Air Flow Designs and NRG Solutions, Florida LLC are proud to be one of the first companies in the state of Florida to offer a complete Whole Home Performance Energy Analysis and Solutions. But first……What is a Whole Home Energy Analysis? One of our specially trained associates can test your home’s “envelope” to determine where air might be leaking out….or in. They then can perform another test that determines the amount of air leakage in your AC Duct System, allowing the cooled or warmed air to escape into your attic before it reaches your vents. We can provide guidance and suggestions through the use of this advanced technology and testing equipment to assist Florida Homeowners in making informed decisions on reducing their energy usage and providing a “Greener” environment. As parts of this Whole Home Analysis approach, we can offer Blower Door Testing, Duct Blaster Testing, Radiant Barrier for the underside of your roof deck, Blown In Insulation to Take your home up to today’s standards, Double Pane Low E windows from two of America’s top Manufacturers and, of course, high efficiency replacement heating and cooling systems.
Blower Door and Duct Blaster Testing
High Efficiency Air Conditioning and Heat Pump Replacements
Duct System Sealing and / or Replacement
Attic Insulation and Radiant Barrier Coating
High Efficiency Window Replacement Options
Our certified RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) Rater will oversee the testing of both your home’s “Envelope” and the Duct System for potential air leaks and infiltration. The Blower Door Test actually puts your home under negative pressure so we are able to see where outdoor air is infiltrating through the “envelope of your home.” Major points of infiltration are doors and windows, baseboards and joints between walls and ceilings, electrical outlets and light switches and even around plumbing pipe openings. We will make recommendations on sealing these openings to “weatherproof” your home based upon our findings. By doing so, you keep the hot, humid air at bay in the summer and the cold drafts from entering the home in the winter.
After this test has been completed, we will then perform the Duct Blaster Test on your duct system(s). This will tell us how much of your “conditioned” air escaping before it ever gets into the home and is leaking into your non conditioned space, i.e., your garage, attic or crawl space and where these leaks are occurring. The State of Florida has published a report stating that nearly 60% of the residential duct systems installed in Florida are leaking up to 40% of the conditioned air flowing through them. How do you stop this waste of energy and inefficiency? By having Air Flow Designs seal your ducts at all the major points where the leaks occur. These points include at the ceilings where the boots and registers are tied together, at the mixing boxes where a main line comes in and multiple smaller ducts go out and at the supply and return air plenums attached at the indoor unit. Imagine the savings to be had if you “recapture” even 25% of the escaping air from your leaky ducts.
In some cases, duct systems of 15 years plus in age are in such a deteriorated state, that the only real option is replacement, a service we also offer. If in fact, your home has significant leakage, and the original system was designed to allow for this leakage as they were a number of years ago, after the sealing and keeping the conditioned air in the duct system, you may very easily be able to heat and cool your home with a smaller system saving you money each time it comes on.
The high efficiency systems of today can save you money every month on your utility bills for the life of the system. With 2 speed outdoor units and variable speed indoor units, you can cut your utility usage for heating and cooling by over 30% compared to basic equipment and even more on certain sizes. Carrier Corporation has even introduced their new “GreenSpeed” Heat Pump Line which gets amazing efficiency levels, on both Cooling and Heating needs, through the use of an intelligent Infinity Based Variable Speed Outdoor unit paired up with the Infinity Air Handler and Control. If you are replacing an older unit that was 10 SEER or less at installation, your heating and cooling utility costs can be reduced by 50% or more. Also, with today’s humidity control thermostats, most find they are comfortable at higher indoor temperatures at lower humidity levels, also helping to lower utility costs. Please review our energy saving charts to see just how much you may be able to save based upon equipment upgrades. As utility costs continue to escalate, an investment in a high efficiency air conditioning and heating system can be one of the best investments you’ll make this year and for years to come. Also, most of Florida’s utility companies offer rebates for high efficiency systems, ranging from $100.00 to over $1,000 based upon size and efficiency.
In the “Good Old Days,” attics in Florida used to get anywhere from R-11 to R-19. Today the minimum that is recommended in Florida for homes is R-30 and some builders are even using R-38 as the standard in new construction. Also, in many of the older homes, the older materials used tended to settle and lose some of their insulating ability. A home that was built 10-15 years ago and had R-19 may now be down to around R-11. Increasing your attic insulation is one of the most reasonable energy improvements you can make in your home and can pay long lasting dividends. According to Progress Energy, it can save you between $150.00-$200.00 each year if you go to R-30 vs. R-11 present in many homes today. Also, many of the utilities operating in Florida offer rebates toward the cost of upgrading, reducing your investment and overall cost.
Radiant Barrier Spray Coating is an Aluminum based Product that is sprayed on the underside of your roof decking. This Essential reflects the heat before it can enter the attic and can reduce the temperature, under ideal conditions, in your attic by as much as 30% by blocking up to 81% of the radiant heat trying to enter your home. The Radiant Barrier we use (HeatBloc-Ultra) has the lowest (best) e-missivity ratings on the market and is an environmentally friendly product as well. HeatBloc Ultra works like shade trees, keeping your home cooler and it also keeps attic installed duct systems cooler as well, meaning the Air Conditioning system doesn’t have to work as hard to overcome the heat surrounding the duct system. Working Less = More Energy Savings and Longer Life for Your Equipment! |
