Energy Audit for Weatherization
Today a regional weatherization crew came to begin weatherizing our house. About four weeks ago they gave us an energy audit per our request and turned up interesting results.
- The trailer floors are cold and a lot of cold drafts come off the windows and from the kitchen and bathroom vents despite the weatherization tests indicating our house is too tight. (They used a fan in the door to test tightness, but I forgot to turn off the box fan exhausting air from under the house, so the two fans were fighting each other.
- Our wall oven is emitting high levels of carbon dioxide, and it is away from the stove top venting fan so the gases cannot be sucked out of the house.
- There are too many of us in this size home, so the carbon dioxide levels are higher per person than they should be. This was something we never considered being a large family living small.
- Eight people in 800 square feet produce too much moisture. This has contributed to excessive mold in all colors: green, black, white, and pink.
- Carbon dioxide also feeds mold, so our air quality is the largest concern.
- Our venting fans in the bathroom and kitchen are insufficient for air flow and have no closing flaps.
To do this, they are installing closeable fresh air vents, replacing the vent fans--one with moisture sensor, and replacing the wall oven and stove top with a regular all-in-one kitchen stove so it will all sit under the new kitchen fan.
These alterations mean cutting the cabinet and counter top to accommodate the new stove. As soon as I get pictures off my new camera (Did you hear that? I have a new digital camera that actually works well!) I'll post them and give you more detail. In the mean time, I have to go make sandwiches since we have no stove until tomorrow. :-)
Technorati Tags: weatherization ^ energy audit ^ carbon dioxide ^ air quality ^ mold ^ health
Labels: Construction, Do It Yourself, Health, Safety, The Mobile Home
posted by Brandy Brow @ 3:23 PM
7 Comments
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7 Comments:
Really now....I've been reading your blog for sometime now - well over a year and I don't get it.
How do you make your SIX children live in that bitty old moldy trailer??? Seriously. I could never do that to my children just because I don't want to borrow money to build them a home. If you can't build that darn home then find something to rent - something that has more space for your kids, is warm so they aren't freezing and does not have mold growing in it.
Do you realize with the pace you are going with the work on the house (which is ZERO) those kids will be grown by the time you build it. And their childhoods wasted away.
Quite frankly, I find your situation ridiculous. I'm surprised someone has not called a child welfare agency on you. Shame on you and your husband for putting your own "debt free" dreams ahead of those kids. If you wanted a debt free home you should have done it before you popped out six children and made them live in filth.
I'm amazed at how someone who knows so little about my family and life can judge so much. As stated on my response to your gossip about my family on this ScrapSmack board which is totally unrelated to scrapbooking, we are not living debt free out of desire, but out of necessity.
And living in a small home with mold does not equal filth. Like I don't clean the mold or remedy the carbon dioxide levels we just discovered. Come on! Get real.
Get all the facts before you fly groundless accusations while you sit in a home that no doubt has mold growing behind your toilet tank.
interesting... do let us know how the weatherization turns out! =)
ps. attracted anonymous flamers eh? a good dose of ignore/deletion imho wld be good
Thanks, Stev. Will update on the weatherization. I have some great pics, but will interrupt the update to address this issue in a post.
Funny how someone bearing flames torches with a mask of anonymity. But I chose to post it because people are entitled to their opinions and it wasn't a "visit my site and buy my crap" comment.
Well, it's like my daddy always says - "Every tub sits on its own bottom".
So, Jim and Brandy, follow the calling God gave YOU. HE gave you your family, your desires, your talents and abilities. If "anonymous" feels as he does, well, he doesn't have to follow your blog.
Let me encourage you to live in the light, shine His light, raise your family as God has led you -- you reap what you sow. And God is ALWAYS faithful.
Prayers and blessings abundant!!!
Jan
You are teaching your children how to survive in a rapidly deteriorating world. Like, how to deal with a deteriorating HOUSE. They will love you and thank you, and if they only inherit the house, it is not just about the house. It is about what they are learning. They will love how much money you have to leave them, too. If only it were only about money. Ha. They are learning what most folks learned, ages ago, when everyone had a cold bedroom and everyone stepped out to an unpainted outbuilding several times a day, cold or no. You are teaching them character and grit. You are doing a good thing. If you treat the mold and wrap up against the cold, it can be a great adventure and worth much more than just suffering like that for no reason, as kids do every day when their folks are on drugs, etc. More power to ya!
Brandy & Jim -
I would just like to say BRAVO to you and your family. Your children are learning invaluable life lessons.
We are a spoiled lot here in America. In many countries, 800 sq. ft. would be considered a mansion!
There are missionaries around the world enduring much worse. And the Bible reveals clearly the lives of godly men and women who endured severe persecution because they followed God's call. When we look at history, time and again those who forged new paths and brought greater good to the world were considered fools by many.
You are in good company. I so admire your perserverance, most could not endure. God bless you.
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