Momentum, your home energy efficiency partner, provides the following services for building energy efficient homes.
Building an ENERGY STAR home
Momentum works extensively throughout the build process with residential builders to insure homes are built not only to ENERGY STAR standards, but also to insure the homeowners will live in one of the most energy efficient built homes. We partner with builders from the design phase all the way through the build process, to the final review and certification where the builder receives the ENERGY STAR Certificate. It truly is a partnership throughout the entire build process.
Residential Energy Compliance Testing (Building Code Testing)
Momentum is here to help ALL builders to be the most energy efficient they can be by providing all of the following services:
Duct Blaster Test
The Duct Blaster testing forces air pressure through the entire HVAC system. This detects if the system leaks at joints or connection points where it might be losing valuable air. This valuable air should be going into the living areas of the home instead of the crawl or attic. To ensure this, duct systems should be mastic sealed and tested to make sure your home healthier and well balanced.
Blower Door Test
A Blower Door is a diagnostic tool that measures the degree of a home’s “air tightness.” Blower Doors provide a reliable, highly accurate and cost-effective method for determining a home’s air leakage. The Blower Door system can identify building envelope leakage; leaks such as penetration from plumbing and electrical can cause drafts resulting in an unwanted variance in temperature. Blower Door air tightness measurements can help estimate the need for mechanical or additional ventilation.
Pressure TrueFlow Test
The TrueFlow Test is designed to provide a simple and accurate measurement of airflow through residential air handlers. The TrueFlow Meter temporarily replaces the filter in the air handler system during the airflow measurement process. If the filter location is directly adjacent to the air handler, the TrueFlow Meter will measure the total air handler flow. If the filter is located remotely at a central return, the TrueFlow Meter will measure airflow through the central return.
The TrueFlow Meter plate temporarily replaces the air filter in a typical air handler system and is used during the air flow measurement procedure. If the filter location is directly adjacent to the air handler, the TrueFlow Meter will measure the total air handler flow. If the filter is located remotely at a single central return, the TrueFlow Meter will measure the air flow through the central return.
Energy Seal Inspection
This inspection is a physical on-site review of the home’s total air seal and is conducted during the build process. There are a number of items that are sealed through use of caulking or through the use of expanding foam, that make the home more air tight and less susceptible to drafts and energy loss. Momentum conducts a physical inspection to ensure that this process has been completed but also done correctly, in order to meet meet Energy Star and building code requirements.
Insulation Inspection
This inspection is a physical on-site review of the installation of insulation and is also conducted during the build process. Insulation is one of the main ingredients to insure a home is warm in the winter time and cool during the summer time. Energy Star and building codes requires minimum insulation levels in walls, floors, and ceilings throughout the home. This insures that the HVAC system works efficiently and keeps the home at optimal comfort levels.
Thermal Boundary Inspection
Momentum will conduct an on-site review of the home’s “thermal boundary”. The thermal boundary, sometimes referred to as the thermal envelope, restricts or slows the flow of heat from conditioned to unconditioned spaces.
- Conditioned space
- Any living area of the home. Examples are living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and bedrooms.
- Unconditioned spaces
- Any non-living areas of the home. Examples are garage, most attics and most crawl spaces.
As part of this thermal boundary inspection, Momentum will review both the conditioned and unconditioned spaces. Special focus will be given to the knee walls, attics, crawlspaces, and bonus room walls and we will review current insulation levels in each of these areas along with the inspection of the existing windows.
Momentum will also review the homes ventilation along with common air leakage sites such as staircases, chimney chases, recessed light fixtures, plumbing and electrical penetrations, and possibly framing details. This process ensures the homes overall health and comfort of the home.
Water Management Inspection
As of January 1, 2012, Water Management will become an additional area for review for an ENERGY STAR homes. Momentum will work alongside the builder to review the home’s property water shed and overall water management.
When certifying an ENERGY STAR home, a builder has the option of either performing a Water Management or Indoor airPLUS Inspection.
airPLUS Inspection
EPA created Indoor airPLUS to help builders meet the growing consumer preference for homes with improved indoor air quality. By constructing homes that meet EPA’s stringent specifications, forward-thinking builders can distinguish themselves by being among the first to offer homes designed to deliver improved indoor air quality. Momentum works with local builders to incorporate enhanced air quality technology.
When certifying an ENERGY STAR home, a builder has the option of either performing an airPLUS or Water Management Inspection.
Home Energy Evaluations
Momentum also provides homeowners with Energy Evaluations.
Momentum works with homeowners to bring you reliable energy efficiency suggestions based on your homes existing needs. Momentum evaluates the home from top to bottom:
- Blower Door Test
- Attic & Crawl Space Insulation Inspection
- Mechanical Inspections (heating, ac, water heating and appliances)
Momentum will identify which improvements will save you the most money by pin pointing which areas of the home are losing energy. In addition, we will show you ways to use less energy on daily basis.
