WHILE YOU’RE THINKING about insulation and ventilation, you should also pay attention to a few other details that relate to energy conservation. Taken together, these small improvements can make a big difference in how well your house works.
a Locate the water heater near the kitchen and bathroom. This avoids long runs of pipe that increase plumbing costs and dissipate heat between the water heater and the faucets or showerheads.
a In cold climates, keep water-supply lines out of exterior walls.
a. Use an insulated wrap for the water heater. Some water heaters come with built-in insulation. If yours doesn’t, buy a water heater insulation kit to reduce heat loss and conserve energy.
a Insulate all hot-water lines, and insulate cold-water lines in a crawl space. Both foam and fiberglass wrap pipe-insulation kits are available at building-supply outlets and home centers.
a. Install low-flow showerheads. A showerhead with a built-in shutoff valve provides even more savings, allowing you to shut off the water while soaping up.
a Consider using a small solar panel to preheat your water. The sun’s energy is free. With a solar panel, you can reduce the energy used by your hot-water heater.
Habitat for Humanity has developed many guides to help homebuilders and homeowners save energy and money. They are available online and from HFH International (see Resources on p. 278). Take advantage of these resources and increase your understanding of how to build durable, energy-efficient houses with good indoor-air quality.
time that people are generally home (it doesn’t make much sense to exchange air when no one’s home). The fan we have in our home is centrally located in a hallway, but check with your HVAC contractor to locate yours. Beware of bargain-priced fans. Those models are almost always noisier than other vent fans. An experienced HVAC contractor can advise you on which models run quietly and reliably.
Whenever fans are blowing indoor air outside the house, fresh air must come in to replace it. This ensures a healthy supply of fresh air and prevents negative air pressure from drawing exhaust gasses from the fireplace or furnace flues, which is a serious safety hazard. The simplest way to provide replacement air when exhaust fans are running is to open a window or two. It’s not necessary for
the window to be fully open; just a crack will usually do. If it’s cold outside, open a window in a utility room, unused bedroom, or somewhere away from the main living area.
If you’re building a house where the winters are long and very cold (in Maine or Minnesota, for example), it may be necessary to have an HVAC contractor install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) to bring replacement air into the house at a more comfortable temperature. Those devices typically work by blowing warm indoor air outdoors while pulling an equal volume of outside air indoors. Since only a thin membrane separates the passing airstreams, some of the interior’s warmth is transferred to the fresh incoming air.
