also cause roofing materials to deteriorate faster. Cool roof coatings reduce cooling costs by approximately 20%.

Programmable Thermostat

Morris had a programmable thermostat installed, which allows her to set back her heater  to a different temperature during the day, when everyone is out of the house and at night, when everyone goes to bed. It is important to note that your air conditioner and furnace do not work harder to warm or cool your home to a comfortable temperature when the thermostat has been set back, which is why energy savings can be realized.  A programmable thermostat should save Morris hundreds of dollars each year.

PECO A/C Saver

Lastly, Morris participated in the PECO Smart Ideas A/C Saver program. Through this program, PECO technicians install a switch that allows them to turn off your air conditioning during times when there is high energy demand. This helps to prevent blackouts or brownouts during the summer, and by participating in this program, you can earn credits of up to $120 on your PECO bill.

PROJECT OUTCOME

A blower door test was conducted after the work was done, and the ach had dropped to 0.82. This reveals a 20% reduction in infiltration rate. Morris reported that her home is already much more comfortable. In addition, because of the new heater and filter, the air quality is much better, as well.

Estimated cost savings are included below, but only include estimated natural gas savings. If electricity use savings are also taken into account, the Energy Coordinating Agency estimates that Morris could save up to $351 per year.

Estimated Energy and Cost Savings:

Blower Door (Draftiness) Reduction: 20%

Natural Gas Cost Savings/ Year: $17.95/yr

Natural Gas Savings/ Year: 46.2 therms

Natural Gas Use Savings: 6.62%

Cost:

Heater Repair: $200

Air Sealing and Insulation: $350

White Roof: $600

Dehumidifier: $1,800

Total: $2,950