Quality Building & Remodeling

Just wanted to give you a quick overview of energy audits

A few weeks ago I wrote about how some simple things you can do yourself can save money this winter.

How they can help you.

What they are.

And more importantly what they are not.

Energy audits can help you by giving you better understanding of where your home is wasting energy. An audit can take the guess work out of trying to plug those energy leaks.

With the use of diagnostic pressure testing equipment we are able to locate leaks both large and small. We can then take accurate measurements of the various levels of insulation and the efficiency level of the heating and cooling equipment in your home. Once all this information is gathered it is then put into a computer program showing the most cost effective approach to performing a variety of energy upgrades. With all the guess work taken out you can then make upgrades to the areas of your home that will be most cost effective in lowering your utility bills.

With an energy audit you can determine the proper size of the heating and cooling equipment needed. A properly sized furnace saves money. The furnace is only as efficient as the house its self is. A more efficient furnace could actually be worse then the old furnace in an inefficient home. Without making the home more energy efficient no heating or cooling system will give you the results you are hoping for. As a matter of fact you might not need a new system if you make the home more efficient.

Air sealing and more insulation can go a long way in solving a home’s heating and cooling problems.

Think of 2 buckets one with several holes in it and the other without any holes. Now try and fill the buckets with water the bucket without holes will eventually become filled the other may never become filled or take a lot longer to fill. In this example the water represented the heat your furnace is producing and the home is letting go to waste. Leakage can account for up to 30% or more of a home’s energy loss.

It is not and should not be some specialty contractor coming to your home and selling you new windows, more insulation, siding or a new furnace just because they are old. It doesn’t mean you are going to lower your utility bills unless those products were the actual cause of your high utility bills. Without testing you’re just guessing. Don’t be fooled by specialty companies. And remember just because a window or some other product is Energy Star rated it may still not qualify for the new tax credits.

It is possible to lower your yearly utility bills by as much as 30%. By doing an energy audit on my own home we saved about 50% on the heating bill. We had additional savings of 45% on the electric bill as well. When the furnace runs less you also use less electric even gas and fuel systems use electric to either circulate the air or hot water. These saving are year round, especially if you have a central A/C. It wasn’t the audit that saved the money but knowing what areas to attack. The audit gave me the information I needed to form a clear plan to attack the high utility bills.

Energy upgrades can easily be combined with any remodeling job.

Did you know energy efficient homes cost less to maintain? It is more than just lower monthly utility bills. The less the furnace runs, the longer the life expectance can be. Fewer drafts can mean fewer colds and stiff necks. Energy efficient homes are even healthier.

With those high winter bills heading your way, now is a great time to get started. To learn more visit our website at www.qualitydesignbuild.com.