Case Study 2
To download the full report in PDF please click here.
On Saturday 27th February a partial energy audit was conducted on Cherry Trees, Tamerton, Plymouth using a thermal Imaging Camera.
The background for this survey is that the owners are still receiving larger than expected electricity bills, having had a new electrical heating system installed.
The survey commenced at 1800, the weather conditions were ideal for the survey with dry weather and a clear sky with very little cloud cover and no wind.
The survey quickly showed that there is a problem at the property with Air Infiltration (AI); this was particularly evident at skirting board level, even with the still air conditions externally.
The AI problem would have been amplified had there had been an increased wind speed, or if a “Blower Door” had been used to induce a negative pressure into the property.
The Thermographs on the accompanying inspection report clearly show the AI.
As well as AI at skirting board level, infiltration is also evident at areas such as the ceiling coving, around electrical sockets, existing (deteriorating) sealed joints, kitchen & bathroom units, around recently replaced double glazed units and draughts under doorways.
There are also signs of thermal bridging; this is particularly evident at the window lintel area of the north facing wall of the living room. This problem is also evident in other locations within the property. This is clearly shown on the inspection report.
Although dwellings are designed to have a certain amount of “air changes” per hour dependant on room use, excessive Air Infiltration will cause conditioning systems to become less effective or overworked, this can then lead to higher energy usage/costs.
Air Infiltration is where external air is drawn into a property through un-designed ventilation paths, these are usually found in the areas mentioned above and are generally easy to remedy.
The repairs are normally well within the scope of a householder to carry out, usually using an appropriate sealant or filler.
These simple repairs are cheap to carry out and will have a short payback time, with almost instantly noticeable results.
The thermal bridging problems should be referred to an expert in this field, as this will probably require specialist advice; this will generally be more costly and may involve the installation of insulation and cause some disruption to the building fabric and decorative order within the property.