5 Ways to Save Money on Your Energy Bill

As the weather gets colder and daylight wanes, here are some tips to help save money on your energy bill each month.

1. Install LED light bulbs. LED lights use about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and are available in a variety of light temperatures from warm to cool depending on your preference.

2. Install a programmable thermostat. Smart thermostats learn your use patterns and keep your home comfortable.

3. Seal gaps around windows and doors. Use caulk and door weatherstripping to eliminate uncomfortable drafts and keep the heated air in your home.

4. Clean or replace air filters. This helps your heating system operate more efficiently and produces better indoor air quality. Once every 3 months is a good rule of thumb.

5. Plant wind blocking trees around your home. This helps shield blustery winter winds. Consider deciduous trees on the south and west sides to provide shade in the summer and allows sunlight in the winter to help heat your home.

Tstud

This month I thought I'd check in about a relatively new wall framing technology called the Tstud. It's a thermally broken wall assembly to help reduce thermal bridging through the exterior and party walls. This provides for quieter, more comfortable living for your clients. I believe you can order through Tum-A-Lum and other lumber suppliers. You can order them without or with insulation already installed. They can be used as single top plates and headers, saving on lumber costs.

Here are a few links to learn more:

Working With Tstuds - GreenBuildingAdvisor

Tstud - Building Products, Inc. (bpi.build)

Tstud | Manufacturer (buildwithrise.com)

Tstud™ | Green Maltese

Ducts Inside

Ducts Inside is part of the new Oregon Energy Code. What does that mean and how do you do it?

1. Ducts in unvented attic

2. Ducts in dropped ceiling

3. Ducts in modified truss in attic

4. Ducts deeply buried in vented attic under R-19 minimum insulation

5. Ducts in open web trusses between floors

*A note that up to 5% of the length of the HVAC system can be outside the conditioned space.
*Ducts must be sealed with mastic except at duct connections to equipment requiring future replacement. Then tape is allowed.

Check out DUCTSINSIDE.ORG to learn more!

Should You Insulate Under a Slab?

Should you insulate under a slab? Homes with slab on grade foundations benefit from insulation regardless if the slab is heated or not. Insulation helps slow down heat loss through the floor similar to the way wall and attic insulation works. You CAN just insulate the stem wall and then under the perimeter of the slab in an unheated application but better would be to install R-10 rigid insulation under the entire slab and around the slab edge to separate it from the stem wall to create a bond break. This is essentially what we did in our home except the stem walls are ICF, not just concrete. Additionally, if you are doing a mono slab, you can install the insulation on the outside of the stemwall. For heated slabs, install R-15+ under the slab.

Choosing Windows For Your Home

Here are 5 tips for choosing windows for your new home.

1. Design a window to floor area ratio of 20% or less, below 15% is best. I have modeled some gorge view homes with a higher ratio, including one at 45%!, and it significantly affects home energy performance and in turn customer comfort. Definitely a balancing act between views and efficiency in that application.

2. Choose picture windows for the majority of the home, then awnings and casements for egress and natural ventilation options. Avoid sliders, single and double hung as they do not seal as tight. Hint: this helps lower your blower door numbers! Of course, install is also a key component.

3. Choose U-Values of 0.25 or less. This helps reduce winter heat loss. I have seen double pane windows compete with triple pane windows thanks to technologies like 4th surface coatings.

4. Choose solar heat gain coefficient aka SHGC of around 0.25. This helps reduce summer heat gain.

5. Choose fiberglass or composite frames. These are more durable and more stable over time compared to vinyl. Aluminum frames could be a good option for more remote areas where wildfire is a concern but still have more unwanted frame conductivity than other types.

ICF Construction

I thought I'd chime in about considering ICF construction as an alternative since it is now cost competitive with wood framing. ICFs are insulated concrete forms and have many benefits including the following.

1. Thermal Mass Benefit - Provides more even temperatures with lower demand on the HVAC system. This means more comfort, lower utility bills and longer equipment life for homeowners.

2. Fire Resistance - Concrete obviously doesn't burn and the foam isn't flammable.

3. Air Sealing - Achieves better blower door results by reducing unwanted air leaks through the walls.

4. Durable and Solid Looks - Thick walls make homebuyers feel like the home is built to last.

Happy to chat with you more about my personal experience with ICF construction as well!

Healthy Indoor Air Solutions

Here are some solutions to provide healthier indoor air quality in your homes.

1. Install a filter with a MERV rating of 13-16 (higher is better) for ducted heating/cooling systems. A HEPA level filter is even better that captures 96% of virus sized particles. This is a great solution for people with allergies or other sensitivities.

2. Seal all ducts with mastic, not tape. This is a requirement of the new Oregon code. This helps reduce leaks that lead to callbacks from air quality and comfort issues.

3. Install balanced ventilation. This is a requirement of the new Oregon code. The supply and exhaust must be within 10% of the same flow rate. You can achieve this in several ways but best is an HRV or ERV which is 1 piece of equipment that saves energy and increases comfort since they integrate heat recovery. While HRVs can cost more than non heat recovery systems, you can save money by eliminating bath fans and integrating the exhaust into the HRV.

EV Ready Homes

This month, I wanted to check in about electric vehicles aka EVs. As more people are buying EVs, it's important to make sure our homes are built ready for them. Like a home that is solar ready, an EV ready home helps reduce the overall cost by installing the infrastructure during construction, building in value.

Here are some EV ready best practices.

1. Install one dedicated 240V 50A circuit to the garage that can accomodate a Level 2 charger.

2. Locate the breaker for the circuit at the opposite end of the busbar from the main service feeder to accommodate future vehicle-to-grid charging.

3. Label breaker "Reserved for EV"

4. Post a label on or near the electrical panel saying "This home is EV ready."

5. Install a 4x4 recessed deep metal box 36" above the finished floor in a central location to accommodate a maximum 24' charging cord.

6. Terminate the circuit in the box with a NEMA 14-50 EV charger outlet.

7. Label box "Reserved for EV"

8. Leave 3' above, 2' to each side and 2' in front of the outlet unobstructed to allow for future wall mounted ESVE.

9. Document all structural and electrical accommodations on the building plans.

Advanced Wiring

As smart technology continues to develop, homes will become more interactive with owners and utilities to maximize efficiency and provide greater resilience.

Here are some advanced wiring options to consider.

• Cat5E or Cat6 ethernet cables from HVAC, water heater, electric vehicle charging station, inverter, battery, and smart thermostat (if present) to a central location such as a mechanical room or near the telecom/cable/internet service provider demarcation point

• Neutral wire to all wall switches

• Extra deep junction boxes (>3 inches) at switches and outlets

• Extra deep 2X4 junction box behind the smart thermostat (if present)

2021 Oregon Code Changes

There’s a new energy code coming into effect this year that will be mandatory as of October 1st. A couple of the major changes to the building process I see are requiring all ducts to be in conditioned space and sealed with mastic as well as requiring balanced ventilation systems. These are exciting to me because they will increase the energy efficiency, comfort and air quality in new homes. Below is a snapshot of these 2 changes.