Energy & Water Conservation Blog » HVAC Supplies

Using a Smoke Puffer to Identify Air Leaks

Conservation Mart — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:11:06 +0000

In most homes, drafts and air leaks can be easily detected by placing your hand to a window or electrical outlet located on an exterior wall. Other air leaks, however, are not as easily detected. These hidden leaks are costing the average homeowner hundreds of dollars every year in heating and cooling. A smoke puffer provides a simple way to identify air leaks and drafty spots in the home that are not so easily detected.

Smoke Puffer

Also referred to as a smoke pencil, a smoke puffer uses batteries and fluid to point out where air is leaking out of a building. Installing and using this tool can be done in a few simple steps:

Lay the tool on its side and fill the tank with the smoke fluid.
Gently hold the vapor/power trigger for 6-9 seconds, allowing the vapor to warm up.
Once the LED power light glows, press the vapor/power lever more firmly.
Use the trigger on the smoke puffer to control the amount of time the vapor is dispensed; increasing the pressure applied to the trigger increases the vapor stream.
See how air is moving the smoke to discover where the most air is leaking out of the home.

In addition to ease of use, the smoke pencil is ideal for identifying air leaks for a number of reasons. It is lightweight and pocket-sized for easy storage. Also, the fluid contains harmless glycerin and water vapor, instead of toxic chemicals. As a result, it poses no threat to an individual using it, or others in the area. Discovering where air is leaking out of the home is the first step to reducing this type of energy loss as well as the amount of money it is costing every year.

Installing Roof Exhaust Vents Improves Attic Air

Conservation Mart — Tue, 24 May 2011 19:52:13 +0000

Creating a desirable environment in the attic seems like a constant battle sometimes, doesn’t it? During summer, the air in this room is often too hot, and in winter the air is noticeably too cold. The problem is often poor insulation coupled with poor ventilation. Installing roof exhaust vents helps take care of the ventilation issue throughout the attic space.

Roof Exhaust Vents

Roof exhaust vents are an important part of an efficiently working system of attic ventilation. During the hotter months of the year, excessive heat build-up in an attic with inefficient ventilation can easily become a 150 degree problem. During months of extreme cold, the problem becomes condensation. Roof exhaust vents work with proper intake to continuously provide fresh air which removes the moisture and excessive heat that is caused by the unwanted stale air.

In addition to increasing air quality in the attic, the 8-inch by 8-inch aluminum roof exhaust vents include an aluminum screen to block animals from entering the home through the attic and a rain-guard for protection against inclement weather.

An Efficient Bath Exhaust Fan Creates a More Efficient Home

Conservation Mart — Mon, 16 May 2011 15:48:47 +0000

Bath Exhaust Fan

When you think of conservation in the bathroom, water is probably the first thing that comes to mind, right? However, a considerable amount of energy is used here also. Aside from lighting and water heating, energy is used quite frequently through the bath exhaust fan, especially since it is often left running even when the bathroom is unoccupied. Installing an energy efficient bath exhaust fan reduces energy use in the bathroom while helping to maintain a healthy home.

Proper ventilation can reduce moisture build-up, condensation, and molding without raising the energy bill. The typical exhaust fan achieves this while using a considerable amount of wattage for operation and up to 100 watts for lighting (if included). An energy-efficient bath exhaust fan operates using from 7-watts to 19-watts of power, lasts 70,000 hours (about 8 years nonstop), and if included, uses a light that consumes no more than 26 watts of power.

Exhaust fans are often left running too long for fear of the problems caused by excess heat and humidity, as well as simply being left and forgotten. An energy efficient fan with a humidity sensor detects the level humidity and shuts the fan on and off once the bathroom is below the 40% humidity level. This maintains proper indoor air quality, while ensuring the fan is not left running for too long, or not long enough. In addition, an energy saving bath exhaust fan operates quietly. In a nutshell, these fans save both energy and money, increase home efficiency, and decrease the amount of noise in the home.

An Air Filter Whistle Alerts You to Change Furnace Filter

Conservation Mart — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 20:15:49 +0000

Heating and cooling is the largest residential expense for the average home, contributing to as much as 43% of the energy bill. Improving the efficiency of your heating and cooling system is one way to save energy and money from this source. Experts suggest regularly changing your air filters is one way to ensure a properly running system. You may be wondering exactly how often is “regularly.” An air filter whistle alerts you when the furnace or air conditioner filter needs to be replaced.

Air Filter Whistle

A furnace filter whistle is constructed with two pieces that are simply snapped onto the filter for installation. A clean filter allows for the free passage of air through filter material. However, over time dirt and dust builds up on the material and forces more air through the whistle. This causes the furnace filter whistle to give off a steady sound to alert you that it is time to change the filter.

The furnace filter whistle is reusable. Once you have removed the dirt-filled filter, the whistle can be installed onto the new filter. The air filter whistle helps to not only improve the overall efficiency of your heating and cooling system, it helps keep the system running for longer than it would have.

Improve Your Indoor Air Quality With Backdraft Dampers

Conservation Mart — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 01:32:00 +0000

Have you ever visited a home where the air just smelled…stale? Maybe you have a room or two in your own home where the air isn’t as fresh as you’d like.

Without optimal air flow through your home, dirty, greasy or smelly air can collect and become stagnant. Many homes are equipped with exhaust fans – like your bathroom fan or range hood to pull stale air out of the house and fresh air in.

These usually work fine when the fan is running – but problems can arise when the fan is turned off. You see, there will always be some air flow through your home even when the fans are off. For healthy indoor air the flow direction should always be in the direction the ventilation system was designed for. If there’s nothing to prevent it, air can come back the wrong way through the exhaust fan opening. This is called a backdraft, and it can cause stale air that should be flowing out to back up and collect where it’s not wanted.

Fortunately, the problem is easily solved with an unglamorous but very effective little device called a backdraft damper. It’s basically a one-way valve that keeps the air going the right way.

Backdraft dampers, such as the Fantech Backdraft Damper or the Cape Backdraft Damper by Tamarack, are usually easy to install and come in various sizes to fit your ductwork. Use them to facilitate air flow, equalize pressure between different parts of a building, and in chimney, furnace, attic and stove vents to release hot air and prevent outside air from backing up.