Home Energy Audit

1)  Depressurize the entire home to -50 Pascals using a "Blower Door".  Once depressurized the home will 'suck' air from the outside at all available openings in the envelope.  At this point I inspect the entire conditioned area of the home and mark each leakage point. Then I propose specific remedies on a consulting basis. Locating leakage  points aids in increasing comfort between floors or in single rooms due to the "stack effect".

Since buildings are not totally sealed (at the very minimum, there is always a ground level entrance), the stack effect will cause air infiltration. During the heating season, the warmer indoor air rises up through the building and escapes at the top either through open windows, ventilation openings, or leakage. The rising warm air reduces the pressure in the base of the building, forcing cold air to infiltrate through either open doors, windows, or other openings and leakage. During the cooling season, the stack effect is reversed, but is typically weaker due to lower temperature differences.  For example, your upstairs bedrooms feel comfortable but you feel cold in the room adjacent to the stairwell to the second floor.  This may be caused by cold air leaking into your first floor which pushes warm air up to the second floor and out through leakage points.

2)  An option for homes with ducts running through unconditioned space such as an unconditioned attic or crawl space, or garage, is a Duct Tightness test using a "Duct Blaster".  This test will indicate the amount of leakage in the duct system which may be sucking contaminated air into conditioned space and or blowing conditioned air into unconditioned space.

3)  We also use some other really cool tools in diagnosing energy and comfort issues such as the Thermal Imager and a Thermo Anemometer with InfraRed Thermometer.

4)  Whole house analysis looks at the home as a system and takes into account how each component interacts, draft mitigation, consistent temperature, humidity control and, most importantly, lower utility bills.  We then review with the homeowner the dynamics of our findings and their importance,  recommendations  for remedying issues uncovered during the audit and offer assistance with repairs. You will never be pressured to buy anything.  We are an excellent source for modification work  and requisite materials, but you are free to choose who and what you will use.

Home Energy Rating

A home energy rating consists of identifying and quantifying the entire structure including:

Foundation walls, slab floor, framed floors, rim joist, above grade walls, windows and glass doors, ceilings, skylights, mechanical equipment, duct systems, air infiltration, duct leakage, lights and appliances, interior mass, active solar, photovoltaics, geothermal and sunspaces.    Walls, windows, doors and exterior walls are classified by exposure.  Shading and wind block is classified.  

The  gathered data  is entered into a EPA approved, RESNET accredited energy modeling program.  The modeling program not only can simulate alternate building scenarios and/or energy efficiency upgrades,  including estimates of the cost, payback period and present values, but also measures compliance for Energy Star for Homes, the New Home Federal Tax Credit, NAHB Green Home designation and LEED for Homes  designation and determines a HERS index score. 

The HERS Index is a scoring system established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) in which a home built to the specifications of the HERS Reference Home (based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code) scores a HERS Index of 100, while a net zero energy home scores a HERS Index of 0. The lower a home’s HERS Index, the more energy efficient it is in comparison to the HERS Reference Home.

Each 1-point decrease in the HERS Index corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption compared to the HERS Reference Home. Thus a home with a HERS Index of 85 is 15% more energy efficient than the HERS Reference Home and a home with a HERS Index of 80 is 20% more energy efficient.

$2,000 New Home Federal Tax Credit 

Home builders are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit for a new energy efficient home that achieves 50% energy savings for heating and cooling over the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and supplements. At least 1/5 of the energy savings must come from building envelope improvements. This credit also applies to contractors of manufactured homes conforming to Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. 

An eligible certifier needs to sign the following statement on every home they are verifying for the tax credit:

“Under penalties of perjury, I declare that I have examined this certification, including accompanying documents, and to the best of my knowledge and belief, the facts presented in support of this certification are true, correct, and complete.”

To qualify for the credit, homes must be acquired from the eligible contractor after December 31, 2005, and before January 1, 2010.

Energy Star New Home Certification

ENERGY STAR qualified homes can include a variety of  'tried-and-true' energy-efficient features that contribute to improved home quality and homeowner comfort, and to lower energy demand and reduced air pollution:

     1. Effective Insulation

       2. High-Performance Windows

     3. Tight Construction and Ducts

     4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment

     5. Efficient Energy Star Products

     6. Third-Party Verification