Energy Assessments

A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money, improve the comfort level, and make your home healthier.

During the assessment, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. An energy assessment will determine the efficiency of your home's heating & cooling systems and building construction, as well as ways to conserve hot water and electricity. A professional assessor uses a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure, including;

• Blower door to test for air leakage in the building envelope
• Infrared cameras to examine hard-to-detect areas of air leakage/ infiltration
• Duct blaster testing to measure air leakage in duct system
• Checks for gas leaks at furnace, stove, etc.  
• Ventilation check to verify your home conforms to current safety standards
• Inspection of building shell (insulation, windows, doors, etc)
• HVAC assessment
• Evaluation of mechanical equipment (appliances, water heater, furnace, AC, lighting, etc.)
• Home health and safety inspection (to check for rodent and mold problems that lead to poor air quality)

Home Health & Comfort

It is estimated that Americans spend 90% of their lives indoors. It is important that the areas you spend most of your time have safe and clean air quality. As part of our energy assessment, Building Performance Professionals will examine the health & comfort levels of your home. Home health and comfort includes evaluating the following;

• Rodent and varmint access in your home
• Ventilation safety inspections
• Gas leak testing
• Inspection for mold and other bacteria growing in your home
• Examination for other dangerous contributors to poor home health such as lead and asbestos

Home Energy Report

After our inspection, information from your assessment is input into an advanced energy modeling software program. The results of the energy model will be used in a detailed report outlining the energy performance of your home. Recommended solutions are included in the report, and will most often consist of simple, cost effective improvements such as making changes to your furnace, air conditioning, water heater, insulation, and duct systems. Click here to view a sample report.

We believe that whole house energy audits by certified professionals are a good value. Bear in mind that what is revealed may surprise you. Homeowners are often shocked to discover that all the little air leaks throughout their house add up to the equivalent of a window (or two, or more) being left open year round! Remember that what you don't know can cost you: it's better to know! The following video is also a great overview of what to expect from a energy assessment.