Every aspect of our work, from home performance assessments to advanced thermal boundary remediation and energy retrofits, utilizes principles of building science and house-as-a-system applications. Below you will find some of the most important concepts.

 

Building performance

The interdependent systems of your house perform to serve your needs- this is what makes a house your home. To assess the efficiency of your home we seek to understand how it performs. We systematically assess the efficiency using building science principles and diagnostic tools to measure air leakage, pressure, moisture content, gas leakage, and more.

Heat Transfer

* Conduction is the transfer of heat through solid objects that are in contact. A stud in a wall system, as a thermal bridge, conducts heat from the inside of the home to the outside.
* Convection is the transfer of heat by circulation of the heated parts of a liquid or a gas. Convection in homes occurs when air in the house moves around as a result of temperature gradients.
* Radiation transfers heat from a warm object to a cooler object when they are not in contact.

Moisture in Buildings

* Uncontrolled Moisture is the largest cause of poor indoor air quality and building durability issues.
* Bulk moisture- rain and groundwater through basement walls and floors. Ice dams
* Water vapor- cooking, cleaning, and respiration
* Condensate- water vapor that condenses

Airflow in Buildings

Uncontrolled air leakage (infiltration, exfiltration) is the primary cause of energy inefficiency. Air movement requires a passage between two zones that have a difference in pressures. We measure airflow in your home in CFM (cubic feet per minute) to determine how ‘leaky’ your home is and to how tight it needs to be.

Stack Effect

Stack effect occurs when a building is heated and the inside air, which is less dense than the outside air, rises up and out of any holes in the upper portions of the building envelope. The escaping air is replaced by outside air entering through holes in the lower portions of the house. Stack effect is caused by the relative buoyancy of warmer air.

Testimonials from Cozy Home Customers

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Cozy Home Performance is hands down the best energy diagnostic and insulation company in the Valley. Mark and his crew enter and exit your work stream seamlessly, on time and on budget. The key is the knowledge, experience and personal responsibility each employee brings to his work. Mark not only has design experience, he also has the creative spark that leads to innovative solutions to unique problems. With all forms of insulation under one roof, careful diagnostics and appropriate choice of material, one always get the most out of every insulation dollar from Cozy Home Performance!!
John Ferriter, in construction in the Valley for 45 years
I’m happy that the incentive was more than anticipated (As a Home Performance Contractor with Mass Save Cozy Home secured $2,760 in project incentive funds.). I enjoyed working with you and your crew. Everyone was pleasant to deal with. They were professional and courteous and when I had questions, the answers were in a non-technical response so I could understand. Each day they left the area clean.
D.N., Easthampton, MA
Someone from the utility company was here today to inspect the work resulting from their incentive. They were very positive both about the quality of the recommendation, and the quality of the work. I am pleased too. I’m almost looking forward to next winter to see the difference.
Phil, Northampton, MA
The house definitely feels different – hard to explain the feeling, maybe more solid? Anyway, we have checked out all the work areas that we could and are really impressed. We can already feel the difference in some rooms – even with the warmer weather! Thanks to all the guys who were at the house. They were all very polite and pleasant and seem to have done an awesome job!
K.C., Goshen, MA