Home Energy Audit
How can I reduce my energy usage?- A home energy audit will scientifically identify and prioritize energy improvements in your home based on investment and savings factors. MEA can also provide project management and retrofit verification at customers request. All o f our recommended measures will have the cost of the measure and time frame of payback. Larger more complicated upgrades will require a licensed contractor such as furnace or water heater replacement. Our job is to provide you with information on your energy use and detailed steps to take to reduce your energy bills with out spending thousands of dollars.
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Typical Questions Answered by an Energy Audit.
-What is the most cost effective use of my money?
Do I need additional insulation in my walls and/or Attic?
Why do I have cold rooms and drafts?
Is my attic properly ventillated? Why do I get Ice Damns?
Why are my energy bills so high? Why is my furnace constantly running?
Should I spend $XXXX to replace my old windows or furnace?
How Long Does The Audit Take? -The typical energy audit takes about 3-5 hours depending on the size of home and number of systems.
How Much Will I Save? This is a difficult question to answer and depends on many factors. We have witnessed savings of up to 40%, but 15-30% savings on your overall energy usage is typical.
How Much Does It Cost? The cost depends on the type of audit, square footage of the house and the number of HVAC systems. Anywhere from $175.00-$600.00. Pricing Rebates are available through DTE energy
The Energy Audit
Blower Door Test
When our auditors arrive they will ask a series of questions about comfort, system components, and habits. We then hook up a Blower Door to the front access door and depressurize the house by sucking air out of the house at a certain constant rate (50 pascals). The blower door measures air leakage in the house, the lower the better.
Leak Detection
Now that we know how much your house leaks we want to find out where. While the blower door is running, we walk around the perimeter of the house with a smoke puffer to find the source of air leakage. We also use the infrared scanner to find not only the source of leakage but intensity as well.
Thermal Imaging-Infrared Scanning
While the blower door is running, we inspect the entire house for temperature variations in the walls, in the ceiling, around windows and doors, around the foundation perimeter, and throughout the attic. This process helps determine missing and improperly installed insulation. It is also a great tool to find hidden air leaks and possible obstructions in duct work.
Equipment inspection
Our auditor will then inspect all of the major energy using components of your home, including the furnace, hot water heater, electrical box, water pumps, and air conditioner to determine operational efficiency. We also count all of the lighting fixtures in the house to investigate lighting efficiency and inspect shower heads and faucets for water conseravtion measures.
The Report
Finally, we provide a detailed report of our findings and recommended improvements. Most imrpovements can be done by the typical home owner such as duct sealing, weather stripping, window caulking and attic insulation. Other improvements may have to be done by contractors. Our reports are filled with images and notes on location and exact work that should be performed. The report also includes order of importance along with typical return on investment factors.