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Save Energy-Plant Trees

When discussions concerning energy conservation crop up, everybody talks about insulation, heating and cooling equipment sizing, window types, attic fans and the like. But how often do you hear trees and bushes mentioned in the conversation?

 However, thoughtful landscape design actually can lower the demands put on an air-conditioning and heating system, according to landscape architects Rosheen Styczinski, FASLA, of New Eden Landscape Architecture of Milwaukee, and Hugh Dargan, ASLA, of Dargan Landscape Architects, Atlanta.

"The most obvious example of this would be the use of shade trees in strategic locations," says Rosheen, who chairs the Residential Professional Interest Group of the Washington, D.C.-based American Society of Landscape Architects. "Planting deciduous trees to provide shade on the south side of a house can lower the cooling load during the summer months by providing a solar shield."

Why deciduous trees? "Because they will drop their leaves in the fall, thereby letting sunlight through to provide solar heating in the winter, lowering the heating bill as well," Rosheen explains.

Bushes and other shrubbery can cast a beneficial shadow, too. They are especially useful in shading an air conditioner, provided that they leave enough ventilation to ensure operating efficiency. Another suggestion from Rosheen is the use of vines on a house. For that purpose, she recommends either Boston ivy or Engelman's ivy—fast growing species that will provide thermal protection quickly.

Hugh suggests other landscaping tricks that can promote energy savings. "Including a small pond, a fountain or a waterfall in a strategic location can lower the cooling costs for a home," he maintains. "Placing either in a spot where the prevailing winds can blow across them before reaching the house will provide cooling benefits as well as adding to the ambience of the landscaping."

Hugh emphasizes, however, that it is important then to provide a conduit for those breezes to reach the house—a wind tunnel between the trees and bushes that directs the breezes to the side of the house.

The right tree in the right place

The choice of trees and the locations where they are planted are also important to achieve the maximum benefits, Hugh says. Best selections are fast-growing varieties, such as maples, burr oaks, overcup oaks and river birches, he suggests. Be sure, though, that the mature tree's wood will withstand strong winds. Otherwise, you risk damage to the building the tree is supposed to protect.

The North Georgia Electric Membership Corporation (www.ngemc.com) offers the following suggestions for siting and planting a tree:

• Know its size at full maturity.
• Choose a location where it has room to grow and where it will provide direct shade from block overhead sun on the south side and low-angle sun on the east and west sides.
• Trees to the south should be fairly close to the house, but not any closer than one-half the mature-crown diameter.
• Trees on the east and west sides should provide a screen against the morning and evening sun.

With rising costs, every weapon in the energy savings arsenal can be important. Remember to include landscaping in the fight. Trees can save the homeowner money on heating and cooling while they add beauty and value to the property. An environmental bonus: They even help clean the air.

Better Caulking Practices

When applying a bead of caulk, the goal is to ensure a quality seal (and to stretch the time between applications as long as possible). To do this, you need to know what material to use, how to prepare the gap you need to fill, and how to lay down a fine bead.

There are two basic kinds of caulk available to builders today: acrylic-based caulks and silicone (solvent) caulks. Understanding the difference and when best to use them is the first step in mastering the art of caulking.

Acrylic caulks adhere well to wood and porous surfaces and are great for filling gaps that need to be painted over. Acrylic caulks clean up with water, but this characteristic also means that they break down faster when exposed to standing water.

Silicone, or solvent caulks as they are sometimes called, will shrink less over time and deteriorate slower when exposed to water. Though they are a bit harder to clean up, but they work well in the kitchen and bathroom areas where water is more common. Silicone caulks don't take paint well, so they should be applied as a "top coat" or as an exposed surface.

After you've picked the right caulk for the task, it's time to inspect the seam or gap and prep it for a beading.

Never try to caulk a gap larger than 1/4". If the gap is wider than that, install a backer rod first. The backer rod allows you to use less caulk and lay down a more consistent bead.

Make sure the area you are about to caulk is clean. Usually a quick dusting with a clean paint brush is enough to remove any dust or debris from the area. A dirty surface will keep the caulk from adhering properly.

When you are ready to lay the bead, here's how:

• Cut the nozzle of the tube at a 45-degree angle about a half an inch from the end. You want to make a hole about the same size as the gap you need to fill. The farther down you cut (toward the tube), the bigger the hole and the wider the bead of caulk you'll apply.
• Before starting, check the freshness of the caulk. Most caulks have a shelf life of one to two years. To test this, lay a line of caulk on a non-porous surface and check the curing time, stickiness, and how well it comes out of the tube. If the caulk comes out as a hard solid string, don't use it! (It's always a good idea to lay a test line of caulk before starting, even if the tube is brand new. Caulk is a relatively inexpensive product, much cheaper than wasting a lot of time cleaning up a mistake, so practice laying a few beads on a piece of scrap before applying it to the customer's custom kitchen!)
• When applying caulk to a seam, move the tube at a 45-degree angle, slowly pulling the tube towards you. You want to make sure that the bead (line of caulk) is even, adheres to both sides of the gap, and completely fills the seam.
• When finished, smooth the seam using a caulk smoother, a clean wet finger, or a clean damp rag. Be sure to allow the caulk to dry adequately (per manufacturer's instructions) before painting over it.

Though caulking is often thought of as a cure-all for gap filling, don't rely on it as the only way to seal exterior surfaces from water or drafts. Caulking is an important part of the process, but the material will shrink and deteriorate over time.

If you adhere to the basic principles of caulk selection, surface prepping, and proper application, laying the perfect bead of caulk can become second nature to you.

Low- or No-VOC Paints

Though conventional paints have gotten less toxic over the years, many still release some level of volatile organic compounds, or "VOCs," into the air in the form of a breathable gas.

According to the American Lung Association, VOCs can cause a number of physical problems, such as eye and skin irritation, as well as lung and kidney damage.

Innovations in the green building movement and paint technology have been instrumental in providing builders with a healthier and more environmentally safe painting alternative. The best practice is to use paint that is low in, or does not contain, VOCs.

These "green" paints have many benefits:

• They can be applied exactly the same way as conventional paints.
• They are virtually odor-free.
• They release no significant pollutants, making them excellent for use in buildings which require low levels of toxicity, such as hospitals, schools or the homes and workplaces of people who are chemically sensitive.
• If low- or no-VOC paint spills, it can be cleaned up with soap and water.
• Since VOC emissions may contribute to higher ozone levels, these paints may actually improve the overall air quality.
• They generally still cost the same as conventional paint.
• They are easy to find. Most can be purchased in a variety of colors from your local specialty paint or hardware stores.

Conventional oil-based paints are the most toxic and have become limited in use; and although common latex paints are safer and more commonly used, they can also still contain high levels of VOCs, depending on the brand.

In comparison, low- or no-VOC paint is a quality, cost-effective painting option that is safe for the environment and the homeowner.

Window Replacement

There are four factors to consider when choosing energy efficient windows: frame, glass, design and installation.

The Right Frame of Mind

Most people know a wood frame is less prone to heat and cold transfer than an aluminum one, since metals conduct temperature much more easily than wood. But that doesn't mean wood is always the best choice for a utility-bill-friendly window. There are a variety of materials available for window frames, and each has positive and negative aspects. It's up to you to decide what's best for your build style and your budget.

• Vinyl: Just because vinyl is a less expensive material doesn't mean it has to be "cheap." A well-constructed, properly-installed vinyl window can be a practical choice budget-wise while still offering excellent energy efficiency measures through insulated glass and tight construction that reduces air leakage. Vinyl windows can be limited in color choices, however, and the fact remains that some people simply don't like the look of vinyl on their home.

• Wood: Wood windows offer the best insulative value, though they also require more upkeep than vinyl, wood-clad or aluminum frames. Because of the potential for rot, they may not be the best choice for extremely humid or rainy climates. A well-built wood window will stand the test of time, however: many original wood windows in older homes are still in good shape thanks to the high-quality cut and species of wood used, says Tamara Myers, president of Myers Constructs in Philadelphia.

• Aluminum:While not the top-performing material in terms of heat transfer and loss, aluminum windows are practical in rainy, humid climates, and they meet stringent coastal building codes in hurricane-prone areas thanks to their strength, says Johna Elisco, vice-president of All-American Doors and Windows in Pompano Beach, Fl.

• Wood-Clad: Wood-clad windows seemingly offer the best of both worlds: a low-maintenance exterior (usually vinyl or aluminum) encasing a temperature-transfer-resistant wood interior. But Jim DeLaPlaine, director of operations for Building Engineering-Consultants, Inc. of The Woodlands, Texas, cautions against these windows for wetter climates. DeLaPlaine explains that clad windows can be prone to water intrusion, which can cause rotting, especially in the sills and jambs, where water tends to pool. He notes that proper installation of wood-clad windows should include use of waterproof rubber membranes around the cladding as well as a stand-alone flashing assembly called a sill pan. The sill pan drains any water that gets around the window sills and jambs, minimizing moisture intrusion (and resulting wood deterioration).

Inside the Glass

While the material each window is constructed from is important, the reality is most recent window-related buzzwords are all about what's inside the frame. But what do all these upgrades mean for builders?

John Lala, president of Rycorp Construction in Virginia Beach, Va., is familiar with the gamut of efficient window options. He's built houses in all price ranges, from bare-bones-basic structures to million-dollar-plus projects with very eco-conscious clients. And after seeing everything out there and talking to lots of homebuyers, he says he ends up using windows with the same basic energy efficiency features in most of his projects.

"A double-paned window with Low-E glass, with a vacuum-sealed argon fill -- that's what people ask for," he says. "It's an extra $40 or so per window for me to add these features, and they really do make a difference in a home's utility bills." Lala says he's found that doing anything more, like using triple-paned glass or denser gases with greater insulative properties, "just adds cost and gives diminishing returns in efficiency."

So what exactly are you getting when you choose a window with the aforementioned options? "Low-E, argon-filled, double-paned windows provide significantly more insulation than a single-pane window," explains Kendra Weinisch, a residential energy efficiency consultant in San Jose, Calif. "These windows protect the inside of the house from the sun's heat and UV rays in the summer, and they prevent heat from escaping during winter. From the standpoint of energy efficiency and value, these types of windows make a lot of sense."

Weinisch adds that while triple-paned windows may be notably more efficient in especially harsh winter climates, they can also reduce the window's visibility and light transmittance.

You shouldn't have to look much further than a window's glass to find out what the unit's efficiency features are. All windows in the voluntary Energy Star program will have a sticker on them with ratings from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). To qualify for Energy Star status, window manufacturers have to meet standards on these two main metrics:

• U-value: measures a window unit's resistance to heat loss
• Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC): measures how much heat enters a home through the glass

For both U-Value and SHGC, the lower the number, the better the window should perform.

Adding Insulation

High-quality insulation is one of the best investments you can make for your home. Although you may balk at the price of better insulation, the money you'll save on your utility bills will quickly make the investment pay off.

Insulation-quality ratings are based on what's called R-value, a measurement of the insulation's resistance to heat change. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

Because heat rises, the most important areas to insulate are the ceiling and roof. One of the more common insulation types is blown cellulose, typically blown to a depth of about 12" for an insulation value of R-30. In homes where the blown insulation is only 8" deep, it should be supplemented by an attic blanket which consists of fiberglass batting wrapped in plastic for easier handling. Another way of supplementing your roof insulation is with a reflective material that can be attached to the underside of the roof to reflect heat back into your home.

The most familiar insulation to most people is batting which comes in various thicknesses and widths. The kraft paper on the back of the batting creates a vapor barrier that helps protect your home from moisture damage.

You might not think about insulating outlets and switches, but these small openings can cause a great deal of heat loss. You can insulate them with foam sealant or a rubber insulator with cutouts to fit around the switch openings.

Installing a Water Heater Timer

A standard water heater keeps many gallons of water heated all the time, whether they're needed or not, and that contributes to higher utility bills. To save money, install a water-heater timer, which enables you to set specific on and off times for water-heater operation.

Installing a Programmable Thermostat

Older thermostats are inefficient because they operate at one setting all day long. You can save on your utility bills by installing a programmable thermostat that enables you to determine what times of day your heater or air conditioner will operate.

Improving Home-Energy Efficiency by Installing A Ceiling Fan

Experts say a ceiling fan can save up to 40 percent on your summer cooling costs, and up to 10 percent during the winter heating season. In summer, ceiling fans cool the room by creating a "wind chill effect." For example, if you had a ceiling fan in a room that was 85 degrees, the fan would make the room feel like 78 degrees. During colder weather, by using the 'reverse' setting the ceiling fan saves energy by circulating hot air that rises to the ceiling and blowing it back down into the room.

Lighting Basics

Lighting is a key visual element in any home. Not only does it allow you to see where you're walking (we've probably all rammed our leg into the coffee table at one point or another!), it can also set a mood or highlight prized possessions. When deciding what lighting to use in your new home, there are a number of things to consider:

• How each room will be used.
• What fixtures are appropriate.
• Energy efficiency.
• Cost.

This article discusses types of lighting and types of fixtures so that you can be better informed when you need to make choices about what lighting should be installed in your home.

Types of Lighting

There are three types of lighting: ambient, task and accent lighting. Ambient, or general, light illuminates the entire room. This basic form of lighting replaces sunlight and is fundamental to a lighting plan. Task lighting provides illumination for specific tasks, such as cooking or reading. Task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows and should be bright enough to prevent eyestrain. Accent lighting highlights specific features of a room, such as cabinets, ceiling beams or artwork. It can create visual interest in a room by highlighting architectural features, such as a mantel or the texture of a wall. All three types of light can work together to fulfill the lighting needs of a room.

Let's take the dining room, for example. The most obvious purpose of the dining room is to eat, right? But the table also may serve as a desk space for your children to do their homework. And if you entertain, you'll want to set the lighting mood differently. A traditional chandelier usually works best for general light with recessed downlights providing more targeted light for specific tasks, such as homework. Wall sconces or wall washers can provide a subtler feel. Another option is to set any or all of the fixtures in a room on a dimmer switch so that you can easily control the amount of light in the room.

Types of Fixtures

Once you've considered what types of activities will be taking place in a room and what type of lighting is needed, you can decide what fixture will best fit your needs. Walking into any home-improvement store lately, you've surely seen the plethora of lighting fixtures available. Before making any decisions about your fixtures, make sure you ask your builder if there are any restrictions on the types of fixtures that can be used in any specific room. Sometimes things such as ductwork, insulation or ceiling height can affect whether or not a fixture can be installed properly in a room.

The following guide will give you a general idea of which fixture types can be used for ambient, task, and accent lighting:

• Ambient -- Recessed downlights, cove lighting, soffit lighting, valance lighting, wall washers, sconces, surface-mounted lights, pendant lights, track lights, chandeliers, under-cabinet lights and portable fixtures.

• Task -- Valance lighting, pendant lights, under-cabinet lights and portable fixtures.

• Accent -- Wall washers, sconces, track lights and under-cabinet lights.

Certain fixtures are designed for a specific type of bulb, such as a two- or four-pin fluorescent bulb. Others can accommodate the more common screw-in type. When choosing fixtures, be sure to note what type of bulb it requires, so that you won't be surprised to find the bulb you bought isn't the right one.

What About the Bulbs?

Incandescent bulbs are the most heavily used in homes. Unfortunately, these bulbs are inefficient and expensive to operate. Fluorescent bulbs have come a long way from the humming, glaring office lights we've all been exposed to. Today's fluorescent bulbs don't hum, and they provide light that is almost identical to incandescent bulbs. The best part is that fluorescent bulbs have significantly longer life than incandescent bulbs (almost 10 times as long!), use less energy and are affordably priced for use in your home. Halogen and LED bulbs are also available for the home market. Both are more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but are more expensive than fluorescent lights.

Next Steps

There are many things that come into play when you're thinking about what lighting to install in your home. Here are a few questions to ask your builder when discussing your home's lighting plan:

• What lighting plan will be installed in my home?
• Will energy efficient fixtures be installed?
• Is a custom lighting plan available?
• If it's not part of the base model, what's the cost for the upgrade?
• How are fixtures chosen and who chooses them?
• Are there any restrictions as to which fixtures I can chose?

Green Flooring — From Carpeting to Cork

Need help in selecting environmentally friendly flooring? Think green.

No, we're not talking Astroturf here. In this case, "green" means the use of environmentally friendly materials that are either readily renewable or made from recycled products. Several green certification programs and directories are available to help remodelers, builders and homeowners make that selection.

For example, the National Wood Flooring Association looks to The Forest Stewardship Council to certify wood flooring products as green when the material comes from forests operated under sustainable forest management practices. Other organizations, such as BuildingGreen Inc. (http://www.buildinggreen.com), publisher of the GreenSpec® Directory and Environmental Building News, qualify and list other green flooring alternatives, such as natural linoleum, cork and concrete.

Carpeting. The carpet and rug industry uses a labeling system to identify materials with fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the carpet fiber or in the adhesives used in installation. Such carpeting improves indoor air quality, a major consideration of green building. The Green Label Plus program, directed by the Carpet and Rug Institute, certifies environmentally friendly carpeting products and recently received a 2004 certificate of recognition from the California Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award program. The award program is a collaborative effort by the carpet industry and partners of California state and local government agencies.

CRI, says Alex Wilson, executive editor with BuildingGreen Inc., Brattleboro, Vt., has done a great deal reduce carpet emissions. He compares their efforts with building codes that define minimum standards for construction. "Both are situations where organizations raise the floor, rather than the ceiling."

Linoleum. Natural linoleum is widely promoted and specified in the green building community, Alex says. Natural linoleum is made primarily from linseed oil, pine resin, sawdust, cork dust, limestone and jute. It is an all-natural alternative to resilient flooring, including sheet vinyl and vinyl composition tile, which are made from polyvinyl chloride. It can get confusing, however, since the word linoleum is still used by some people to refer to vinyl flooring.

Proponents of natural linoleum say it does not require the same level of care that other sheet flooring. However, Alex says, natural linoleum does have some negatives, such as a higher cost than most sheet vinyl products and a relatively high rate of VOCs.

Wood. Sustainable forest management makes it possible to harvest woods such as fast-growing eucalyptus and other varieties without any serious impact on the environment, because trees are a renewable resource that can be replaced time and time again, according to Ed Korczak, executive director of NWFA (www.woodfloors.org).

Cork. Cork flooring has become very popular with environmentalists and designers alike. Cork can be harvested every nine years from the same tree—a much faster rate of renewal than waiting for a seedling to grow large enough to replace another. It's tough, too, according to BuildingGreen's Alex. "I have been in a home where a cork floor was installed in 1950 and was still in good condition. The cork floor is comfortable for walking and cushions sound."

Concrete. Yet another option for green flooring is to make the concrete slab the finished floor by using various types of decorative concrete techniques. Besides a concrete floor's obvious attributes of stability and durability, it can contribute to a home's energy efficiency as part of a passive solar system: It absorbs heat during the day and releases it as temperatures drop at night.

Remodelers even can offer several green flooring surfaces in the same home. A smooth surface, such as wood or concrete, could be used in active living areas and possibly partially covered with area rugs. Natural linoleum could be used in the kitchen, while carpeting is ideal for bedrooms, where it deadens sound and provides a soft, warm surface for bare feet.

Going Tankless for Hot Water

A home's water heater affects both the comfort level in the shower and bath, as well as the monthly utility bill. If a conventional heater is the wrong size, hot water may run out too soon, while constantly heating and re-heating stored water for the home's needs can be costly.

A gas-fired, tankless water heater addresses both problems since the water is only being heated when it is needed, thereby conserving energy while ensuring an adequate and dependable supply to the household.

Air Sealing the Home Garage

An attached garage is a nice place to park your car and store your stuff, but it can also create a health hazard for everyone living in the house. The simple act of starting your car in the morning produces harmful carbon monoxide; and storing chemicals, fertilizers, and paints can generate harmful fumes. These gases and fumes can enter into the house and make people sick.

Traditionally, garages weren't air sealed for exhaust fumes. The small penetrations in the walls between the garage and the living spaces could add up and, over time, lead to lots of harmful fumes drifting into the home.

The door between the garage and the living space was usually made of wood and lacked weather stripping or a self-closing device to block the exhaust fumes.

The problem with using a wooden door is that it can catch fire. And without a self-closing device, the door could be accidentally left wide open for an extended period of time, leaving the house vulnerable to the many harmful fumes and gases of the garage.

So how do you keep these fumes from entering the house?

The best practice is to create an air seal between the house and the garage, preventing harmful fumes from getting into the living spaces. Keeping these fumes out begins early in the construction process and is only slightly different from current practices.

1. The first step may seem simple, but it's an important one. Identify the walls of the garage that need sealing. These areas are rooms above the garage, or rooms adjacent to it. If they are attached to the garage, it's a good target for air-sealing.
2. Next, insulate these walls the same way the exterior walls of the house are insulated.
3. On the garage side of the wall, use a 5/8" type X (fire-rated) gypsum board. Later, when you're finishing the interior portion of these walls, you'll want to use a standard gypsum board.
4. Next, identify any penetrations in the walls. Essentially, you're looking for anything (e.g., switches, plugs, light fixtures, etc.) that pokes a hole in the gypsum board on either side of the wall.
5. Use a fire-rated caulk, adhesive, or expanding foam to seal up these penetrations. For example, use the caulk to fill the space between the electric box of a switch and the drywall that is cut around it.
6. The door between the living space and the garage is also a key component to the air-sealing strategy, so we want to select an insulated, metal, fire-rated door with a good weather seal. The door should also have a self-closing device on it. Install the door according to the manufacturer's instructions.

When it comes to the safety of the homeowner, taking the extra step to properly air-seal the garage and install a self-closing, fire resistant door is definitely the best practice.

Water Saving Toilets

Water-saving toilets are now standard on all new construction because of a 1992 federal mandate for plumbing fixture manufacturers. Also known as low-flow toilets, water-saving toilets use 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) of water or less, compared with older toilets that use 3.5, 5.0, and up to 7.0 gpf. The 1.6 gpf models significantly reduce the amount of fresh water consumed and the corresponding amount of blackwater generated. For example, using a 1.0 to 1.6 gpf toilet instead of 3.5 gpf models cuts indoor water use by more than 15%; when used instead of a 5.0 gpf toilet, it cuts water use by 20—25%.

Performance and Standards
The earliest models of water-saving toilets were introduced in the 1970s. Some have been notoriously poor performers, requiring multiple flushes to remove waste completely. Often, these early models were not engineered specifically to use less water, but were simply modifications to existing conventional toilet designs. By contrast, high performing low-flow toilets currently available are engineered to use less water and use it more powerfully. Today's high-performing models do remove waste as efficiently, or more efficiently, than conventional toilets while using much less water.

WaterSense has recently announced the first product specification that covers high-efficiency toilets (HETs)—those that use 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf) or less. WaterSense (www.epa.gov/watersense) is a voluntary public-private partnership program sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). With the announcement of the final HET specification, manufacturers, retailers, and distributors of water-efficient plumbing fixtures can use third-party certification to gain permission to use the WaterSense label on their products. In time, consumers will be able to recognize products with the WaterSense label as quality and high-performing water savers.

Choices
A variety of high-performing, low-flow toilets is available for residential use. Using different technologies, they provide a clean, efficient flush while meeting the 1.6 gpf maximum. The following is a rundown of the technology types with some benefits and drawbacks for each.

• Gravity-assisted toilet. When the toilet is flushed, the flapper valve in the tank allows water to flow from the tank into the bowl, where the water and waste are pulled down the drain by gravity. Gravity-assisted models typically are the least expensive type of low-flow toilets, and they are able to work with low water pressure. A drawback is that they have the weakest flush.
• Dual-flush gravity-assisted toilet. This toilet also uses gravity to remove waste, but it gives homeowners something more: one toilet with two flushing options. With the press of a button, a homeowner can choose a full flush of 1.6 gallons to remove solid waste or a half flush of 0.8 gallons to remove liquid waste. Relatively new to the U.S., dual-flush toilets have been widely used in Europe, the Middle East, the Far East, and Australia for years. While these have great water-saving potential, dual-flush toilets are currently the most expensive type of water saver.
• Pressure-assisted toilet. The line pressure of water entering the toilet tank compresses trapped air within a sealed tank, until air pressure equals water pressure. When the toilet is flushed, the pressure of the compressed air reinforces the normal gravity flow. This increase in pressure works particularly well to remove waste with low amounts of water, although pressure-assisted toilets can be noisy, expensive, and require frequent repairs.
• Vacuum-assisted toilet. Flushing this toilet activates vacuum chambers in the tank, which act like a siphon to pull water into the bowl. This design allows water to reach a greater area in the bowl, which keeps the bowl cleaner than other types of low-flow toilets. The vacuum-assisted toilet is quieter than pressure-assisted toilets, but the flush is weaker.

Home-Energy Audit and Thermographic Inspection

Professional Home Energy Audit

If you want to make your home more energy-efficient, the best place to start may be with a professional home-energy audit -- a comprehensive analysis that assesses a home or business as a system of interrelated components with respect to energy use. Utility bills, indoor air quality, humidity/moisture problems, comfort and safety are all components that are interconnected within a dynamic process. An energy audit is an opportunity to learn what can be done to maximize the energy efficiency of your home or business -- potentially lowering heating/cooling costs -- while minimizing potential problems associated with indoor air quality and combustion-appliance safety.

Prices for energy audits vary by market and according to the complexity of the energy tracking and other tests performed. In general, however, they are relatively inexpensive -- between $100 and $200. And those prices are for an audit without a subsidy. Many utility companies offer energy-audit services, and some subsidize independent audits for as much as 75 percent of the total cost. Either way, if significant problems are identified and corrected, the audit will more than pay for itself.

On average, according to Erik Lindberg -- an energy audit specialist with Enervision Inc. -- following the recommendations in an energy audit can result in a 25 percent to 30 percent reduction of annual energy consumption. Moreover, saving money isn't the only reason to have an energy audit performed. In a thorough audit, four broad areas are covered:

1. Health and safety of the occupants
2. Building durability
3. Comfort
4. Energy efficiency.

According to Lindberg, in most instances if the first three of the four have been addressed satisfactorily, the fourth -- which encompasses monetary savings -- will follow naturally. In a typical energy audit, it takes about two hours for an energy auditor to conduct a thorough inspection -- looking at windows, doors, insulation levels, attic accesses, appliances, heating and air conditioning systems, etc.

Energy auditors are certified and licensed by the state in which they operate, and must follow standards and procedures established by that state. A complete audit typically includes assessment of the following:

• Building shell: includes foundation, walls, windows, doors, ceiling and roof.
• Heating system and water heater: tested for safety and efficiency.
• Maintenance and safety practices: reviewed with respect to the homeowner, helping to fine-tune the balance between safety, comfort and energy usage.
• Air tightness: tested devices using such as a blower-door test and infrared thermography. These diagnostic tools measure how well the house is sealed against penetration of outside air or "draftiness."
• Indoor air quality
• Energy-bill analysis
• Ice-dam problems
• Basement dampness
• Window condensation
• Excessive dust levels
• Dry air
• Insulation levels
• Mechanical systems
• Cost/benefit analysis.

Check with your utility company for details on having an energy audit performed. They may have an energy audit program, or they may be able to provide information on services available in your area.

The Blower-Door Test

Once an energy auditor has made an analysis of the homeowner's energy bills to get the "big picture" on how much energy is being consumed, a specialized diagnostic known as the blower-door test can be performed to pinpoint areas where energy is being lost or used without benefit.

For the test, an exterior door on the house is opened and a specialized blower-door frame is mounted inside the door. The frame is expanded and tightened in place, and a fabric air-barrier is installed around the frame.

With the barrier installed and the doorway effectively sealed, a fan-brace and fan is set in place in the air barrier.

Once the blower-door assembly is installed, the fan is turned on. The fan is set to blow air out, thereby reducing the air pressure inside the house. Air from the outside flows into the house through cracks and openings, replacing the air that is being pushed out.

While the fan is operating, specialized gauges measure how much air is being pulled out through leaks in the house -- in effect, determining how well sealed or how "drafty" the house is. In our demonstration, the gauge indicated that about 3,800 cubic feet of air was flowing out of the house per minute. That reading represents a fairly significant amount of inflow through the cracks and holes in the building structure. In a tightly sealed building of comparable size, a reading of 1,000 or less would be expected.

Once it has been established that the house structure is drafty, the next step is to identify the sources of the air leaks. The smoke plume from a stick of burning incense helps in identifying inflow of air in problem areas, such as in poorly sealed window-joints.

Another potential problem area is an attic-access panel. Air leakage at this location is a problem because of energy loss, but may also create a risk in the formation of ice-dams when warm air is allowed to enter the attic. Once identified, this particular problem can be remedied with foam weatherstrips or other type of sealant.

Thermographic Inspection

To identify less obvious energy leaks, an auditor may use an infrared camera, which "sees" heat in much the same way that other cameras see visible light. When heat is being used in a home, the camera can be used to scan walls, ceilings and other structural components of the building in order to find cold spots. The camera generates images in which cold areas show up as dark parts of the image.

In our demonstration, dark lines indicated cold air leaking in around joints in the vaulted ceiling, where there was little or no insulation being used. Other typical problem areas where cold air can be found leaking in from the outside include casings around doors and windows, doorsills, and switchboxes for mounting light switches.

Once an audit has been performed and specific problem areas have been identified, work can begin at repairing the sites responsible for wasting energy.