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Building Envelope The building envelope is the "skin" of your house. It protects you from the elements outside and contains the space known as your home. It is responsible for the energy flows in your home, keeping "conditioned" (hot or cold) air inside for comfort, provides openings for light and to enter and exit. While it is not a direct user of energy, it is directly responsible for how much energy you do use. Infrared pictures show where heat energy is leaking from the house. The blue colors are the coolest areas while the white and the red are the "hottest" areas. The windows and door have the highest temperatures indicating the greatest heat loss. The ceiling is insulated as indicated by the blue roof, while the walls show varying amounts of heat loss. Insulationinstalling adequate insulation is one of the best energy conservation measures around. It keeps heat in during the cooler months and keeps heat out during the warm months. Ceiling Insulationone of the most important areas to be insulated is your ceiling/attic. Attic temperatures often go above 150 degrees F in the summer and that heat will warn up the inside of your house unless it is controlled by insulation. In the winter, heat will escape your if not properly insulation. In the San Diego area, a minimum an insulation level of R-19 is recommended. Adding more insulation is not always beneficial, unless you have and use air conditioning, adding additional insulation over R-19, to reach R-38 may not be cost-effective; however, when remodeling and attic areas are easily accessible, adding additional insulation is recommended. "R-value" is a materials ability to "resist" heat flow. The larger the number the more resistant it is to the flow of heat. Wall and Floor Insulationunless you are building new walls or removing and replacing the siding, it is not cost effective in the San Diego to retrofit walls with insulation. Shell Sealingcracks and holes in the "skin" or "shell" of your house will cause conditioned air to leak out and/or unwanted air to "leak" in (infiltration). In either case, a house that is not airtight wastes energy and makes occupants uncomfortable. Having a "tight" shell is an important energy conservation feature. The best way to determine how "airtight" your home's skin is by testing it with a "blower door". The "blower door" process blows air into your house and the pressure reading tells you how leaky the house is. A trained technician using "smoke" can find where the air is leaking from or to and can take steps to seal off those areas. Areas to check
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