Problem Solving at its Finest
Written by Dan McBrien, Energy Advisor
Energize Delaware and Franklin Energy would like to recognize Comfort & Energy Solutions for the quality of work performed at a Newark residence this past March. Shane Fair, owner of Comfort & Energy Solutions, got his start within the Home Performance field back in 2012. Shane branched off on his own with the formation of Comfort & Energy Solutions in 2019. He has been a strong contributor within our Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program for many years. Shane’s attention to detail and knack for problem solving are exemplified within this Home Performance project he recently completed in Newark and shows us how far a little extra effort can go when faced with a house full of opportunities.
At the time of Shane’s initial walk through, he was able to identify underperforming parts on all levels of the home. The attic floor was insulated using R-13 fiberglass batt, leaving the attic floor joists exposed and an ineffective thermal boundary between the attic space and the conditioned home. A construction gap between one of the home’s concrete block walls and the drywall had created a chaseway from attic to basement, drawing unwanted outside air into the wall cavities and inside the home. Shane’s thermal imaging confirmed free moving airflow through the home’s wall cavities resulting in significant baseboard trim leakage. Unsealed top plates, framing joints, electrical and duct penetrations were all providing pathways for conditioned heat loss in the wintertime and the infiltration of warm outside air and humidity in the summer months. The home’s need for a whole-house air sealing approach was confirmed with a blower door reading well above Shane’s target range for the 1,300 square foot residence.
Shane created a work scope for this Newark customer that would ultimately provide solutions to all the problem areas noted at the time of his initial home assessment. Shane used diagnostic zonal testing to measure how significant the connection was between the home’s living space and the unconditioned attic, basement, and crawl spaces. Using blower-door guided air sealing techniques, Shane was able to effectively stop the excessive airflow through the home’s wall cavities by addressing points of entry (and exit) throughout the attic and basement. His work scope addressed sources of leakage coming from the dropped soffit of a 2nd floor bathroom and a poorly installed bath fan that he then properly vented to the outside with insulated duct and a damper. A new blower door reading verified a total air leakage reduction of over 40%! The attic hatch was addressed with 6” of rigid foam and weather stripping was applied for a proper seal. Ventilation baffles were installed at the attic eaves before loose blown fiberglass was used to bring insulation levels up to an R-55, meeting today’s code in Delaware.
Shane’s work scope also addressed the performance of the aging forced-air furnace located in the basement, paying close attention to the equipment’s distribution system. Leaky panned returns were drawing unconditioned basement air through the system and creating a pressure imbalance within the home. Replacing a missing vertical return pan and thoroughly sealing all accessible ductwork with mastic improved pressure to the 2nd floor and restored balance within the home. Comfort & Energy Solutions partnered with Aire Serv Heating and AC, another HPwES trade ally, to have the existing furnace upgraded to a high-efficiency 96+ AFUE system. Aire Serv’s team spent additional time on site resolving a downward pitch to the flue pipe of the water heater, noted as an inspection failure during Shane’s initial assessment of the home.
All said and done, the work performed at this home qualified for over $2,900 in HPwES incentives! Kudos to Comfort & Energy Solutions for the impressive work they put forward here!
