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We may never be able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound, or stop a speeding locomotive, but at Neil Kelly Home Performance—we do have x-ray vision. Well, sort of.

For the largest home energy contractor in the Northwest Neil Kellys’ “x-ray vision” consists of a thermal
imaging camera.  And for our energy-saving experts, it’s a valuable addition to the tool bag.

Neil Kelly Home Performance, the largest home energy contractor in
the Northwest with offices in Portland and Seattle, uses Flir thermal imaging cameras to detect places where unwanted air sneaks into your home. Pioneers in the commercial infrared camera industry, Flir is a Portland-based company that’s been supplying thermal imaging equipment for decades. Here’s a link to Flir’s latest cool commercial about thermal imaging cameras: http://www.flir.com/thermography/americas/us/view/?id=59679

A thermal imaging camera is a pretty cool tool, but by itself it only tells half the story.  The use of a “Blower Door Test” in conjunction with the Flir camera helps to pinpoint the sources of air infiltration. Before we get to that, we need to talk about how your home performs.

YOUR HOME ENVELOPE

Look at your home as an envelope that is supposed to keep  cool air out in the winter and hot air in the summer.  There are two ways that envelope can spring a  leak:  One is through air moving unrestricted through “holes” in the envelope.  The other is by thermal conductivity through the building surfaces.

That sounds really complicated, but it’s really pretty simple.  Think about the difference in temperature in the winter between outside and the inside of your home.  Put your hand on the window then place it on a wall.  Notice a difference?  Well, that’s because the window conducts temperature faster than the wall.  That’s mostly because our walls have better insulating qualities than do our windows.

“WE’LL HUFF AND WE’LL PUFF…”

Thermal imaging cameras show the temperature differences in our building envelope, and that contrast is even more evident when the Blower Door test is performed.

It’s pretty simple, too.  A large fan is installed in a door-mounted frame, and once it’s turned on it starts to create a pressure difference between the inside and outside of a house. “We use it to detect drafts that are happening behind the sheetrock, though recessed lights, around windows, and even to detect if there is missing insulation in the walls,” says Neil Kelly Home Performance manager Chad Ruhoff. “And when air leaks really start to show up, that gives our Home Performance crews a distinct idea of what
parts of that “envelope” need help. Surfaces that are un-insulated or have air “gaps” waste a lot of energy that we pay to keep our homes comfortable.

GET THE BALL ROLLING

The first step to take in finding the leaks in your homes’ envelope is to schedule a Home
Performance energy audit.  The audit is free, and you can also learn about money saving rebates for which you may qualify.  We’ll bring our x-ray vision and see what’s behind your walls.

“I’m really little…that’s why they hired me.”

Spend a few minutes talking to Weatherization Specialist Nadia Looney and you’ll know the reason Neil Kelly hired her isn’t just her ability to fit into tight spaces.  “I’m a former gymnast, so they know that I can maneuver anywhere I need to go,” says Nadia.  That may be true, but Nadia’s value to the Neil Kelly Home Performance teams stems directly from her attitude. Read more

It is a colorless, odorless gas that is second only to cigarette smoking in lung cancer deaths nationwide.  And thanks to blend of topography and geography radon is even more prevalent in the Northwest and –specifically—Portland.

New estimates of radon risks highlight the importance for homeowners to test for the presence of radon.  In fact, a new report released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that one in every four houses in the Portland area accumulates radon above what the federal government considers safe.  Radon seeps from the ground up into our homes, and prolonged exposure causes cancer. It is blamed for more deaths annually that those killed by drunk drivers.

Radon is a quite, invisible visitor—a “leftover” of sorts from the Missoula Flood, when granite-infused sediment high in uranium washed into the region from retreating glaciers. Radon levels are particularly high in Northeast Portland’s Alameda Ridge—an entire deposit of ice age run-off.

The good news is that testing for radon is relatively cheap and easy, but if you’re anxious for an accurate answer faster, the Neil Kelly team can provide that assurance earlier. Read more

Ever wonder where your electricity comes from?  Many utilities have only one or two sources for their power, but PGE utilizes up to 9 different sources.  The citizens of Portland have encouraged and supported PGE in the efforts to bring more renewable energy to Portland.  That said, we still have a long way to go.  We still get over 50% of our power from fossil fuels! And 25% from coal.

Did you know that your house produces 2 to 3 times more greenhouse gasses as a car?  On average, our homes are the largest producers of greenhouse gasses in our daily lives.  Want to make a change?  Want to help reduce your carbon foot print?  Conservation is the key.  How do you reduce your usage?  Riding your bike and taking the bus are great starts, but we are not addressing your largest user, the house.

Cost effective choices like air sealing and insulation is where you should start.  Then changing your heating source to an efficient model.  Then water heating, and windows are usually last.

Looking for incentives and financing to complete these projects, check out Clean Energy Works Oregon.

Here are a few things our clients are saying about Neil Kelly and the difference we are making in their homes:

“Hey..we are getting huge savings on our gas bill.  Anyway, thought you would want to know.  Average Therms a day went from 6.4 (Jan 2011) to ~3.0 (Jan 2012)” Chris M. Portland Or

“We LOVE the warmth!!! Huge difference. It’s like a blanket has been put around the house!”  Kyle K.  Portland Or

Posted on Angies List “Bottom line – they did great work, they managed the project very well, and the cost was the same as another quote I got.

I first worked with a different reputable company to figure out what weatherization should be done.  We had a unique situation and I was just not comfortable with the advice of the company.   (I also was doing a lot of research online to educate myself).  I called Neil Kelly because we had them do a Home Performance audit about 5 years ago (without doing any work) and I wanted to ask about some of those results.  They couldn’t find the report, so offered to update the testing for free.  I took them up on it.  The person responsible for making the recommendations has had extensive experience in construction – not just training in weatherization. This really helped with our unique situation, and he listened to what we were trying to accomplish.  His advice on what should be done made so much sense to me that we decided to have them do the work. Also, their price was about the same as the other company.  I had expected it to be more, since my impression of the Neil Kelly reputation is great work but really expensive.

We asked several questions about whether we could do part of the work ourselves to save some money.  They were very generous with this discussion. We did do some of the work ourselves, and were glad about what we decided to do, and what we decided not to do.

The project manager visited our house to review the work and be familiar with our home. The sub contractors and Neil Kelly folks showed up to do the work when expected.  Some unexpected things happened, as I suspect they always do in construction work, but I didn’ t mind because the project manager always kept me informed, and worked with my schedule.

Here is what impressed me the most:  the project manager always came to inspect the work.  If there was something that she thought should be better, she had the workers come back and make the improvements.  She found things that I would never have noticed. ( I think this was especially important for the subcontractors work).   She came at the start of the project, during the project, and at the end.  If weatherization/door/window work is done wrong, there can be damaging consequences on a house. This is why I will always want Neil Kelly to do any work that we need – I am very confident that they will make sure the work is done right.” Janet B. Tigard OR

Tags: Insulation, windows, air sealing, comfort, energy savings, energy efficiency, Portland, Bend, Redmond, Eugene, Seattle

For a limited time, Clean Energy Works Oregon is increasing the incentive by $500.00!  Sign up from March 1 to April 30, 2012 and receive an extra $500.00.  See details here, and remember to use the rebate code CNNLK.

Today, Clean Energy Works Oregon announced that 150 (lucky!) Central Oregon area homeowners can boost their home’s energy efficiency. Without having to pay any upfront costs.  

Here’s the Deal – Enter the Instant Rebate Code “CNNLK001” when filling out the application at www.cleanenergyworksoregon.org and you will be eligible for this special offer.

In Neil Kelly’s 65 years in the construction industry, we’ve never seen such an amazing homeowner incentive program. If you’re want to be comfortable and thinking about replacing drafty windows, your furnace is on its last legs, or you’re just tired of opening your skyrocketing heating bill, now’s the time to take action.

How does it work?  In a nutshell, fill out a quick online application and include the Instant Rebate Code “CNNLK001” to see if your home qualifies. Then, get your home evaluated for free, decide which energy efficiency improvements to make, and the work begins.

No money out of pocket:  Through the Clean Energy Works Oregon program, you will receive an instant rebate which saves you up to $3,700.  The remaining costs are financed through low monthly payments. And improved energy efficiency partially or fully offsets these costs, making a more comfortable home a more affordable reality.

Act fast. Only 150 spots are available for Central Oregon area homeowners and the instant rebates will never be better than right now.  Apply at www.cewo.org and don’t forget to enter the Instant Rebate Code “CNNLK001.”

Forward this to family, friends and colleagues to let them in on this great deal!  This is quite possibly the best offer you will ever see to upgrade the efficiency of your home.

BENEFITS OF AIR SEALING

IMPROVED CONFORT.  Drafts felt during the winter are often the result of unsealed cracks and holes.  Sealing homes tightly typically results in fewer drafts and less noise.

LOWER UTILITY BILLS.  Air leakage and improperly installed insulation can waste 20 percent or more of the energy usage to heat or cool a home.  With effective air sealing and insulation, heating and cooling systems will not need to work as hard.

IMPROVE INDOOR AIR QUALITY.  A tighter home reduces the amount of humidity, dust, pollen, and pests that can enter the home and helps improve indoor air quality.

INCREASED DURABILITY.  When warm air leaks through a home’s floors, walls, and attic, it can come in contact with cooler surfaces where condensation can occur.  Moisture that occurs in these construction assemblies encourages mold growth, ruins insulation, and even compromises that structural elements of the home.  Reducing air leakage helps to minimize moisture problems and increase home’s durability.

Neil Kelly Home Performance is a member of the Home Performance Contractors Guild of Oregon.  The HPC Guild is helping improve the quality of work, awareness, and help create jobs in this industry.  We support the efforts of the Guild and commend the members of the board and other supporting members.  We also appreciate the efforts of Imagine Energy, Green Hammer, Green Savers, Green Home by Eco Tech, Home Visions West and Home Energy Life Performance for their work on the Board of Directors.  Thank you to Clean Energy Works Oregon, Gensco, Energy Trust of Oregon, Service Partners, General Pacific, Clackamas County and Umpqua Bank for sponsoring the Guild.

For more information on the Guild, follow this link.

Neil Kelly is proud to sponsor this years Solarize NE Portland project.  Mr. Sun Solar is this years solar contractor.