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      • Section 1 Building Science Fundamentals >
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          • 1. Combustion Analysis
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          • 4. Understand Combustion Safety Issues
      • Section 2 Buildings and Their Systems >
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          • 1. Identify basic duct configurations and components
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          • 10. Understand Fenestration Types and Efficiencies
          • 11. Understand Issues Involved With Basements, Crawlspaces, Slabs, Attics, Attached Garages, Interstitial Cavities, and Bypasses
          • 12. Understand Issues Involved With Ventilation Equipment
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        • Section 3a Measurement & Verification of Building Performance >
          • 1. Air Leakage Test Results
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          • 3. Apply Fundamental Construction Mathematics and Unit Conversions
          • 4. Calculate Building Tightness Levels (Minimum Ventilation Requirements)
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          • 10. Combustion Appliance Zone (CAZ): depressurization, spillage, draft, Carbon Monoxide (ambient and flue)
          • 11. Carbon Monoxide (CO) evaluation: ambient
          • 12. Proper applications and use of temperature measuring devices
          • 13. Pressure pan and room to room pressure diagnostics
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      • Section 5 Analyzing Buildings Systems >
        • 1. Recognize need for air sealing measures and their impact on other building systems
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Stump the chump

9/10/2015

5 Comments

 
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An all electric, 1700 sq ft home in Phoenix,  AZ was recently built in 2008.  The average pressure pan was found to be 0.6 Pa with a static pressure of 0.4 IWC on the return and 0.2 IWC on the supply.  The summer and winter temperatures are kept at 78 degrees and 68 degrees and 2 people live in the house.  There is no pool but there is a recirculation pump on the water heater.  Windows are dual pane, low-e but they do get 4 hours of western sun exposure.  Attic insulation was found to be aligned and at R-36 on average along the attic floor. 
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What would be the cause of a $450 energy bill in July? 

Answer: Highlight this paragraph to see the answer in white text. the re-circulation pump on the water heater was set "ON" 24-7.
Looking for answers to your BPI exam classes?  Check out our 25 free BPI Practice Exam Questions or take our 100 question practice exam here.
5 Comments
ben
1/7/2016 06:40:44 am

wouldn't they have high bills every month not just a spike in July with it set on 24/7 on?

Reply
David
1/11/2016 05:53:56 am

Yes, they would have high bills the entire year with the re-circulation pump @ben, it was $220 in the winter.

Reply
Brad
2/15/2016 11:01:30 am

Were the electric bills examined over a three year period or just one year?

Reply
David
2/15/2016 02:40:23 pm

@Brad good question, we looked at only one year but the homeowner did not mention they had a recent spike in their energy bills so they may have always been high.

Reply
larry cole
3/19/2016 10:31:19 am

It sounds like the water heater is cycling to much due to the circulating pump running all the time or the water heater thermostat has failed.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    David Byrnes

    Owns and operates Green ID, a residential home energy auditing and contracting company in Phoenix, AZ. He is a BPI Proctor and has trained over 40 energy auditors.

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