Heat Loss Detection

The days of drafty buildings may be numbered, but there are a lot of drafts even in new construction that are not readily apparent. Some of the places we notice drafts are around windows, doors, electrical outlets and switch plates. Many times there are other holes in buildings that escape our attention because they aren't directly affecting our comfort. These holes include plumbing and electrical chases to the attic and gaps between the sill plate and foundation. In fact, there are so many potential avenues for air infiltration that we won't bother to list them. The important thing to remember is that when you have holes in your building, you are not reaping the full benefit of your heating / cooling system, and are actually wasting energy(money).

In addition to overworking the HVAC equipment, with any air loss, be it infiltration or exfiltration, there are the attendant worries of moisture being carried with that air, potentially compromising the structural integrity of the building and lowering the quality of air indoors.

Another area of concern is that of leaky ductwork from your furnace. The EPA estimates that most ducts are so leaky that more than 35% of the conditioned air is lost before it arrives at the target room the duct is trying to reach. This means that more than 20% of the energy used to condition the air is wasted.

Ashton Thermal tests for these problems in buildings with a blower door and an infrared camera. The camera is used to scan for leaks in the attic, walls, basement and ducts. Infrared cannot see air, but it sees its thermal signature on the area around the leak. We also use smoke generating products for finding leaks. Once we have determined where the leaks are, we can plan how to fix them.

If you feel that your building is less efficient and comfortable than you'd like, give us a call.