A home inspector is one of your greatest allies when you are ready to purchase a home. He or she can help you identify issues with a home that need to be addressed or repaired, before you close on the deal. This is why it’s important to choose a highly-qualified, professional and trustworthy home inspector. Wondering what to look for in a home inspector? In this article, we will discuss some key traits that every home inspector should have. Read on and learn more now.

A Great Attitude And Personality

Personality is an important trait in a home inspector. You’re going to be working closely with this person after selecting a home, so you want to find an inspector who is easy-going, has a positive attitude, and shows a willingness to help you.

The process of shopping for a home can be stressful, so it’s best to find a home inspector with a calm and confident demeanor, who can help you stay grounded, and explain every step of the inspection process to you.

It may seem like a small thing, but having a positive personality and helpful attitude are both critical for building trust and having a great working relationship.

A Dedication To Modern Technology

A home inspector should be dedicated to using the latest technology and provide forward-thinking and state-of-the-art inspection services. Tools such as moisture meters, infrared cameras, carbon monoxide detectors, and other such high-tech equipment can help a home inspector search for hidden issues – providing a better overall inspection.

Additionally, your home inspection company should use modern communication technologies, such as SMS and email to keep in touch with you throughout the entire process – providing you with a smoother, streamlined inspection experience.

The importance of a sharp looking, web-based report is another way that an inspector can provide user-friendly, pertinent details on your property, featuring high-resolution images with clear and concise action items.

Are you looking for a highly rated home inspector in the Colorado Front Range area? Learn more about our home inspection services here.

Our web-based inspection report

Deep Industry Knowledge

Most importantly, a good home inspector should be a highly-qualified expert in his or her industry and have comprehensive knowledge about a home’s various components and systems. A good knowledge base enables him or her to help identify any potential concerns, and provide the proper recommendations. A good inspector should also be certified by one of the main home inspection organizations.

Your home inspector should be willing to share this knowledge with you.  Look for a home inspector who will allow you to walk through the home with them during the inspection.  They can answer any questions that you have throughout the whole process or can provide a summary at the conclusion of their inspection.

Reputation and Referrals

Finally, you need a home inspector who can walk the talk.  A reliable home inspector is a trusted and impartial source of information.  Satisfied customer referrals are critical in choosing a home inspector. Check out the company’s website or a review site for reviews and referrals on their inspectors, which will further ensure you of having a good home inspection experience!

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When the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) went into effect, blower door testing became a requirement on all new residential builds and remodels. Prior to this code update, blower door testing had been in use for many years. However, this was the first time that it had become mandatory for many new construction projects.

The International Code Council (ICC) saw it fit to address the issues that can occur with too much air leakage in homes. Therefore, this rule was established as a way to increase energy efficiency in new residential builds.

Counties that have adopted the 2015 IECC (or any later edition) require that any new build must have a blower door test performed by a licensed, third-party company. The results of the test must not exceed the region’s maximum leakage rate in order for the building to be deemed IECC-compliant. It is a crucial aspect of the modern building process in the majority of the nation. So what is blower door testing?

One of our technicians conducting a blower door test.

What is blower door testing?

A blower door test is a procedure that involves using specialized equipment to measure the exact air tightness of a home. Depending on the region of the country, a maximum air leakage rate is defined, and each new home must meet this air tightness level.

This technique is the industry standard and is extremely accurate. Furthermore, it not only helps to determine the level of air leakage, it can actually help you to determine the exact sources causing the air leaks.

How does it work?

A blower door consists of a frame and flexible panel that fit into an exterior doorway. A powerful, variable-speed fan mounts into the frame.

All exterior openings – such as doors, windows, flues vents etc. – are closed off or sealed. The fan is then activated to blow air out of the house, lowering the inside air pressure. The higher outside air pressure then flows in through any unsealed cracks or openings.

Image sourced from: https://outlierstudio.com.au

As the fan runs, an integrated pressure gauge measures the pressure differences between the inside and outside of the home, and an airflow manometer and hoses are utilized for measuring airflow.

The equipment used in the blower door test determines a home’s air infiltration rate, which is measured in air changes per hour (ACH). This is the number that is required by the IECC code. For most Colorado municipalities, the air leakage rate for new residential builds or remodels must not exceed 3.0 ACH.

As the blower door fan runs, the technician is able to walk the house, searching for sources of large leaks. Having conducted thousands of tests, our experts know where to look for primary problem areas. Furthermore, we utilize infrared scanning devices to help detect temperature differentials within the home –  a sign that could indicate air leakage.

A specialist can then help to pinpoint the issues, when present, and relay this info to the project contractor in a timely manner. Find out more about common leaks found during a blower door test here.

Do you need a blower door test performed on your project fast? We can help! Visit our blower door service page to learn more and schedule now.

When do you perform a blower door test?

According to the IECC, the test should “be performed any time after creation of all penetrations of the building envelope have been sealed.” Basically, the home should be as close to being complete as possible, with exterior penetrations sealed properly and all the drywall completely installed, before carrying out the a blower door test.

Any leaks caused by an incomplete building envelope could potentially affect the test results. That’s why the full building envelope needs to be sealed before an accurate test can be conducted.

Who can do the testing?

Here at Scott Energy Services, a division of Scott Home Services, LLC, we proudly offer blower door testing services to the Colorado Front Range. We also offer an extensive list of other energy services including duct leakage testing, insulation inspections, air barrier inspections, full energy audits, Manual J,S &D report preparation, as well as full energy rating services including RES-Check reports and HERS ratings. Check out a full list of our services here.

Is this required in the county you are building in?

Most of the counties along the Front Range of Colorado have moved to at least the 2015 IECC building code by this time. However, we encourage you contact your municipality in order to confirm which code guidelines your building project must adhere to.

Let our local team of Certified HERS Raters, Certified Rating Field Inspectors and Certified ASHI Home Inspectors work with you to help you meet the IECC energy code requirements in your area.

We can assist your team in determining the best options for the design and construction of your project. Our energy rating services are performed professionally with a focus on accuracy and responsive support.  Here at Scott Energy Services, we are your go-to “one-stop-shop” offering Energy Rating Services for Architects, Builders, Contractors, HVAC Professionals, and Homeowners.

For more information visit the Blower Door and Air Leakage page on our website.

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In this article, we are going to attempt to summarize the most important contents of the IECC in a concise and easy to understand format.  For reference, you can read the entire code on the International Code Council ICC website.  And since we deal with residential homes at Scott Home Inspection, we are restricting this summary to the residential half of the code.

What is the IECC?

The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is a set of guidelines and prescriptions for constructing homes to help conserve energy.  The code defines minimum levels and specifications for insulation, window specs, heating and cooling, lighting, and other energy use items.  The code is a design document used to help architects and construction specialists design a residence to meet the minimum energy performance guidelines.

The recommendations and guidance outlined in the IECC vary based on where the home will be built, using climate zone modeling.  In addition to new construction, there is guidance included on existing buildings and recommendations for improving energy performance.

What is included in the IECC?

The following are the key highlights and important things to know from within the IECC code.  This is not meant to be a fully inclusive breakdown but is instead a summary of the key items to take away from the IECC.

Construction Documents

All architectural plan sets must include an overview of how the IECC will be met and a summary of the plans to comply.  This includes a breakdown of the insulation plans and R-values, window U-values and SHGC values, mechanical design system details, equipment controls, duct sealing, and insulation details, and air sealing details.

From our experience reviewing drawings and plans, we often see architects detail this in the form of a table outlining the planned levels.  Many also include a drawing of the building’s thermal envelope or boundaries.  Others will add the details on cross-sectional views the insulation plans and mechanical system location.  When documenting, consider how a plans examiner will locate and review the energy code items and attempt to display things in an easy-to-follow manner.

Climate Zones

Within the IECC is a detailed breakdown of the entire United States by state and by county, to define which climate zone is applicable for where the home will be constructed.  The applicable climate zone will be used to determine the minimum levels of insulation, window specs, and other performance items for installed components that impact the energy performance of the home.

Building Thermal Envelope

Section R402 of the IECC outlines the minimum insulation and window requirements for each climate zone.  The term “thermal envelope” is a fancy way of saying the walls, ceilings, and floors of a home are the barrier between heated or cooled space and the outside.  With a simple rectangular one-story home built on a slab-on-grade, this is really easy to define.

In a simple structure like this, you have the walls, windows, attic, and any slab insulation.  But as we all know, today’s houses are more complex with combinations of attic and vaults, basement and crawlspace, dormers, knee walls, etc.  Defining the thermal envelope can get somewhat tricky in more complex homes.

The components described in Table R402.1.2 highlight the minimum requirements for;

Window and Skylight U-Factor, Glazing SHGC (Solar Heat Gain Coefficient), Ceiling R-value, Wall R-value, Framed Floor R-value (over unconditioned space), Basement Wall R-value, Slab R-value and Crawlspace Wall R-value levels.

These are the minimum values that need to be met.  There is also an alternative table to be able to calculate an assembly U-factor as a method of compliance to take into account the entire assembly.  And there is a separate section related to steel-frame walls, ceilings, and floor values.

Air Leakage

Section R402.4 addresses the air leakage of a home and discusses the need to seal and limit air leaks.  Recommended air barrier and insulation installation guidelines are presented to minimize air leakage.  To validate air leakage results, testing of a home for leakage is a mandatory requirement.  Testing is done using a device called a Blower Door.

Third party testing is needed by an energy compliance specialist to visit the home, set up the blower door in a doorway, and using a high speed fan, measure the air leakage results.  The results are quantified in a term called air-changes-per-hour (ACH).  The IECC prescribes maximum leakage rates for each climate zone.

If the home fails this test, the energy testing specialist can help to locate where the main leaks are occurring to allow sealing of these areas and a re-test to validate compliance.  For detailed information on this testing, view our blower door testing article.

Systems

Section R403 discusses all the requirements related to heating, cooling and water heating systems and their impact on the energy efficiency of a home.  The key items to understand that are related to systems include:

1. Controls – all heating and cooling systems must have a programmable thermostat present
2. Ducts – any ducts that are running outside the thermal envelope (heated/cooled space) must be sealed and insulated
3. Duct Testing – a ducted system that has any portion of the ducting running outside the thermal envelope must be tested for air leakage.  This can be done at rough-in stage or at post-construction stage.  Similar to an air-leakage test, this is a specific test done with a pressurizing device to quantify the amount of leakage present.  For detailed information view our duct leakage testing video.
4. Mechanical System Piping – any piping used to carry hot water for mechanical systems should be insulated to R-3 value
5. Hot Water System Piping – all hot water piping should be insulated to R-3 value
6. Mechanical Ventilation – all homes shall be provided with ventilation.  This can be done using an ERV or HRV, or other ventilation methods outlined in the IRC or Mechanical Code.  For more detailed information view our mechanical ventilation system article.
7. Equipment Sizing and Efficiency – all heating and cooling equipment must be sized in accordance with ACCA Manual S based on building loads calculated according to ACCA Manual J methods.  And all duct systems must be designed according to ACCA Manual D requirements.  A third party mechanical system specialist will need to prepare a report and design based upon the building plans, to calculate the load for heating and cooling, select equipment to meet this load, and propose a basic layout of the ducting system to properly heat and cool the home.  To learn more visit our Manual J/S/D services page.

Lighting Equipment

To help conserve energy with lighting, the IECC requires that at least 90% of all permanently installed light fixtures contain only high-efficacy lamps.  This basically means installing LED or CFL bulbs in all of these fixtures.  Since LED bulb technology has improved significantly we see most builders and electricians installing exclusively LED bulbs in all fixtures.

Energy Rating Compliance Alternative

As an alternative to compliance by strictly following the exact requirements laid out in the IECC, an energy rating can be obtained on a home to validate compliance.  A third-party building performance specialist can calculate compliance using specialized software and generate a report referred to as an ‘Energy Rating Index’.

A Certified HERS Rater will perform these calculations using architectural plans and by verifying installation items during construction and at post-construction to validate compliance.  The Energy Rating Index or ERI is a score generated that is relative to the energy performance of the home, with the lower the score meaning the less energy the home consumes.

While there are certain mandatory provisions in the code, using a HERS Rater and obtaining an ERI report can provide a builder with more flexibility in design.  And the HERS Rater will then be responsible for validating compliance to the IECC requirements.  At Scott Home Inspection we have HERS Raters on staff and can help anyone building a home in Colorado.  For more information read our HERS Rating series of articles.

Existing Buildings

Chapter 5 of the IECC contains general recommendations on addition improvements, and additions to existing homes and ways that energy performance is impacted and can be improved upon.

When a home is renovated, repaired or added onto, there are opportunities to add to existing insulation, improve air sealing, reduce duct leakage, enhance or improve mechanical system efficiency and re-balance mechanical ducting delivery and performance.  This section of the IECC provides a framework when certain components should be improved or evaluated as part of renovation project.

This summary was meant to provide a brief overview of what is included in the IECC code.  While the full code is much more detailed and contains specific recommendations for different use cases and for different climate zones, it can often be overwhelming to read a code book from cover to cover.  Hopefully this summary provided a run down of the highlights and items to consider related to the energy performance of a residential home.

At Scott Home Inspection we believe strongly in helping our clients live in safe, healthy and comfortable homes.  We have a team of Energy Services specialists to help homeowners, builders, contractors and architects achieve compliance with the IECC code and to generally help homes achieve a level of comfort and efficient performance.

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For our pre-purchase home inspections, we highly recommend that all buyers attend and engage with the inspector to understand the condition of the home.  There are a number of reasons this is helpful and important to do.

Understanding What You Are Investing In

This is probably the most obvious answer to the question ‘should you attend the home inspection’.  The purchase of a home is most likely the largest single investment each of us will ever make.

As this article is being written, according to a report from the Colorado Association of Realtors, the average single-family residential home sale price topped $650,000 in 2021.  With inventory levels remaining tight, finding the house of your dreams is getting really difficult.

There is no end in sight to the market remaining tilted in the seller’s favor.  Almost every listing that comes up on the market goes under contract very quickly.  In a market like this, with limited choices and high prices, and the need to move very quickly to get a home under contract, the home inspection becomes an extremely important part of the purchase process.  Really knowing the condition of the home and what you are investing in is critical.

During the home inspection, the inspector will be checking all areas and systems of the home to determine the general condition and will identify areas of concern.

Our inspectors follow the American Society of Home Inspector (ASHI) Standard of Practice when evaluating a home.  This set of standards guides an inspector on what systems to check, how to inspect, what areas to report on, and how to address areas of the home that were not inspected.

The results of a home inspection is a written report of findings, typically emailed electronically to the home buyer after the inspection.

When present during all or a portion of the home inspection, a home buyer will have a chance to hear first-hand from the inspector the key results and areas of concern noted.

The inspector will walk you through the home and review areas of significant concern that are recommended to be addressed.  These results allow the home buyer and his/her agent to understand what you are investing in and what future investments in money or time will be needed to improve the condition of the home.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

One of the best reasons to be present for the home inspection is to see firsthand the concerns discovered by the inspector.  The areas of concern identified will be noted within the inspection report, and pictures of the concern will be included in the report.

However, seeing things first hand and truly understanding the context and perspective of the concern is important.  And most importantly, being able to ask questions to the inspector to fully understand the scope of the concern.

Many items noted during an inspection may be maintenance-type items, while others may represent deferred maintenance and age-related concerns.  On occasion, the item discovered may represent a more significant repair item.

Seeing things in person and being able to talk through the concern can help a home buyer to really understand things for themselves.  There are times when a specialist contractor may need to be brought in to provide a repair estimate or help to clarify the scope of work needed to address a concern.  Being able to properly relay the concern to the contractor is possible when you have seen things first-hand.

Being present for the inspection or the inspection summary helps to put the items noted within the inspection report into proper context.  When reviewing the written report later, you have a solid understanding of each concern and item noted.

The presentation of the findings within an organized and easily readable report is also important.  Viewing a sample home inspection report from your inspector can be helpful to know generally how things will be presented in your report.

Knowing How to Operate Your Home

Another important item that your home inspector will review with you, is the location of all the main shut-off valves in the home.  Knowing how to turn off the water supply, turn off gas valves, and where the main electrical disconnect is located is really important as a homeowner.

Our home inspectors will locate these items and add them to the inspection report, but seeing them firsthand is helpful in the event of an emergency situation in the future.

Additionally, if there is a forced-air furnace present, the inspector can show you where the furnace filter is located and how to replace the filter.  Other general items such as controls for garage doors, location of thermostats, and any unique items related to controlling and operating the home can be reviewed.

When Should You Attend the Home Inspection?

Based upon our years of experience inspecting homes, in general, we recommend that a home buyer attend the last hour of the inspection.  Generally, home inspections can take 2-4 hours to complete, depending on the age and size of the home.

Allowing the home inspector to do their work and inspect all the systems and areas of a home, and document the conditions, without interruption is generally the best approach.  By attending in the final hour of the inspection, you have some time to look around the home while the inspector is wrapping up the last items.  Then when ready, the inspector can present a summary of the findings and do a walk-around to view areas of concern.

This approach is the most successful in our experience.  Naturally, some home buyers want to attend the entire inspection and walk around with the inspector while he or she is working and inspecting.  This process also can work well and allows the home buyer to view the findings as the inspector does, and to discuss each item as you go through the home.

In either case, we highly recommend that the attendees of the home inspection be limited to the primary home buyers.  This allows you and the inspector to view and discuss the results of the inspection in a focused manner.

As inspectors, we have seen home buyers bring along children, parents, fathers, contractors, builders, and an array of people with them to the inspection.  We understand the excitement of seeing your future home and showing it off to family, or obtaining the perspective or advice of a trusted family member or contractor.

However, the more people present during the inspection process, the more the risk of distraction from your complete understanding of the home’s condition.

Buying a home can be an exciting time, yet also a stressful time for many.  Aside from the investment being made, this will also be your home where you care for and raise a family.  Knowing the condition of the home prior to purchasing is critical to feeling good about your decision and knowing what you are purchasing.

Take the time needed to attend the inspection and engage with the home inspector.  Being an informed buyer has never been more important.  Let the Team at Scott Home Inspection help guide you through this critical step in the home buying process.

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Where are the best places to insulate a home to get the most energy savings and best comfort gains?  That question is asked in every energy audit we perform.  While this answer can vary depending on the age and the type of home, there are general solutions that apply across the board.

Improvements in the insulation and air sealing of a home are always the first things you want to do when looking into home energy savings.  Before you even consider the efficiency of the heating and cooling systems, your insulation should be evaluated and addressed accordingly.

Let’s take a look at the best places to insulate a home.

Attic-Ceiling

By far, without any doubt, insulating the attic or ceiling of the home is the number one priority.  The largest amount of heat is gained and lost through the lid of a house.

During the winter, as heat is generated, there is a large difference in interior vs exterior temperature that needs to be maintained.

In cold climates, you may have days that are in the 20s or 30s outside.  If you are trying to maintain a comfortable temperature of 70 degrees inside, that is a 40-50 temperature differential.  And if you remember any science from high school, you know heat tries to move to cold.

Also, that hot air rises.  As the heat produced rises, heat is lost through conduction along the ceiling surfaces. The drywall or ceiling material heats up and conducts that heat through the surface and out of your home.

If the insulation layer at the ceiling is inadequate, there is no resistance to that heat loss, and there goes your cozy house.  The opposite is true in summertime conditions.  As the sun beats down on the home, the roof material heats up, and the attic gets hotter. If the insulation layer is inadequate, the heat can conduct right through the ceiling into the home.

That’s why ceiling insulation is the top priority when upgrading your home’s energy efficiency.  If there is attic space above the ceiling, then you have an opportunity to evaluate the insulation layer and determine if more insulation is needed.

Insulation is rated by its resistance value or R-Value. Along the Front Range of Colorado, it is recommended that homes have at least R-54 insulation value. This recommended level of R-54 is an upgrade from past recommendations, so very few homes in our region currently have this much insulation present.

If you are evaluating your own attic, the most common insulation types used in attics is either fiberglass (blown or batt type) or blown-in cellulose.  Both of these insulation types are similar in their ratings at approximately an average of R3.5/inch.  So to reach a value of R-54 you would need roughly 14-15 inches of insulation present.

When you have an attic space present, adding more insulation isn’t difficult.  An insulating contractor or even a handy home-owner can carefully add more insulation. This is typically done by using a large blower tool that pushes raw insulation material through a tube which is slowly applied throughout the attic. These tools are owned by professionals, but smaller versions can be rented at hardware stores.

There are some important rules to follow while insulating. Maintaining good ventilation in an attic and not blocking off any soffit venting should be considered.  Also, you have to be careful to not fully cover can-lights and other fixtures should not be covered.

Blown in insulation.

There are also considerations with air sealing that should be evaluated prior to insulating that we won’t cover in this article, but we have some great information in this air-sealing post.  We recommend you have a blower door test done as part of an Energy Audit and seal air leaks in the ceiling prior to adding insulation.

Vaulted ceilings represent a bigger challenge. Depending on the size of the wood framing used in the vaulted area, there may be limited space available. Adding insulation may not be possible in these areas if the height is limited and the cavities are already full of insulation.

Spray foam insulation

In that case, air sealing any leaks where heat can escape is the only solution.  Unless you are performing a remodel and removing the drywall or ceiling material in these vaulted areas.  If that happens you have an opportunity to re-insulate and potentially consider higher density insulation that has a greater R-Value per inch, such as spray foam material.

Bottom line, insulating the ceiling and attic areas is by far the number one best way to improve the comfort of your home.  The greatest comfort benefits and energy savings will be seen by adding insulation to the ceiling areas.

Basement-Crawlspace-Slab

Dropping to the bottom of a home, the next best place to insulate is the lowest level of your home.  Once again, if we look at wintertime conditions, the lowest level of the home has a large part to play in reducing heat transfer.

This works in tandem with attic insulation. As heat rises in a home and is lost through the ceiling, the home then pulls in cold air or conducts colder temperatures at the lowest level.  This is what is commonly referred to as the chimney-effect or stack-effect.

Photo Sourced From Innovative Basement Authority

As heat rises, if you have poorly insulated areas at the base of the home, cold temperatures will conduct or air leaks will allow cold air into the home.  This effect causes your heating system to run more and comfort imbalances occur in the home.

If the home is over a basement or a crawlspace, the number one place to review the insulation is in an area called the rim-joist.  This is the area where the framing of the home extends below the main floor and connects to the top of the foundation.  That “rim” of the home is where the coldest conduction and air leaks can occur.

Just as in the ceiling, ensure you have air leaks evaluated using a blower door test and potentially infra-red scanning, to find and seal all the air leaks first.  This should be followed up by insulating this area as best as possible.

Today’s building standards along the Front Range call for R-19 minimum along the rim joist area.  Many older homes have no insulation present in the rim-joist areas and we often see lots of air leakage.

In addition to the rim-joist, it is advisable to insulate the concrete foundation walls as well.  As most of us intuitively know, basements can be cold and damp.  Much of this colder feeling in a basement comes from conduction through the concrete, even where much of the wall is below grade.

A steady earthen temperature causes a basement wall to sit much colder than internal temperatures. This cold conduction of the walls moves into the home and further pushes the heat upwards and out of the home.  So insulating the basement walls with an R-19 insulating layer helps tremendously.

We recommend that you treat a crawlspace as a mini-basement.  Insulate the rim-joist and concrete walls to the same recommended levels as the basement. Often plumbing pipes and heat ducting are present within the crawlspace and if you insulate the under-floor only, you now have isolated those items outside the thermal boundary.

By treating the crawlspace as a mini-basement, you encapsulate those items within the boundary and prevent freeze issues.  You also need to be attentive to the floor of the crawlspace. If it is dirt, this needs to be covered with a plastic sheet vapor barrier and sealed to keep moisture levels out of the crawlspace.  Another consideration covered in a separate article is to seal ducting to prevent losses in a basement or crawlspace. These techniques are known as “conditioning” your crawlspace. This makes the area part of the heated envelope of the home and makes for a much more comfortable living environment.

If your home is built over a concrete slab, this gets more challenging to insulation. The best solution that can be considered is to insulate the exterior edge of the slab with foam board insulation.

This can be difficult if the edge is buried and would involve excavating around the slab edge.  But a decent amount of cold conduction occurs on concrete slabs and much of it comes along the exposed edge at the soil.  A 2-inch layer of foam board that is roughly R-10 insulating value can go a long way toward reducing cold conduction along concrete slab edges.

Image sourced from NACHI

Walls

The third area of consideration is the level of wall insulation in the home.  This is also the most challenging area to insulate on an existing home, but because of the stack effect, and the loss or gain of heat and cold at the ceiling and floors, the walls really are the third priority.

In Colorado, the current recommended insulation level in walls is R-20 insulation value.  On new construction, this is achieved by the use of 2×6 wood framing.  Many older homes only had 2×4 framing which typically had R-11 or R-13 insulation present.  Unfortunately, if the home was built in the 1940s or 1950s, it may have R-0 in the walls, as in NO insulation.  What were we thinking?!

The first step is to find out what you have in your walls. An energy auditor can view into wall cavities by removing electrical outlets or switch covers and carefully trying to see what insulation level and type is present.  The use of infra-red scanning can also give a basic idea of what may be present.  Naturally, if any level of remodeling is done that involves removing the inside wall material, you can get a look at what is present as well.

Adding insulation into walls is limited to a couple of options.  If you are considering a remodel, and you know there is limited insulation in the walls, consider removing the interior drywall or surface material and adding insulation.  The added cost to re-do drywall is small compared to the gains in comfort and energy savings with properly insulated walls.

Another option is to have insulation blown into the walls.  An insulating contractor can inject insulation into wall cavities by drilling holes either on the interior or exterior and blowing insulation into each cavity.  This does involve drilling a lot of holes, one for each 16″ spaced wall cavity.  But the benefit is that the process is much less invasive than removing all interior wall surfaces.  This can be done whether some amount of insulation is present or none.

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Those 3 primary areas represent the best places to insulate a home.  Certainly, there are discussions that need to be had about the quality and performance of the windows, and as we discussed, the air-sealing opportunities.  But insulating in these 3 areas along with proper air sealing can have a dramatic impact on the comfort and energy savings in a home.

A complete energy audit will review insulation levels in all these areas and make recommendations for where upgrades are needed.  Other aspects of an energy audit will address the window performance, heating and cooling system performance, water heating system, and other areas of potential energy savings.

We definitely recommend you take a big picture approach to energy savings and work out a priority list of actions that come from an energy audit.  However, adding insulation where needed is likely going to represent the most cost-effective means of gaining added comfort and improving energy efficiency in a home.

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View from the Roof is a blog series written by me, George Scott, Founder, and CEO of Scott Home Inspection. The series is meant to share my thoughts and views of the home inspection and real estate industry, as well as the general challenges of running a small, growing business from my own perspective.

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In this article, we will look at the importance of the furnace filter in the health of both the furnace and the occupants of a home.  Then we will look at the impacts of a dirty filter.  Finally, we will explore the replacement of your furnace filter and items to consider.

Importance of the Furnace Filter

A furnace and forced air heating/cooling system operates by using a large blower fan to circulate air in a home.

When in heating mode, a gas heating element or heat pump unit will heat up while the fan blows air across the heating element.  The heat is transferred into the air which is then blown through a series of ducts in your home, then blown into each room at the registers in the floor, walls, or ceiling.  At the same time, return grills or registers are present that pull air from a room and back down through ducting to the base of the furnace.

All forced air systems are a recirculating system.  The main blower fan operates at a certain cubic-feet-per-minute (CFM) of airflow.  That flow is split up between rooms based on the room size, and air is then pulled back through the return registers and reheated or re-cooled.

At the base of the furnace blower fan, the return air passes through an air filter.  The job of the furnace filter is to do just that – filter the air prior to passing through the furnace.  Dust, dirt, mold spores, and anything in the air that can be caught by the filter gets trapped and retained on the surface of the filter.

The benefit of using a furnace filter is to get those bad particles out of the air you are breathing and improve indoor-air-quality, as well as to keep those particles off the furnace components.

Impacts of a Dirty Furnace Filter

The longer a filter is installed and not regularly replaced, the more collection of dust and dirt there is on the filter.  The primary impact of a dirty furnace filter is the potential reduction in airflow across the furnace and the subsequent potential imbalance in heat/cooling flow throughout the home.

The best example we can provide is if you were to wear a paper mask around all day and have to breathe through the mask.  Over time as dust and dirt naturally build up on the mask, it would get harder and harder for you to draw in a full breath of air into your lungs.  The same is true of your furnace.  The dirtier your furnace filter is, the harder it is for your furnace to “breathe” which makes it harder to heat and cool your home.

At some point, if a dirty filter is left in a furnace for a considerable amount of time, the filter will begin to collapse inward from the pressure of the blower fan.  At that point airflow will work around the edges of the filter, allowing unfiltered air to blow through the furnace.

At that point, the dust, dirt and other particles in the air stick to the interior parts of the furnace and begin to build up internally.  This can cause wear on the components like the blower fan.  If you have air-conditioning, the interior cooling coil can begin to collect dirt and dust which will restrict the coil and inhibit proper cooling.

Furnace Filter Replacement

Needless to say, regular replacement of your furnace filter is critical for both your health and the health of your equipment.  It is generally recommended that your filter be replaced every 3 months.  This is a general rule of thumb, but a few factors can go into varying this schedule.

First, is the quality of the filter you are using adequate?  Some of the inexpensive, thin, non-pleated filters with a thin cardboard frame require more frequent replacement since they can only hold so much dirt, dust, and debris, before collapsing.  Other higher quality filters can go slightly longer between replacement.

At a bare minimum, we recommend replacing your filter 2 times during the heating season and at least once during the cooling seaso

Locating your Filter

The first step in replacing your furnace filter is to locate where it is!  Most furnace filters are located in the blower cabinet of the furnace itself.  At times, the HVAC installer may have created a special access location for the filter immediately adjacent to the furnace unit, allowing for easier access and replacement.

Some homes have multiple filters that are located in wall return registers or ceiling return registers, allowing access in a more accessible location than going to the furnace itself.

If your furnace filter is located within the furnace blower compartment, this will require removing the furnace equipment’s front access panels.  Prior to removing any panels, we recommend that you first turn off the furnace at the thermostat and wait until it completes the heating or cooling cycle and the unit shuts down.

Then, for safety, there is normally always a shut-off switch near the furnace to remove power from the unit.  Turn that off prior to opening the covers for electrical safety.  At that point, you can remove the cover(s) required to access the lower blower compartment.

Once open, the filter is typically slid into the compartment on the side or underneath the furnace where the return air inlet opening is located.  The filter slides in and covers the opening.  There is usually some mechanism for holding the filter in place so pay attention to how that is done.

Size of the Filter

Once the filter is located, you need to determine the size of the filter so you can purchase replacements.  All filters are marked with a length x width size.  Some also have thickness markings also.

For example, a 14 x 25 x 1 filter would be 14″ wide, 25″ long and 1″ thickness.  Take a look around the furnace and see if the HVAC installer wrote or marked the proper size of the filter for reference.  We have come across many furnace filters that are the wrong size for the furnace during our home inspections.  So make sure the filter appears to fit into the proper location.

If you had a home inspection completed, typically the furnace filter location and size are noted within the report.

Style of Filter Selected

Now that you know your furnace filter size, it’s time to go shopping for a replacement filter.  And if you have ever gone to your local big-box hardware store, or looked online, you know the simple act of purchasing a replacement furnace filter just got really complicated.

Just like most things in life – there are LOTS of choices.  Selecting which type of furnace filter to use can be moderately overwhelming.  There are pleated and non-pleated filters and different MERV ratings on filters.  MERV stands for the Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value and is a standard for determining how well the filter traps particles.

The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is in blocking particles and keeping them out of your home and off the equipment.

Study the selection of filters and make your choice based on the level of protection you desire.  If you are uncertain, a good quality pleated, mid-priced filter is the best way to go, in our opinion.

Proper Installation

The most important part of installing a furnace filter is ensuring that you have it placed with the direction of airflow going in the right direction.  All furnace filters were designed to have air move through them in one direction.

There is usually an arrow on the filter that indicates the direction of airflow.  The blower motor pulls air through the furnace, so just think about where the filter is and which way air will pull through the filter, then install it with the arrow pointing toward the blower motor.

If there is a clip or retaining system to hold the filter in place or a slot the filter runs through, just make sure things are seated and positioned and secured properly.

Who knew there was so much to consider regarding furnace filter replacement? The smallest things can cause the biggest concerns.  But for the health of the occupants of the home and the long term health of your equipment, ensuring that you replace the filter regularly is an important part of your home maintenance plan.

At Scott Home Inspection, during our standard home inspections, looking at a furnace filter is one small part of what we do to help ensure the health of you and your equipment.

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