Making the Home Warm in Winter and Cool in Summer

CBrown (2000x1127)

Location: Charlottesville, VA
Year Built:  1900
Square Footage: 1919
Bedrooms: 3
Baths: 2
Two story home
High efficiency heat pump with 95% natural gas furnace backup and 3 ton cooling capacity in basement and newer heat pump in the attic

Projected Energy Savings: 25%

Her Story

“When I first accepted LEAP’s offer to do an inexpensive analysis of my house, all I wanted was to find a way to be warm in winter and cool in summer regardless of my energy bills. Not only is my turn-of-the-last-century house now very comfortable in every season, but there were several bonuses I wasn’t even seeking: LEAP made it super easy, targeted work that would be most effective, showed me how the investment would pay back in energy cost savings, got me rebates, and arranged for loans with great terms. When I decided to move, having the LEAP certificate in the book my realtor put together gave me a competitive edge over houses in Belmont offered at the same price. I also felt confident that the appraiser had the information he needed to take the energy efficiency and comfort into account. It feels great to have made the house work well for the future.” -Colette Brown

Basic Issues Uncovered in Home Energy Assessment

  • House was basically 5 times leakier than it needed to be.
  • Basement HVAC system was moderately efficient and duct work was in poor condition.
  • Thermal boundary not well identified in basement with lots of standby and duct losses.
  • Attic HVAC system above insulation and therefore outside of building envelope.
  • Side crawl and front porch very leaky.

Energy Improvement Measures Implemented

  • Installed 15 SEER heat pump with 95% natural gas furnace backup
  • Crawlspace and basement received new vapor barrier; walls and open floor area foamed
  • Attic conditioned with foam redefining  building envelope
  • All new duct work installed in basement and balanced
  • Most doors and windows weather striped and leakage reduce by 4,400 CFM

Contractor(s):

  • APM Energy, Airflow Systems and Anchor insulation

To see what LEAP can do for you, call 434-227-4666.