blending an assortment of thoughts and experiences for my friends, relations and kindred spirit

blending an assortment of thoughts and experiences for my friends, relations and kindred spirit
By Alison Hobbs, blending a mixture of thoughts and experiences for friends, relations and kindred spirits.

Friday, April 18, 2008

How leaky is my house?

The City of Ottawa's Enviro Centre sent a "certified ecoEnergy advisor" round to our house this morning to do an evaluation of its air-tightness and other environmental qualities; the inspection took two hours. This young man has a degree in mechanical engineering and commerce from McMaster University; he had also had a couple of years' experience doing kitchen renovations. With his nuclear energy scientist girlfriend he is about to take a fortnight's holiday hiking the Offa's Dyke trail through Wales, but that's another story.

In order to test the draughts, he opened our front door and erected a Blower Door in its place, letting the fan run for ten minutes or so while he walked around the building (with all the windows closed) searching for air leaks. I am now going to get a written report on the alterations we could make to our property to reduce its environmental unfriendliness and to save us money on our gas, electricity and water bills. I've also been given pages and pages of thought-provoking information in the form of brochures. The audit cost $367.50 and there'll have to be a follow-up audit costing another $150+, but if we modify our house between now and 2011 according to the recommendations, we should be able to claim over a thousand dollars in incentive grants and rebates from the government.

Emma, I hope this meets with your approval!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Remember! The Nuniwokingkac and Shellac Backwoods Building Emporium says, "Consider condensation – it’s important to maintain good ventilation in your home, whatever the weather. In centrally heated, draught-proofed homes, rooms can quickly become uncomfortable and stuffy. Condensation can easily build up, causing damp. Make sure that vents and grills are working properly and are adequate for your home’s needs."

Anonymous said...

Good for you! I agree with the comments about ventilation, but I guess the leakyness test is only part of a bigger audit. Anyway, didn't one of you go round turning on the radiators and the other go round opening windows?!