Home Performance Diagnostics

Definition: An energy audit is an inspection, survey and analysis of energy flows for energy conservation in a building, process or system to reduce the amount of energy input into the system without negatively affecting the output(s).

Put another way, an energy audit finds the energy hogs, inefficiencies, leaks and safety weaknesses in a home and offers solutions to improve that home’s performance, always starting with the least costly options first.  The process starts by understanding how and where a home uses energy:

Obviously, spending a small amount of money to improve the biggest energy users (heating and cooling, for example) offers the best-case scenario for the homeowner.  But there are a lot of different opportunities in every home to save money.  The trick is pinpointing those opportunities.  That's where the energy audit comes in.    

We offer two versions of our Home Performance Diagnostic Testing:

--The Home Report

--The Complete Energy Audit.

For The Home Report with Blower Door Test we perform for our customers, we:

--Conduct a visual inspection of a home, inside and out, looking at the drainage plane, attic ventilation. 

--Look for anything that's causing unsafe living conditions for the homeowner and their family.
--Extensively test the ‘leakiness’ of a home through blower door testing and thermal imaging, targeting the integrity of the home’s shell.
 --Using infrared thermography, inspect the envelope of the home for major sources of air infiltration and insulation voids.

--Inspect the whole home to determine if sufficient insulation is installed and make specific recommendations based on the findings.
--Inspect all lighting in the home and provide low-energy lighting recommendations.

--Check all windows and doors for leaks and inefficiencies.

--Examine water systems, to find opportunities to reduce waste or install newer money-saving fixtures or flow-heads.

--Look for leaks in ductwork, specifically around the air handler cabinet. 

The Complete Energy Audit that we perform for our customers encompasses the above and we also: 

--Extensively test the ‘leakiness’ of a home through blower door testing and thermal imaging, targeting the integrity of the home’s shell.
--Inspect and test ductwork in the home (and ductwork in attics or crawlspaces) for leakage. 

--Conduct a thorough examination of the home’s mechanical systems (combustion appliances like the stove, furnace, and hot water heater) to determine if they are operating safely and efficiently.    

--Inspect for water damage and moisture infiltration that can compromise a home’s performance and lifespan, and create an unhealthy indoor environment. 

--Dissect the utility bill to determine usage and offer strategies to lower energy bills through modified usage patterns.

--Test the relationship between inside space and unconditioned areas like garages, attics, and crawlspaces.

This video gives a good overview of the Complete Energy Audit:

 

When we are done, we analyze the data and prepare a detailed report of our findings and our recommendations, including projected savings, to the homeowner.  And we help homeowners access incentives, discounts and rebates that make any or all home performance measures even more worthy of investment.         

All of this is done while operating under the guidelines set forth by the Building Performance Institute (BPI), utilizing the house-as-a-system approach.  We’re ready to bring our BPI-certified expertise to you.  Call us today and we’ll test your home to find all the ways you can save monergy! 

The fee for your Home Report with Blower Door Test  is $159.  

The fee for your Complete Energy Audit is $399.

DIY'ers: Call us for a la carte pricing on our testing.