1st Quarter 2008 Newlsetter

Global Warming, Carbon Footprint and your Home

Global warming and carbon footprint are terms that have recently come to the top of our awareness. When I researched these subjects, I very quickly found a boundless quantity of contradictory information.

Here is a quick summary of the information I read for this article. A preponderance of scientists are positive that the Earth's temperature is rising and we are currently causing dangerous changes in the Earth's atmosphere and climate. A much smaller group of scientists, politicians and oil companies, though acknowledging the positive evidence of global warming, take exception to the warnings that are coming from the scientific community in regards to climate change and global warming.

Ultimately I came to the following conclusion, it really doesn't matter how I feel about the validity of the arguments for and against the dangers of global warming, it just makes sense to invest in better consumption habits, building materials, and appliances that will reduce my personal affect on the environment. Not only because it might be good for the environment, but as you will see, it will save me a lot of money as well.

My amateur interpretation of the science of global warming.

Here are the three terms and their basic definitions that will inform the topic of this article:

Greenhouse Effect is the natural phenomenon that keeps the Earth at a temperature range that allows life to flourish. Our atmosphere (air, sky, cloud layer--all the stuff that is between the Earth's surface and open space) uses heat trapping -gasses to form a layer of insulation that keeps our planet warm enough for us to survive. Without this layer of atmospheric insulation, the average temperature on Earth would be so low that the Earth would be frozen and would not be able to sustain life. One of these heat-trapping gasses is carbon dioxide or CO2.

Global Warming refers to the increase in the Earth's average temperature resulting from the increase in heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere. The increase of CO2, due to human activities (the burning of fossil fuels) is throwing the Earth's insulating layer out of balance, allowing more heat to be retained at the Earth's surface. It is the temperature increase and the anticipated consequences that are at the center of the global warming debate.

Carbon Footprint is the measurement of CO2 emissions, in this case, as it relates to home energy consumption.

"Home energy consumption accounts for 17 % of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and 21% of energy consumption nationwide." EPA news release 7/12/2007 see EPA website. In your home, about half of your energy consumption and subsequent CO2 emissions are attributable to heating and cooling systems.

Applying the science to my particular home

Using Home Energy Saver available at http://hes.lbl.gov/hes/, I analyzed my home to determine my energy consumption and carbon footprint. The program also allowed me to factor in the level of upgrade I wanted for my home and showed the resulting decrease in power consumption.

This web site indicated an annual energy cost of $4447.00 inclusive of all gas and electrical appliances and factoring in the heating and cooling loss of my home. My actual utility costs last year were $4344.00.

By upgrading to premium level heating and air conditioning equipment, sealing the house to 50% leakage, increasing my floor and attic insulation, and duct sealing to 6% leakage, I stand to save quite a bit. The Home Energy Saver program calculated a $3135.00 annual utility cost after upgrades. That is a savings of $1312.00 per year.

Now, what happens to my carbon footprint. My carbon footprint is currently 45,103 lb. With the listed upgrades, I can reduce my footprint to 34,282 lbs. That means I can eliminate 10,821 lb of CO2 per year. This is the equivalent of the CO2 emissions of my furnace and my air conditioning for an entire year

The shorthand of my analysis is that I can save $1300.00 per year and 10,821 lbs of CO2 per year by upgrading insulation, HVAC equipment and reducing home and duct leakage. The total investment for these upgrades will run from $10,000.00 to 14,000.00. I know because that is what we do at A A Air Company. The return on this investment will be around 10% and will have a simple payback time of 9 years. I would like to make a couple of notes at this point. This analysis does not take into account personal habits (like how high I keep the heating) that I will change to conserve energy. This program does not factor in the ability to reduce the size of my furnace and air conditioner after I have improved the insulation and leakage of my home. This means that my savings and emissions reductions will be better than reported.

Translating my experience to your home

Every list of home energy savings tips and personal solutions to global warming list the following five items.

1. Get a Home Energy Audit
2. Clean your HVAC filter
3. Keep your equipment maintained
4. Replace old HVAC equipment
5. Look for the Energy Star Label when you replace

You can tick these five items off your list by making one phone call to A A Air Company.

Let A A Air Company start you off with a free Home Energy Audit. Based on our findings, we can do further diagnostics on your household and duct leakage. From there we can recommend upgrades, maintenance programs, financing and general DIY home sealing tips to get you started. We can also take your information and put it through the same analysis that I used to chart my own path to energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions. Within the space of two to three hours we can determine what you need to do, what you can do, what it will cost and how sound an investment your upgrades will be.

CMP

• Home Energy Audit - including visual inspection and heat load **FREE**
• Whole House PRessure Test - test for duct and household leakage **$399.99**

Spring and Summer Q and A with Ming Foo Will anything help control the humidity in my house?

Humidity is a problem in many areas. The best way to control excessive humidity is to have a system that runs longer at lower speeds. Variable-speed air-handling equipment runs at very low speeds, which keeps the air circulating against the cooling coil and removes much more moisture than conventional systems. At these low speeds, the variable-speed motor also uses much less electricity than conventional motors. Our two-stage XL19i outdoor air conditioning unit will operate at a low speed, removing more moisture and allowing greater comfort than a single-stage air conditioning unit. Our variable-speed indoor blower units also have ComfortRTM Enhanced Mode that runs a very cold coil and enables the blower to slowly ramp up and down. This will wring-out extra moisture from the indoor air.

What are the differences in Trane XR and XLi heat pump and air conditioner units?

Our XLi outdoor product lines have higher air conditioning efficiencies (SEER) ranges than the XR line. Some of the enhanced features include Trane's patented WeatherGuard" top that provides maximum protection for the outdoor condenser coil, a compressor sound enclosure for quiet performance, a two-speed condenser fan that improves both efficiency and sound levels, and twice the original limited warranty as the XR outdoor product line.

How close to the outdoor unit should I plant shrubs or flowers?

Manufacturers generally agree that plants should not be closer than 18 inches. Air conditioners need intake and exhaust air to operate efficiently. If air cannot circulate, the unit could build up heat and require service.

Is there any advantage to setting my thermostat fan to "ON" so the fan runs constantly?

Yes, there are a couple. The first is that you get constant filtering of the air in your home. The second is that because the air is moving, you have a more even temperature throughout the home. However, continuous fan mode during COOLING operation may not be appropriate in humid climates. If the indoor air exceeds 60% humidity or simply feels uncomfortably humid, it is recommended that the fan be used in AUTO mode