alabama homeowner guide 6-23

8/6/2019 Alabama Homeowner Guide 6-23

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Homeownersfor GuideAlabama Energy Code

re you interested in learning about Alabama’s new energy efciency code for homes and hoou can identify ways to make your home more energy-efcient? Use this checklist to assesour home’s energy performance and identify ways to improve the efciency of your home.

his checklist does not cover every aspect of Alabama’s energy code, but it addresses theequirements that are easiest to identify in a home after construction is complete. Energy-fcient homes are more comfortable, cost less to operate, and reduce air pollution.

Lighting has an enormous impact - approximately 12 percent - on the energy use in your home. The energy code requires that builders use high eciency light bulbs (such as compactuorescents, high-eciency halogens, LEDS, etc.) in at least 50 percent o the permanentlighting xtures in new homes. Take advantage o the easy energy savings that come rominstalling compact uorescents and install them in all o your xtures and lamps.

Energy code requirements speciy a U-actor or windows and skylights. A U-actor is a rating that indicates

how much heat loss the windowallows. U-actors generally range rom 0.2 (very little heat loss) to 1.2(high heat loss). Single-paned windows are about 1.0, double-paned windows about 0.5, and high-perorma

double-paned windows are about 0.3. Skylights and windows must meet separate U-actors. The solarheat gain coecient measures how well a window blocks heat rom the sun. This is especially importantin warm regions.

Ask or documentation o the U-actor and solar heat gain coecients. I the home is new, ask thebuilder or copies o window labels or invoices to conrm that the requirements are met.

Table o Required U-actors in Alabama

Window

U-Factor

Skylight

U-Factor

Solar Heat

Gain

CoefcienBaldwin & Mobile

Counties

0.65 0.75 0.30

All Other Counties 0.50 0.65 0.30

Some manuacturers label their windows withserial numbers or other indicators, which you canuse to track down inormation on the eciencyrating. Look or them etched in the corner o the

window glass and/or paper or metal labels thatmay be attached to the window sill, header, or

tracks on the sides. Contact the customer servicedepartment o the manuacturer to conrm theproduct’s ratings.

Windows — New or Remodeled Homes

Energy-Ecient Lighting



Windows account or 18- 20 percent o energy loss in homes. There are a number o actors that shouldbe considered when evaluating older windows, as energy perormance varies signicantly based on thematerials used and the condition they are in.

Can you see daylight around the sides o the window rame or sash?

Are windows loose in their tracks; can you slip a piece o paper between the sash and rame whenthey are closed and locked?

What are the windows made o? Aluminum is typically known as a poor insulator. Fiberglass,wood, and vinyl do a better job, but much depends on the construction o the windows.

Are windows single, double, or triple-paned? Note: storm windows installed over single-panedwindows can perorm about as well as conventional double-paned windows, but do not match theperormance o high-perormance windows with low-E glass and gas lls.

The ability o double or triple panes to block heat transer depends greatly on whether they are“low-E coated”. Low-E coatings are invisible, but can be detected by specialists.

These can be a major source o air leakage in the home, sending airconditioning out through the roo in the summer. You may be able to

eel air movement under the door or around the hatch. Hatches/doors tothe attic should be weather-stripped, insulated and airtight. Theinsulation should be attached so that it isn’t damaged or become loosewhen the hatch or door is used.

Air leakage is responsible or 30 percent or more o the energy loss in homes. All joints, seams, and pen-etrations between the inside and outside o the home should be sealed. Caulk, gaskets, spray oam, orweatherstripping can be used to seal the air leaks.

Alabama Energy Code Guide

Homeownerso r

Insulated attic hatch and insulated ducts

Crawl space vent An example o proper installation (no vent) An example o improper installation

Either the oor over the crawl space should be insulated or (preerred) - i the crawl space does not havea vent - the crawl space walls should be insulated. Insulation should be attached securely without gaps.

To learn more about window technology and benets, please visit the Ecient Windows Collaborative web s

http://www.ecientwindows.org/code_overview.cm

Check the access hatches and doors in the attic

Get under the house and get to know the crawl space

Look or sources o air leakage into and out o the home

Windows — Existing Homes, not Remodeled



Check to see whether leaks have been sealed in a home by looking at where phone lines, electrical

lines, plumbing and other services enter the house. Are the holes plugged with caulk or othersealants?

Check the holes in the attic oor where pipes and ducts lead to the rooms below. Are they sealedwith oam, caulk, or other materials to prevent airow?

Open cabinets beneath the kitchen sink, kitchen island, bathroom sinks, etc., and look at pipesleading to the oor below or out through walls. Are the spaces around the pipes lled with caulk,oam, or other materials to prevent airow?

In the basement, look at exterior walls where pipes and wires lead to the outside. Are thereairspaces around the pipes/wires or have they been sealed?

Check where pipes and ducts pass up through the basement ceiling to the oor above. Are theregaps and spaces that create drats and waste energy or are they sealed tightly?

For more inormation on air leakage rom homes, please visit:http://www.pacicnorthwestinspections.com/index.php/resource-library/online-resources/914-hvac/275-stackefect

Generally speaking, replaces oten reduce the energy eciency o ahome. The energy code requires that the doors o wood-burningreplaces have gaskets to reduce air leaks.


Homeownerso r

Fireplace with door gaskets

Leaky ducts are responsible or 10-30 percent o energy loss in a home.

Ductwork should be insulated and sealed

In addition, as o July 1, 2013, the energy code requires the entireduct system to be tested in new homes i any part o the ductwork islocated in an un-insulated crawlspace, attic or garage. Leaky ducts are

a major source o energy loss which means that this requirement isextremely valuable in making homeownership afordable, month atermonth. I you have ductwork in the crawlspace, attic or garage, makesure it’s sealed and insulated. Ater July 2013, ask or a copy o thereport documenting the air tightness.

For more inormation on sealing ducts, please visit:http://www.ehow.com/how_5708485_seal-duct-work.html This duct has been sealed but not insula

All ducts and air handlers should be sealed with mastic (a special type o caulk that is easily visible).NOTE: Duct tape is not appropriate or sealing ductwork; it deteriorates too quickly.

Are the ducts in your attic insulated? I so, look at the label on theinsulation – what R-level is it? Unless the attic ceiling and walls areinsulated, current codes require that ducts running through an atticspace be insulated to a minimum o R-6.

As o July 1, 2013, the insulation requirement increases to R-8.

(continued rom previous page)

Fireplaces




Homeownerso r

Have a blower door test done. The most efective and objective way toevaluate air leakage in a home is to have a “blower door” test done. The costo a blower door test ranges rom $250.00-350.00.

NOTE: The energy code requires new homes to be tested with blower doors,unless the air sealing in the home was inspected by a qualied and indepen-

dent proessional. Having a home proessionally inspected and/or tested isan important saeguard or consumers.

For more inormation on blower door testing, please visit:http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/blower-door-basics

Image Credits: Ala. Capitol Building: Flickr Creative Commons--J. Stephen Conn; Attic hatch: www.homeconstructionimprovement.com ; Attic hatch diagram: wwwenergysavers.gov; Crawl space vent: Tim Carter, Founder o AsktheBuilder.com (C) Tim Carter All R ights Reserved; Proper installation: Owens Corning; Improperinstallation: Flickr Creative Commons-- jcestnik ; Fireplace gaskets: Robin Snyder; Ductwork: www.energycodes.gov ; Blower door test: NREL--Dennis Schroeder

Insulation Requirements that Apply inAlabama

Ceiling

R-value

Wood Frame

Wall R-value

Floor

R-valu

Baldwin & MobileCounties

30 13 13

All Other Counties 30 13 19

Properly installed insulation is critical or making a home comortable and

afordable, yet insulation is where homes are oten short-changed. The energycode provides added protection or home buyers when insulation is blown or

sprayed into walls and ceilings. Builders must provide a certicate listing the

Insulation Certifcate Requirement

Energy Certifcate (Voluntary)

Builders can attach a permanent certicate that lists materials, equipment values and ratings on or in theelectrical distribution panel. While this requirement is voluntary in Alabama, it’s a great way or builders

to show homeowners that they have met the energy code requirements. The certicate should not ob-struct the visibility o the circuit directory label, service disconnect label or other required labels. Exam-ples o completed energy certicate can be ound on Alabama Department o Economic and CommunityAfair’s web site.

type, manuacturer and R-value (a measure o the material’sperormance) o the insulation. Depending on the type,the installer must provide additional inormation, such asnumber o bags installed, coverage area and thickness o the insulation ater it settles, and sign, date and post thecerticate on the job site. Request a copy o the certicate to

conrm the insulation was installed properly.

Blower door test

For more inormation, visit the Alabama Department o Economic and Community

Afairs web site: www.adeca.alabama.gov/C0/codes

alabama homeowner guide 6-23

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