Energy Audit Process: How We Work To Save You Money

Energy Audit

An energy audit is an inventory of your home’s energy efficiency, air quality, comfort, and combustion safety. We conduct our audits to BPI (Building Performance Institute) specifications, which means that each audit consists of:

Building envelope analysis

One cause of discomfort and energy loss is air entering or leaving your home through gaps and leaks. Through a combination of mechanical testing and knowing where to look, we can find these gaps and leaks and prescribe a solution.

Insulation Assessment

A layer of insulation reduces the amount of heat that is lost. Far too often we find that the insulation in attics, basements and elsewhere is dirty, damaged, inadequate, or even missing altogether.

Combustion Safety

Gas, oil, or propane powered boilers, furnaces and water heaters are combustion appliances. We owe it to ourselves to make sure that that they properly vent the gases they produce. By running a series of tests, we ensure that your appliances are running safely and efficiently.

Blower Door Test

Our technician will set up a blower door (photo at left) to lower the house air pressure. This lets us measure how leaky your home is, and how much air sealing we can do without making your home too airtight (possibly causing mold or mildew problems or interfering with your combustion safety appliances).

Infrared Imaging

This optional service uses a specialized camera to record images that illustrate, in vivid color, temperature changes caused by air leaks, insufficient insulation, moisture or electrical problems. If you choose to have thermal imaging, your report will include a selection of these photographs.

Home Assessment and Interview

We note other things that can improve your quality of life and bottom line- have you installed CFLs or LED lights, or are you still using incandescent bulbs? Is there an extra refrigerator you could do without? Is ductwork in good shape? Is the piping nearest to the water heater insulated? How high do you keep your thermostat? Is the thermostat programmable?

We will be there to answer any questions you have, and will present our work proposal along with the report. There is no obligation; you are free to decline or seek another contractor to carry out work. Best results come from implementing all recommended measures, but you can choose the most cost-effective measures on an a la carte basis.