Homeowners often tell us about insufficient cooling or heating in one or more rooms of their home. We find the complaint is heard more often during cooling season. There can be a number of reasons this will occur, but one of the most overlooked places for a solution is proper ventilation of the roof and attic.

We were recently faced with this as an on-going problem for a home. A portion of the upper floor (two rooms) felt considerably cooler than the rest of the living space. Also, the living space on the upper floor had a cathedral ceiling in the area that suffered from insufficient cooling during higher outdoor temperatures. The clue for us to look elsewhere came from their satisfaction in the heating of the larger room during winter and finding the other rooms were not as warm.

As a relatively new home, modern building practices were employed. We ruled out the usual suspects of leaks and drafts, as well as an inspection of ductwork and systems proved to show all things were in order. Up to this point, we assumed the builder installed proper venting in the soffits and ridge.

  

Having recently attended a workshop for professionals offered by Air Vent, we decided to revisit this situation and determine if the ventilation for the roof (and attic space) was adequate. We found the ridge vent correct, but our calculations - thanks to the tools and information provided by Air Vent - showed the soffit venting was 50% of what should be in place. With that big a difference, we ran the calculations more than once.

Since this is a vacation home - featured in last month's newsletter on Wireless/Wi-Fi - we were able to take temperature readings inside the home without any offset from the HVAC systems. We tracked temperatures on two floors for two weeks. After we replaced the soffit vents with more intake, within 48 hours we found a 5-7 degree drop in the interior temperature on the upper floor, with no noticeable change to the lower floor. Watching this closer, and considering outdoor temperatures, we found the interior of the upper floor would adjust to the change of temperatures outside; before the replacement of venting it would build-up as radiant heat for an extended period of time.

It's too soon to declare victory; we have just begun the long, hot days of summer in the Carolinas. But, we are optimistic this often overlooked area for ventilation may pay handsome dividends in less cooling demand and lower cost for the homeowner. 

  

This is one of the most frequent questions we get at the beginning of cooling season. The question normally surfaces during an HVAC service call, or soon after our homeowner receives a mailing from the local utility provider for their home. The simple answer is, "It depends."

  

The program may be represented as "...we install a small device at your home that can signal your central air conditioner to temporarily use a little less energy... (Duke Energy Progress)" This device will allow your utility to reduce the demand from your unit during high demand from other sources and customers served by the utility.

  

In consideration of participation in the program, homeowners are offered financial incentives on their bills (statements). We have seen homeowners offered up to $125 per year (this figure, and the program, will vary by provider) for their participation. However, the EPA states "Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs."

  

Today's advanced programmable thermostats allow most homeowners to take control of their heating and cooling requirements, while adjusting to their lifestyle demands as well. For every degree you set your thermostat in a positive direction - lower use requirement - you can save 2-3% in energy cost. Since heating and cooling represent as much as 40% or more of our homeowner energy use, any reduction can have a positive effect on our bill. Follow this link to a handy practice tool for programmable thermostats and see how much you can save.

  

Our bias toward advancing home automation for all homeowners- see last month's newsletter on wireless and RedLINK - points us in the direction of letting the homeowner take control of the use. Whether it's four events per day with your  programmable thermostat, or more advanced wireless/Wi-Fi control from your smartphone, PC, or tablet, you have the ability to control use at the touch of your fingertip. We believe you are in the best position to determine your individual use and home comfort as well as controlling your expenses for heating and cooling.

  

The decision to participate should be governed by your desire or ability to take control of your use. We have heard complaints from utility program participants that their (HVAC) systems seemed to work harder to catch-up after a utility shutdown. For other homeowners, their absence in the home showed little or no effect in discomfort or unusual use.

Cooling season has arrived! It's time for us to welcome the heat of summer in the Carolinas. Just as you have moved the system mode from Heat to Cool, you will want to take the next step and turn off your whole-home humidifier. Summer in the Carolinas also brings on more indoor humidity in our homes. Follow these steps for better control and comfort of this not so welcome guest.

  

Homeowners who use an automated Indoor Air Quality control like the Aprilaire Model 8910 Home Comfort Control (our product of choice for mid-level installations), it can be as easy as waking the screen and touching a tab. Once in the "Humidity Control" screen, set the selection of humidity to "Off". By design, the Home Comfort Control will not allow the humidifier to turn on above 45%. Those homeowners with a manual control knob can take the same action by turning the knob located on the humidifier control to "Off".

  

Installations with a bypass whole-home humidifier, must take an additional step to move the damper setting (a flapper of sorts) by turning the small lever from Winter to Summer. The unit is marked accordingly; you have essentially stopped any airflow through the unit. Note: When heating season comes back in the fall, you will need to reverse this setting back to winter. Consult your Owner's Manual for more detail.

  

For health reasons and personal comfort, as well as protection of the dwelling and its contents, make every effort to keep the indoor relative humidity within your home below 60%. We recommend homeowners shoot for 50% on the high side and 35% on the low side (during heating season). Another advantage to the Aprilaire Model 8910 Home Comfort Control is the reporting of indoor relative humidity year-round; the 8910 also shows the outdoor temperature (when the sensor is installed; it's required for automated operation).

  

Mild temperatures during cooling season can introduce an undesirable rise in indoor humidity. Homeowners often open the windows and doors allowing outdoor humidity to enter the home. While running the air conditioning in your home may reduce some indoor humidity as a byproduct of an evaporation process - keep those condensate drains clear for drainage - it may not be enough to overcome the target rate of 50%, or less.

  

If you find that your home struggles with indoor humidity - which can lead to mold, mildew, and dust mites - consider adding a whole-home dehumidifier. One of the key advantages of the Aprilaire Model 8910 Home Comfort Control is its ability to manage all your indoor air quality products from a single dashboard and touch-screen interface.

  

If you do not have a means to monitor indoor relative humidity, we recommend the purchase of an inexpensive hygrometer in the form of an indoor/outdoor wireless weather station. One of our favorites is the Taylor Model 1541 WeatherGuide. Additional wireless outdoor sensors can be added to this unit to monitor temperature in other areas of the home, or outdoors. We installed additional sensors in the crawl space and attic. However, only one of these outdoor wireless sensors can measure both temperature and humidity at the same time.

  

To learn more about controlling humidity in your home and the steps you can take from a lifestyle perspective to reduce or remediate mold and mildew, please contact us.

  

As a local professional source of indoor air quality solutions for

homeowners, Air Comfort For Homes seeks ways to improve your home's indoor air quality and homeowner comfort. We work with homeowners to develop a better overall indoor air quality strategy for a more comfortable lifestyle.

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