Our
whole house approach to solving comfort and indoor air quality concerns avoids many of the pitfalls
of assuming that all comfort and IAQ issues are air conditioning-related.
In fact, the majority of the issues that cause homes to perform poorly are
building-related. Our Whole House Assessment not only addresses the
air conditioning equipment, it takes an in depth look at the building's
thermal and leakage characteristics.
Our whole-house assessments begins
with an initial interview. Your input
provides valuable information, such as the family's
sensitivities to mold, pollen, dust mites and other irritants. Comfort
throughout the house will also be discussed along with functional concerns
such as visible mold, cupping floor, sweating air registers, dust
accumulation, etc..
The assessment begins with your
air conditioning equipment.
Is it efficient, dependable and safe? We
will visually inspect your equipment for any signs of deterioration,
improper installation, or insufficient maintenance.
We will also evaluate your system's air filtration and purification
efficiency, to determine if improvements would better clean your indoor air.
Even the best heating and cooling system will have
trouble keeping you comfortable or will cost more to run if you don't have
enough insulation. We will visually inspect
insulation levels throughout your home and determine if they meet currently
recommended levels. We will also look for
thermal bridges such as hollow wall cavities
and uninsulated fixtures (such as canned lights and access doors)
that allow air and heat to bypass your insulation. Attic
ventilation will also be evaluated.
Next we will evaluate the homes
infiltration rate. All houses leak to some degree and, from an air
quality standpoint, those around windows and doors can actually be good
leaks. However leaks from your attic, garage or crawl space let in
humid, moldy or polluted air and cause your heating and cooling equipment to
perform below its peak efficiency. We will us a blower door
test to pinpoint where your home's worst air leaks
are, and where improvements can be made.
If your air duct system has hidden
design flaws or blockages, your air flow may be restricted or unevenly
distributed, wasting money and making your home
uncomfortable and/or unhealthy.
We will check your ducts to reveal any hidden blockages,
restrictions or design problems.
Once the assessment is complete,
we will explain the results and
provide you with prioritized recommendations for improvements.
Upon your request, we will provide you with a proposal to perform the
recommended scope of work.
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