So Cal HERS Raters

HVAC Videos
Heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system efficiency is important for many reasons. Residential HVAC accounts for nearly 20% of peak electrical use in California. Inefficient HVAC units cause power plants to discharge tons of unnecessary carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere each year. Current high efficiency furnaces and air conditioners use up to 50% less energy than those manufactured and installed 20 years ago. Plus, inefficient duct systems leak conditioned air into unconditioned spaces, resulting in higher-than-necessary heating and cooling bills for the homeowner. This section covers system design, ductwork, zoning, air conditioning charge and installation guidelines.

HVAC: Overview of Duct Problems - Airflow & Leakage

(Watch Video) Airflow & Leakage Problems in Ducting
Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater Scott Johnson discusses some of the problem areas in duct installation. In this video, he also performs a smoke test to detect leakage.

HVAC: Duct Sealing with Duct Tape

(Watch Video) Duct Sealing wiht Duct Tape
Scott Remillong of Tyco Adhesives demonstrates techniques for sealing HVAC system ductwork using approved duct tape.

HVAC: Proper Sizing AC & Ducts

(Watch Video) Proper Sizing AC & Ducts
John Proctor, with Proctor Engineering, gives an overview of the steps needed to ensure proper A/C unit and duct sizing.

HVAC: Proper Installation of AC Units & Airflow

(Watch Video) Proper Installation of AC Units & Airflow
Approximately 50% of the money spent on A/C systems is due to inefficiencies in the installation process. John Proctor, engineer and HVAC consultant, outlines proper A/C installation procedures while highlighting steps needed to achieve optimum airflow.

HVAC: HVAC for Zoning & Energy Savings

(Watch Video) HVAC for Zoning & Energy Savings
Joe Coker, HERS Rater with Breeze Air Conditioning, explains the importance of HVAC zoning in homes.

HVAC: Building Pressure

(Watch Video) Building Perssure
John Proctor, with Proctor Engineering, gives an overview of the steps needed to ensure proper A/C unit and duct sizing.

HVAC: Bad Ducts

(Watch Video) HVAC Bad Ducts
Energy expert Steve Easley talks about leaky ductwork. Air leaks in ductwork result in a 20 to 30% reduction in a home's energy efficiency. The Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards require that all ductwork be sealed when the heating or cooling system is replaced in a home. Sealed ducts improve energy efficiency as well as indoor air quality. Site inspectors should check for disconnected, poorly connected or poorly insulated ducts, as well as kinked or crushed ducts, ducts with acute angles that restrict air flow, and improperly supported ductwork.

HVAC: Changeout

(Watch Video) HVAC Changeout
As energy expert Steve Easley and Mazi Shirakh from the California Energy Commission explain, there are several significant changes in the 2008 Standards concerning HVAC changeouts. The 2008 Building Energy Standards have eliminated the TXV option. Now, refrigerant charge must be verified by a HERS rater, or provisions must be made for sensors or access holes to check the charge. This video also covers new requirements for air flow and fan watt draw in new space conditioning systems. These new requirements impact system replacement and new system installation in existing homes.

Insulation Videos
One of the most cost effective measures that can be taken to improve a home’s energy efficiency is to install insulation in the home’s envelope. Residential structures must meet specific requirements governing insulation placement, amount and installation. Title 24 contains requirements to ensure that the walls, floors, and ceilings of homes are properly insulated to provide at least minimal performance. Builders must meet an energy budget for each home In order to obtain a building permit for a new residential structure in California.

Cellulose Insulation

Cellulose insulation can be blown into attics and sprayed into the wall cavities of a home to improve thermal efficiency and serve as a sound barrier. As a result, cellulose reduces air leakage, since it plugs difficult-to-reach spaces, eliminating gaps and voids. Since it is made primarily of recycled newsprint, cellulose insulation is an environmentally-friendly insulation option. The fibers are impregnated with fire retardant chemicals to provide fire resistance. Spray-applied and loose-fill cellulose can have an R-value of 3.7 per inch.

Insulation (Cellulose) : Overview

(Watch Video) Overview of Cellulose Insulation
This video provides an overview of the unique benefits of cellulose insulation, demonstrating proper material application.

Insulation (Cellulose) : Insulating Walls

(Watch Video) Cellulose Insulation in Walls
Energy expert Steve Easley and Rick Chitwood cover the steps necessary when installing cellulose in walls to ensure the best possible R-values.

Insulation (Cellulose) : Insulating Ceilings

(Watch Video) Cellulose Insulation in Ceilings
Steve Easley, energy expert, and Rick Chitwood discuss the methods and equipment used to blow cellulose insulation into attics.

Fiberglass Insulation

Builders must meet an energy budget in order to obtain a building permit for a new residential structure in California. When properly installed, fiberglass insulation improves energy efficiency and allows a builder to cost-effectively meet the required energy budget. Fiberglass insulation is most commonly installed in walls and attics, as well as raised floors and floors over garages, crawl spaces and basements. Loose-fill insulation may also be used.

Typical residential insulation installations have flaws that degrade thermal performance. Since these problems are widespread, the Energy Commission assumes in its approved computer programs, prescriptive standards, and life-cycle cost analyses that insulation does not perform as effectively as standard U-factor calculations would indicate. Since the standard calculations are based on good quality installation, wall heat loss and heat gain are assumed to be higher than a quality installation due to common installation and construction flaws. Therefore, High Quality Insulation Installation requires HERS field verification.

Insulation (Fiberglass) : Walls

(Watch Video) Fiberglass Insulation in Walls
Steve Easley, energy expert, and Rick Chitwood discuss the methods and equipment used to blow cellulose insulation into attics.

Insulation (Fiberglass) : Insulating Attics

(Watch Video) Fiberglass Insulation in Attics
A home’s overall performance in terms of energy efficiency is determined, to some extent, by they quality of installation of attic insulation. In this video, energy expert Steve Easley and insulation expert Joe Arrigo review the proper procedures.

Insulation (Fiberglass) : Materials & Safety

(Watch Video) Fiberglass Insulation Materials & Safety
There are a number of key materials and safety considerations for quality installation of insulation. This video covers tips for installation safety and materials selection.

Spray Foam Insulation

Spray foam insulation provides builders and homeowners with a cost effective way to seal and insulate the building envelope. Spray foam is a relatively new type of insulation and air sealing product that can be used with wood and metal framing, ceilings, floors, underside of roofs/attics, crawl spaces, basements and foundations. Builders use blow-in spray applied foam insulation to fill and seal wall cavities, thereby accomplishing both the insulation and sealing requirements in one operation, with the added advantage of controlling sound.

Insulation (Spray Faom) : Residential Features & Benefits

(Watch Video) Spray Foam Insulation Residential Features & Benefits
Closed cell spray foam offers many features and benefits for high-quality, energy efficient insulation and air sealing applications. Mark Josephs of Honeywell, the makers of a spray foam blowing agent that also serves as the insulating gas, explains the features and benefits of spray foam.

Insulation (Spray Foam) : Installation & Compliance

(Watch Video) Spray FoamInsulation Installation & Compliance
Mason Knowles of the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance provides an in-depth explanation of the proper installation of polyurethane spray foam. This type of insulation lends itself well to those hard-to-reach, hard-to-insulate spaces including crawl spaces, basements and attics. This video also reviews compliance considerations in creating non-vented attic spaces.

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