As of March 1, 2012, any new home permitted in the state of North Carolina must comply with the 2012 NCECC (North Carolina Energy Conservation Code), including mandatory duct testing and an optional blower door test to satisfy the air sealing and duct sealing requirements in the code. Home Performance NC can assist you with [...]
Dear HVAC contractor, builder, or General Contractor: As you know, as of March 1, 2012, any new home permitted in the state of North Carolina must comply with the 2012 NCECC (North Carolina Energy Conservation Code), including mandatory duct testing and an optional blower door test to satisfy the air sealing and duct sealing requirements [...]
This is a repost of our most popular blog post in the past year! Who would’ve thunk it? Duct leakage? But maybe it makes sense. Duct leakage is an extremely common problem in most houses today. Leaky ducts are caused by improper installation and wear and tear – more the former than the latter. Sealed [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, What is a closed crawl space? Do I need one? –Crawling around in Chapel Hill Dear Crawling, A closed crawl space is a crawl space (the area found underneath your house and which is typically floored with dirt and vented to the outdoors) that has been air-sealed. A closed crawl can provide [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, I know all about the federal tax credits for energy efficiency, but what rebates are available for home weatherization projects in the Triangle area? I have to do something about my heating bills, but it’d be great if I could get a little money back in my pocket sooner than next year’s [...]
Occasionally we’ll get calls or e-mails from people wanting to know if we clean ducts. We’ve also seen plenty of ads for companies that do duct cleaning, claiming to rid the home of allergens and musty smells and mold. Some people swear by it, but… we don’t. We don’t clean ducts, nor do we think [...]
A while ago I wrote a post outlining Progress Energy’s rebates for energy efficiency projects. It’s one of the most popular posts on this blog, and I wanted to make sure that everyone reading this knows that while I wrote that post in January, the rebates offered through PE are still going on. The way [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, You are always going on about sealing this, sealing that. Seal your ducts! Seal your attic! Seal your escutcheons (whatever those are)! Is it possible to seal too much? –Wondering in Wendell Dear Wondering, The answer to your question is no, it is not possible to seal too much. But it is [...]
Up until now we’ve been telling you that an energy audit and subsequent weatherization will pay for itself in 2-3 years. We have years of data from Energy Star and the Low Income Weatherization program to back this up. But now it’s time to give you real examples of ways that our clients have saved [...]
In my last post I focused on Progress Energy’s rebates for duct testing, which can be applied towards a full energy audit done by one of their approved contractors, like us. This post will outline how Progress Energy helps its Carolina customers follow up an energy audit with weatherization to improve a home’s energy efficiency. [...]