Don’t forget to call your preferred heating and cooling contractor to schedule your annual maintenance check of your central air conditioner or heat pump! One key step is to clean out the condenser sitting outside as they get clogged up with dust and debris. This will improve the air moving through the unit and help […]
Disaster averted! Every house should have a plumbing leak detection system that alerts you to a problem before you have a SERIOUS problem. We have a Flume Smart Home Water Monitor that helps us track our water consumption and will alert us to unusual patterns of usage. Since installed, it has accurately detected 2 different […]
An energy audit is a type of inspection of a building that seeks to answer questions about how best to improve the home or building’s energy efficiency, but it’s also in investigation of how the structure works as a system to deliver energy efficiency, comfort, durability, and health and safety. For this particular home, we […]
Hmmmm… which filter is the new one and which one is the old one? A lot can be said about air filters for furnaces and central air conditioners, but at the very least they should be changed on a regular basis. How often are you changing yours? The one pictured here had been left in […]
Are your walls insulated correctly? This thermal imaging photo shows very poor insulation coverage in the wall cavities. This can happen when the correct installation techniques are not used. This isn’t a function of the type of material used; it’s all about the technique of installing it. Cellulose or fiberglass can both be good if […]
One of our lesser-known services is that we offer drainage assessments to resolve bulk water and rain water issues that are common in basements and crawlspaces. In this example, the client had water coming into her crawlspace in multiple locations which resulted in extensive mold in the crawlspace and high humidity levels. In addition to […]
The “hot” wall cavity in the images is showing examples of supply branch ducts that are run up exterior walls to a 2nd floor room. The image was taken in cold weather with the furnace running. The presence of of the duct in the wall cavity displaces the insulation in the wall cavity. Presumably, the […]
Happy holidays from Midwest Building Performance! Having a get together in your home during the holiday season? Because lowering utility bills and providing better indoor air quality are always top of mind for our staff, here are some things for to consider that we are already doing in our own homes for the holidays. Lower […]
Notice how cold the wood panel door is? The panels are so thin in the middle, they conduct heat very quickly. They look as cold at the window in the door. A modern door solves this with insulation embedded inside the door. You may also be eligible for a $250 federal tax credit per door […]
What temperature do you keep your thermostat set at in the winter? This is a common question an energy auditor will ask during the homeowner interview. We pulled the data from the last 100 homes we have audited and put the numbers in the chart below. Are you surprised by the data? The lowest setting […]