Lawson Home Services' experienced energy auditor, Ryan Wurzel, performed an energy audit on this Ocean View, DE home in September of 2023. What he found is not uncommon among Delaware coastal resort homes - they are too often poorly insulated. Though after the mid 2000s the state of Delaware implemented and enforced energy building codes for new construction, this home, built in 2001, is an example of one built shortly before those codes came into effect.
Solution
We want to share what Ryan was able to see using an infrared (IR) camera, a device which graphically displays differences in the surface temperatures that are invisible to the human eye. The IR camera enables us to find areas where heat is being transferred through the building materials and places where air is leaking in or out of the building. In the hands of a trained energy auditor, areas that most significantly impact the comfort within and energy efficiency of the home are quickly made obvious.
The energy audit is a tool to help the homeowners make the important next step in the process of making their home more comfortable, year round, while reducing energy expenses. The audit will show which improvements will typically pay for themselves within 3-10 years, and will project what the annual saving will be, both now, and for many years to come.
The attic access hatch is very often one of the places where heat is transferred. In the summer temperatures in the attic can reach 150 degrees. This picture was taken on a warm summer day and you can see the heat radiating right through the attic hatch, heating up air the homeowners have paid to cool. In the wintertime the reverse happens. Heat the homeowners have paid for escapes through the hatch into the attic, leaving the areas below feeling cold and drafty.
Compare what the IR camera sees by comparing it to what the human eye sees in the pictures of the kneewall that follow in this case study. The IR cameras makes the heat transfer visible, almost as if the wall were getting ready to burst into flames. The insulation here was grossly inadequate.
This is what the kneewall looks like to the human eye. The IR camera picture of the same spot gives the viewer a very different impression.
Can you see where there is no insulation protection in this wall cavity. The heat inside comes down from the attic and the wall acts like a heater, defeating the cooling work of the air conditioner. In the wintertime this wall surface will be very cold, making it hard to keep this room cozy and warm. Check out the next picture for a comparison.
Here's the same picture of the wall as the human eye would see it. The IR cam image preceding this one tells a very different story about the energy leaks inside this modern home. This
This page of the energy audit shows the effect of all the air leaks in the home added together. This homes leaks away conditioned air the homeowner has paid to condition (heating, cooling, filtering, purification, and humidity control), replacing it with raw outside air. You may as well leave a window open 5.3" wide all year round.
This page of the energy audit shows the homeowner the itemized cost of each improvement, how long it will take each improvement to pay for itself in utility savings. It also shows what incentives should be from the Energize Delaware program. Sensible and budget conscious homeowners will wanThis page of the audit t to take advantage of this program while it is in effect.
This page of the audit projects the homeowners how much money they can expect to save annually, now, and in the future. Of course these are estimates. But they are based on economic performance statistics of the past.
