Home Energy Audits
Energy Auditors Can Save On Cash & Taxes
Though current energy prices have stabilized, history has shown that fuel and electricity costs seem to go ever higher. This is an ideal time to prepare for future price increases by reducing energy usage.
Anyone with concerns about their energy cost should consider a home energy audit. If you are considering making improvements to your home in order to reduce energy usage or improve air quality and comfort an energy audit can help you prioritize. When one considers all of the potential issues such as missing or insufficient insulation, air leaks, drafty windows, older appliances, water heaters…..well the list goes no and on. An energy audit will help the homeowner understand which changes will make the biggest environmental impact and cost savings.
A competent auditor will perform a blower door test. The blower door is installed in an exterior doorframe and it’s powerful fan blows air out of the home creating a negative pressure. Sensitive equipment analyzes the resulting airflow and identifies air leaks. Combined with an infrared camera, exact locations of energy robbing air infiltration and missing insulation are identified.
The energy auditor will also evaluate a years worth of energy bill to help identify poor performing appliances, water heaters, heating and airconditioning. Also lifestyle changes often help lower energy usage.
The auditor utilizes the resulting information to develop a comprehensive action plan to prioritize needed repairs and replacements. Priorities should always start with repairs to poor performing furnaces and water heaters that may be introducing carbon monoxide gas into the home. Second on the list is usually correcting air leaks and poor insulation in the ceiling. Yes your mother was right, wear a hat, most of your heat goes out of the top of your head. The rest of the items are prioritized by cost effectiveness and payback – how long will it take to save enough energy to offset the investment.
Recent federal tax incentives can offset many of the costs of improvement. Tax savings up to 30% or $1,500 really takes the bite out of the expense of replacing, for example, windows or insulation. For more information on federal tax incentives see
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index
A last word of advice – when you select an energy auditor ask to see their training. certification (Minnesota offers certification).
For you Do It Yourselfers www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11170
We provide Energy Audits, Remodeling and Green Remodeling services in the Twin Cities, Elk River, Big Lake, Blaine, Becker, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Minneapolis, St. Paul, West St. Paul, South St. Paul, Ramsey, Coon Rapids, Anoka, Andover, Otsego, Rogers, Bloomington, Minnetonka, Mound, St. Louis Park, Roseville, Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake, Shoreview, Edina, New Hope, Champlin, Chanhassen, Clear Lake, Clearwater, Dayton, Eagle Lake, Forest Lake, Golden Valley, Ham Lake, Handover, Hopkins, Inver Grove Heights, Lake Elma, Lakeville, Long Lake, Maple Lake, Mendota, Monticello, Osseo, Princeton, Prior Lake, St. Michael, Shakopee, Shoreview, Wyoming, Zimmerman, Eden Prairie
