Home Energy Audit

What is an Energy Audit?

An energy audit is an inspection of the house, aiming to determine the extent of deficiencies that result in energy waste. Upgrading such deficiencies will not only be an energy saver, but it will also result in lower utility bills, energy costs and heating and cooling expenses.

The main cause for wasted energy in a house, especially an older one, is the lack of adequate insulation. In colder climates, proper insulation reduces heat loss, while in warmer climates it reduces heat gain. During your home energy audit, a professional energy assessment will be conducted by qualified energy raters, and should determine whether your house is adequately insulated.

A home energy audit is the first step toward ensuring the efficiency of your home through a home energy evaluation. Once you understand how energy is being used in your home, you can take measures toward reducing that usage and lower your utility bills. Old appliances, outdated wiring and poorly insulated walls or ceilings can cause an incredible amount of energy loss, which will not only substantially raise your energy costs, but will also have an impact on the environment because more energy needs to be created to maintain your home.

Professional Energy Assessment - Schedule a Professional Home Energy Audit

A professional heating and cooling agent will be able to conduct the most detailed home energy audit, using special equipment to gauge energy usage, then making specific recommendations for reducing unnecessary usage. Moreover, using infrared cameras and blower doors, professional auditors can find even the most difficult leaks and give valuable advice to seal them up permanently.

Professional home energy assessments generally go into great detail. The energy auditor typically performs a room-by-room examination of the residence, as well as a thorough examination of past utility bills. Energy assessments will include a blower door test, a thermographic scan, or the PFT air infiltration measurement techniques, however the latter is rarely offered.

Preparing for a Professional Energy Assessment

Before the energy auditor you contracted visits your house, make a list of any existing problems such as condensation or drafty rooms. Have copies (or at least a summary) of the home’s yearly energy bills, as they will help the auditor to establish what to look for during the home energy audit. In his inspection, the auditor will first examine the outside of the home, in order to determine the size of the house and its features, such as wall area, number and size of windows etc.

Then, the auditor will analyze the residents’ behavior by asking if there is somebody home during working hours, what is the average thermostat setting for summer and winter, how many people live there, if every room is in use and other such questions. Your answers may help the auditor uncover some simple ways toreduce your home energy consumption.

Finding a Qualified Energy Auditor

There are a number of places where you can find professional energy assessment or auditing services. Your state or local government energy or weatherization office may help you find a local company or organization that performs audits, and they may also have information on how to do your own assessment. Also, your electric or gas utility may conduct home energy assessments or recommend local auditors, or you may find other companies in the telephone directory.

However, before contracting an energy auditing company, take the following steps: get several references and contact them all, asking if they are satisfied with the work. Then, call the Better Business Bureau and ask about any complaints against the company you are considering to contract. Make sure the energy auditor uses a calibrated blower tool, and that the company performs thermographic inspections. If not, contract another company to conduct one.

If, however, you prefer to perform an energy assessment yourself, here are some tips to help you do your own home energy audit:

• Locating Air Leaks

First of all, make a list of all obvious air leaks - drafts. The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from five percent to 30 percent per year, while also making your home more comfortable. Check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring, or at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Then, check to see if air can flow through electrical outlets, switch plates, window frames, fireplace dampers, baseboards, weather stripping around doors, attic hatches or wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.

Check for gaps around pipes and wires, electrical outlets, mail slots and foundation seals, and also look to see if the caulking and weather stripping are properly applied, leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition. Check doors and windows for possible air leaks and see if you can rattle them - movement means possible air leaks. You can seal these leaks by caulking or weather stripping them.

Storm windows should be checked to see if they fit and are not broken. If you face difficulties in locating leaks, you can also conduct a basic building pressurization test: close all exterior doors, windows and fireplace flues, turn off all combustion appliances (gas burning furnaces, water heaters or other), then turn on all exhaust fans (typically located in the kitchen and bathrooms) or use a large window fan to suck the air out of the rooms, allowing an air infiltration measurement. This test increases air infiltration through cracks and leaks, thus making them easier to detect.

Once you’ve finished your indoor inspection, move on to the outside of your house and inspect all areas where two different building materials meet, including all exterior corners, where siding and chimneys meet, or areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick siding meet. Look for cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation and siding, and make an air sealing with the appropriate material.

Check the exterior caulking around doors and windows to see whether exterior storm doors and primary doors seal tightly. However, when air sealing any home, take into account the danger of indoor air pollution and combustion appliance “backdrafts” - when various combustion appliances and exhaust fans in the home compete for air. An exhaust fan may pull the combustion gases back into the home, affecting the indoor air quality and raising serious safety issues.

• Checking for Proper Insulation

If the insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum, heat loss through the ceiling and walls in your home could be very large. If the attic hatch is located above a conditioned space, check to see whether it is at least as heavily insulated as the attic, if it is weather stripped and closes tightly. In the attic, check whether openings for pipes, ductwork, chimneys and other such items are sealed.

Seal any gaps with an expanding foam caulk or other permanent air sealing product. Also, while inspecting the attic, check to see if there is a vapor barrier under the attic insulation. The vapor barrier may be tarpaper, Kraft paper attached to fiberglass batts, or a plastic sheet. If you don’t find any vapor barrier, painting the interior ceilings with vapor barrier paint may be a quick and easy solution. Insulation may be less effective if large amounts of moisture are present.

Seal any electrical boxes in the ceiling with flexible caulk and cover the entire attic floor with the proper amount of insulation. Make sure the attic vents are not blocked.

In checking a wall’s insulation level, select an exterior wall and turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse for any outlets in the wall. Test the outlets to make sure they are not hot, by plugging in a functioning lamp or radio.

Once you make sure the outlets are not getting any electricity, remove the cover plate from one of the outlets and probe into the wall with a thin, long stick or screwdriver. If you encounter a slight resistance it means you have some insulation there. Ideally, the wall cavity should be totally filled with some form of insulation, but this method cannot reveal whether the entire wall is insulated or if the insulation has settled. The only way to determine this is through a thermographic inspection.

• Heating and Cooling Equipment

Any heating and cooling equipment should be inspected annually, or as recommended by the manufacturer, to determine their condition and efficiency. If you have a forced-air furnace, check your filters and replace them as needed. They should be changed about every month or two, especially during periods of high usage.

The ductwork should be inspected for dirt streaks, especially near seams, because these are an indication of air leaks. They should be sealed with a duct mastic, and any ducts or pipes that travel through unheated spaces should be insulated. The recommended minimum is an insulation R-Value of 6. Still, at least once a year, have a professional check and clean your heating and cooling equipment.

• Lighting

Energy for lighting makes up about 10 percent of your electricity bill, so you should also inspect your lighting system. Check the wattage size of the light bulbs in your home, and make sure the proper wattage is used. Energy-efficient lamps may substantially reduce your energy costs.

A home energy audit is important not just as an energy saver, but also for identifying any potential safety issues you may not even be aware of. Sometimes, general handyman services do not comply entirely with the standards of practice, which may in time cause several problems. Get a professional energy assessment at least once a year to ensure your home energy efficiency is proper, there are no air infiltrations and everything works as intended.