Here’s some more feedback we received on a job completed last year in the NJ Home Performance with Energy Star program: “Jesse and Abel Smith of Tay River completed the insulation of my 2500 sqft house according to the NJ energy saving program. We found their level of competence extremely high to give valuable advice while completing the work agreed […]
All posts in Energy Efficiency
Replacement doors and windows are still bad
Not to belabor the point, but it’s very difficult to integrate replacement-style doors and windows into a system of shedding water away from buildings. This replacement door was installed into an opening that already had water problems. From Replacement doors
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Air Sealing, Windows
New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star
Just over a year ago, Tay River Homesmiths (that’s us) became one of the participating contractors with the New Jersey Home Performance with Energy Star (NJHPwES) program. There’s a program rebate page link on the right. A lot of people haven’t heard of the program, so the purpose of this post is to review the program and our role in […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Efficiency, NJHPwES
3D modelling an addition
The owner finds this room uncomfortably warm in the summer, uncomfortably cool in the winter, and generally uninspiring year round. It is an important room as it is open to the kitchen, the busiest place in their home. To get a real feel for the existing conditions, I import photos into Sketchup and create and ‘Existing Conditions’ model. Then I […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Comfort, Efficiency, Residential
Air-flow Diagnostics for Cavemen
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation does some pretty fun stuff. Here’s an interesting test to measure airflow at registers and exhaust vents. Seems so obvious once you know the ‘secret’. For those who find the myriad of government-funded energy subsidies confusing, here’s a link to a state-by-state breakdown of the programs.
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Cavemen
Energy Efficiency and Taxes
With the federal stimulus package there’s been a lot of talk about government money being used for energy improvements. A lot of builders (including Tay River) have been focused on energy efficiency for a long time. As a teenager, my first construction job was for an insulation contractor in eastern Ontario. We’d occasionally work on R-2000 homes, which were part […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Efficiency, Performance
Heat-loss Diagnostics for Cavemen: Part 1
Despite my letter to the Journal of Light Construction last year, I think energy audits are tremendously valuable. We’ve recently started using blower door tests and thermal imaging on some of our work, and so far, the results are excellent. Heat loss in buildings is weirdly unpredictable, so if you have access to a company with these tools, I recommend […]
Category Energy Efficiency, News
Tags Cavemen, Efficiency, Performance, Roof
Heat-loss Diagnostics for Cavemen: Part 2
Despite my letter to the Journal of Light Construction last year, I think energy audits are tremendously valuable. We’ve recently started using blower door tests and thermal imaging on some of our work, and so far, the results are excellent. Heat loss in buildings is weirdly unpredictable, so if you have access to a company with these tools, I recommend […]
