Frequently Asked Questions
 

What is the scope of a typical home audit and how long does it take?  
Our comprehensive assessments typically take between 4-6 hours. We start by interviewing the homeowner to understand their concerns and priorities, and then conduct a walk-through of the home. Next we cover some basic building science principles with the homeowner. After that, our specialists get busy gathering data and analyzing the home. A review session and estimate for construction work is typically presented one week after the test.

What diagnostics, tests, evaluations do you typically include?
We do blower door tests to identify areas of leakage, IR camera inspections to analyze heat loss, room-by-room load calculations, combustion safety tests, HVAC equipment inspections, duct inspections, insulation inspections, exhaust fan flow tests, analysis of historical electrical and gas consumption, lighting audits, and appliance audits.

Will my home feel different right away?
This depends on what condition your home is in when we start, and what work we do. If we seal up your drafty home and add full insulation where there was little or no insulation, you will most likely notice a huge difference immediately. If we repair your leaky duct system and tune up or replace your inefficient furnace, you will most likely notice less dust, suffer fewer respiratory issues, and see savings in your heating bill quickly. If we replace your conventional water heater with a solar thermal system, you will most likely see a significant savings in your water bill right away.

How much will I save on my home?
It depends. There are too many variables in any given home to give you an accurate answer.  Some of these include: your actual utility use over time, the changing price of utilities, and the weather. Some of our work provides immediately noticeable improvements, both in your home’s environment and in your utility bills. Other work is more subtle and will be noticed over time.

What can I expect on the day of the audit?
We will begin with a customer interview to understand the homeowner’s areas of concern. To prepare for the audit and make the best use of time, we ask the following preparations be made prior to our arrival.

•    Open and Clear Access: We need decent access to get through the spaces and inspect the structure and mechanical systems. Also, we need to be able to open all the interior doors, close off the attic/basement, and inspect the mechanical systems and building structure.

• Eliminate hazards: Exotic birds must be moved off site during the test (low temperatures can affect a bird’s health); pets that can be put outside should be. If you have a fireplace, you will need to empty the ashes and close the flue.

• Provide bills: For the best analysis of your property’s performance, we need copies of your water, gas, and electrical bills. These can also be made available simply by calling your utility company.

• House Temperature: Our IR camera will have better results if the temperature difference between inside and outside are roughly 15 degrees. We may ask you to run you heater or A/C prior to our arrival in order to enhance the temperature.