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There are three basic configurations of residential units at McLean Gardens: bi-level units on the first two floors, middle-level bounder units, and upper-level units that include loft space under the slope of the roof (see Figure 2). For our energy simulations, we selected six actual floor plans, two each of lower, middle, and upper units, with one of each type having a relatively small window area and one a large area. The idea was replacement to bracket the energy use of most units with high and low estimated energy use and energy savings.[FIGURE windows and bounder 2 OMITTED]For energy analysis, we chose Visual DOE, a commercial front-end product that executes DOE 2.1E in performing hourly replacement simulations of energy use in the building. windows Visual DOE doesn''t perform air leakage calculations, however, which we needed to get a good comparison between existing and replacement bounder options. Cleaning. The existing window system is almost replacement impossible to clean thoroughly from inside the building. As a result, many residents windows pay for professional bounder cleaning, at a cost of $100 or more, replacement once or twice a year. Tilt-in replacement windows windows, bounder and elimination of the separate storms, would allow relatively replacement easy cleaning of all surfaces windows from the interior. Thus, residents who drop professional cleaning in favor of doing it themselves, and consider it a free-time activity, might save more in cleaning costs than in energy bounder costs.Ventilation. Although the McLean Gardens buildings don''t have mechanical ventilation systems, reports of excess moisture accumulation and mold growth are uncommon. replacement The leaky windows are undoubtedly a major factor in providing windows natural ventilation rates sufficient to limit moisture accumulation during cold bounder weather. (Air conditioning limits replacement moisture accumulation windows during the summer.) Window replacement would significantly reduce overall building infiltration. Our project did not include measurement of bounder overall replacement building leakage, but we believe that overall natural windows infiltration rates would be cut by more than 50%, and that the resultant increase in interior humidity and condensation would probably cause paint failure bounder and replacement and mold growth in some units. windows This issue could be addressed directly bounder through the installation of mechanical ventilation systems. The risk of excess replacement moisture accumulation and the cost and complexity of installing a ventilation system are significant factors to be weighed in planning window replacement windows.
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