- Sealant
-
See Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 3: Materials: 3.3.2 Sealants
- Sealed Combustion
-
In a sealed combustion system, outside air is piped directly to the combustion chamber, and the furnace does not draw any air from inside the house for either combustion or vent gas dilution. This is desirable because it eliminates any potential for depressurization and drawing corrosive vapours inside a house, such as bleaches from a laundry zone, into the furnace combustion chamber. The majority of condensing furnaces are certified for installation that uses a “two-pipe,” sealed combustion configuration. However, some condensing furnaces can be installed by using a “one-pipe” configuration that draws combustion air from inside the home.
The main advantage of two-pipe, sealed combustion is that it isolates the combustion air system from the house. Consequently, the furnace is not affected by the operation of other appliances or exhaust fans in the home and does not cause depressurization of other appliances. The tight construction of an energy-efficient house combined with the operation of exhaust fans (such as kitchen and bathroom fans and clothes dryers) can cause spillage of flue gas and backdrafting from fuel-burning appliances. Sealed combustion units prevent this potential safety problem. Also, heating costs may be reduced slightly by decreasing the amount of heated air that is drawn from inside the house.
Most high-efficiency furnaces are designed and certified as two-pipe, sealed combustion systems, so they are well-suited to the tight construction of modern energy-efficient houses.
- Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)
-
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is a measure of the energy efficiency of an air-conditioner and heat pump. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the equipment is.
- Service Organization
-
A service organization is any organization or person who is registered with Natural Resources Canada and whose role is to implement and deliver the EnerGuide Rating System, ENERGY STAR® for New Homes and/or R-2000 Standard.
- Set-Back Thermostat / Programmable thermostat
-
Except for some hydronic systems with slow response times, you can save energy by turning down your thermostat, and the best way to do this is to install a programmable setback thermostat. A basic programmable thermostat will provide a clock timer and allow at least two setback and reset periods a day.
For example, a temperature reduction could be programmed to start before bedtime and end before you get up in the morning. The second setback can reduce the temperature when everyone is away during the day and end just before you arrive in the evening.
A drop of 1°C (2°F) over an eight-hour period can save about 2 percent on your heating energy consumption. If you are away from home for more than three or four hours, it is worthwhile to turn down the temperature. In general, it is best not to reduce the temperature lower than 17°C (63°F), as there is a risk of moisture build-up in the exterior walls. If you want to reduce your temperature further, such as when you are away for extended periods of time (a week or longer), you must keep humidity levels low.
Read more about controlling moisture in Keeping The Heat In – Chapter 2 “How Your House Works” 2.4 Control of Moisture Flow.
- Sheathing
-
Lumber, wood panels or other types of panels used to cover the exterior framework of a building.
- Sill
-
The horizontal member forming the bottom of an opening for a door or window.
- Sill plate
-
A wooden structural member anchored to the top of a foundation wall, upon which the floor joists rest.
- Soffit
-
The underside of a roof where it overhangs the exterior walls. Soffit vents are installed horizontally along the underside of the trusses where they overhang the exterior walls. These vents help ensure air movement through the attic under the roof, while keeping rodents and birds out.
See Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 5: Roofs and attics for more information.
- Solar Array
-
Photovoltaic modules are connected together into panels and arrays to meet various energy needs. The solar array is connected to an inverter that converts the Direct Current (DC) generated by the PV array into Alternating Current (AC) compatible with the electricity supplied from the grid. AC output from the inverter is connected to the home’s electrical panel or utility meter, depending on the configuration.
- Solar Domestic Hot Water System
-
You can use the sun’s energy to heat water. In Canada, solar domestic hot water (SDHW) systems are usually selected and sized to provide approximately 60 percent of the hot water requirements for an average home, depending on the local climate and hot water use.
Solar water heater systems include collectors, a circulating pump, a storage tank or tanks, and controls. They are commonly configured to preheat water with a conventional water heater for backup. Solar preheat units typically have two tanks. One tank stores solar heat and one is connected to a conventional storage water heater that can be heated by any source (electric, gas or oil).
A tankless (on-demand) water heater can also be used instead of the second tank.
- Solar photovoltaic (PV) system
-
A system that directly converts sunlight into electricity. When light energy strikes the surface of a photovoltaic device, a direct current is created.
- Solar Thermal
-
Solar thermal technologies (also known as panel panel-default solar systems) involve the conversion of solar radiation into heat and include the use of pumps or fans to panel panel-defaultly transfer the heat to storage or for distribution directly to its intended use. The key component of any panel panel-default solar system is the solar collector, which absorbs the sun’s radiant energy and transforms it into usable heat.
Various types of collectors are used in solar energy conversion, depending on the application and temperature requirements:
- Unglazed metal and plastic flat plate collectors are used for low temperature applications such as residential pool heating and ventilation air heating for commercial and industrial buildings
- Glazed flat plate and vacuum tube collectors are used for mid-range temperature applications such as domestic hot water and space heating and cooling applications
- Concentrating collectors that focus the sunlight onto a much smaller area are used for higher temperature applications such as industrial process heat, absorption cooling, and large-scale solar thermal power applications to generate steam for electricity generation
- Solid Fuel-Fired Furnace System
-
Solid fuel-fired furnaces can be stand-alone units with their own blower fans and controls or they can be installed beside an existing furnace as an add-on furnace. Various models will burn wood, coal, wood pellets, corn, cherry pits and some grains. It is very difficult to obtain manufacturers' combustion efficiency ratings for the burning of solid fuels, and even if some are advertised, they should be treated with caution. If you are purchasing a new solid fuel-fired furnace, look for equipment certified to Canadian Standards Association (CSA-B415.1) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 40 CFR Part 60). These standards are based on maximum levels of particulate emissions per hour from a wood-burning appliance and they do not provide a combustion efficiency rating. However, the reduction in particulate emissions is closely related to more efficient combustion.
Solid fuel-fired furnaces can be stand-alone units with their own blower fans and controls or they can be installed beside an existing furnace as an add-on furnace. Various models will burn wood, coal, wood pellets, corn, cherry pits and some grains.
It is very difficult to obtain manufacturers' combustion efficiency ratings for the burning of solid fuels, and even if some are advertised, they should be treated with caution.
If you are purchasing a new solid fuel-fired furnace, look for equipment certified to Canadian Standards Association (CSA-B415.1) or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA 40 CFR Part 60). These standards are based on maximum levels of particulate emissions per hour from a wood-burning appliance and they do not provide a combustion efficiency rating. However, the reduction in particulate emissions is closely related to more efficient combustion.
- Space Cooling / Air Conditioning / Cooling / Cooling system
-
The cooling of the rooms or spaces within a building. Air conditioning is a good example of where oversizing is clearly detrimental to comfort, cost of operation and equipment performance. An oversized system will lower house temperature too quickly without removing excess humidity. The result is a house that is cool and damp, which in turn can promote mould growth and musty odours. Higher indoor temperatures (e.g. 26°C/79°F) with reduced humidity levels are more comfortable and allow for more energy savings.
Air conditioners should be serviced and maintained regularly. They become inefficient when the inside coil is dirty, when the airways on the outdoor condenser unit are blocked and when the refrigerant level runs low. You can do some simple maintenance yourself. For example, clean or change the air filter, keep the outside condenser free from obstructions such as plants and leaves. In addition, a service contractor should periodically maintain your unit. Check your owner’s manual for information on maintenance.
- Space Heating
-
The heating of the rooms or spaces within a building.
- Spray Foam Insulation/Spray Foam/Spray-On/Closed- or Open-Cell Polyurethane Foam
-
Spray-foam insulation is made of plastic resin (e.g. soy-based resins or resins made from recycled plastic) and a catalyst, which is prepared and applied on the job site. Spray kits for this type of insulation are available to the consumer, but employing a certified installer who is trained in the application of the specific product will ensure the best results.
The liquid foam is sprayed directly onto the building surface or poured into enclosed cavities with a pump-driven applicator. The foam expands in place and sets in seconds.
There are two types of foam: low density and high density. When installed on interior surfaces, all plastic-based foam insulation must be covered with a fire-resistant material – typically 13-mm (1/2-in.) drywall – that is mechanically fastened to the building. All foam plastics must be protected from prolonged exposure to sunlight. Options for spray-foam insulation include closed-cell polyurethane foam and open-cell polyurethane foam.
- Stack effect
-
The vertical movement of air due to differences in indoor-outdoor air density that increases the buoyancy of the indoor air relative to that of the outdoor air. This difference occurs as a result of differences in indoor-outdoor temperature. The buoyancy forces driving stack effect increase with building height and temperature difference. In cold climates, stack effect tends to cause air to leak into the bottom of a building and out of the top.
- Standby losses
-
The energy performance of electric water heaters is rated in standby loss measured in watts. This indirect measure of efficiency indicates the loss of heat from the tank. Better insulation around the tank reduces heat loss. A lower standby loss indicates higher efficiency.
- Strapping
-
A wood batten fixed to the faces of walls and ceilings to support insulation, siding, drywall, lath and plaster and other finishes.
Read more about strapping and insulation in Keeping The Heat In "Insulating Walls": 7.2 Renovating The Interior
- Stud
-
One of a series of regularly spaced wood structural members (usually 50 mm (2 in.) nominal thickness) used for walls and partitions.
- Supplemental Heating System
-
Heating provided to an area in excess of the minimum required heating for that area, usually under separate thermostatic control and designed to offset occupant discomfort or to act as a backup to the primary heating system.
