What we look for during an energy audit

Here are some things we often look for and find ways of improving during the course of our assessment:

• 1. Hidden electrical loads

     1. Unused and/or inefficient power strips

     2. Transformers (doorbells, chargers, etc)

     3. Seldom used loads (paper shredders, printers, fax machines, etc)

     4. Old garage door openers (some consume 40 watts, continually!)

  2. Inefficient lighting

• • 1. Are you using CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) or LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) lights everywhere throughout your building?

    2. Can some lights be put on timers, photo-sensors, or motion detecting devices?

• 3. Inefficient heating and/or cooling systems

• • 1. Is your old heating/cooling system costing you more than if you were to replace it?

    2. Can simple retrofit modifications to your existing system make it more efficient?

    3. Is your ducting system leaky?

    4. Can renewable energy systems be used for heating?

• 4. Combustion appliance safety (gas boilers/furnaces/HW heaters)

• • 1. Can you be assured that under worst-case conditions (heavy winds in combination with other building characteristics) you are safe from Carbon Monoxide poisoning and/or backdraft?

    2. Can the combustion efficiency be improved to burn hotter and cleaner?

• 5. Insulation levels and condition

• • 1. Do you have sufficient levels of insulation to prevent dramatic heating and cooling losses?

    2. Some homes have NO insulation either in their crawlspace, attic, walls, or other areas of heat transfer

• 6. Air leakage

• • 1. We diagnose your air leakage using sophisticated equipment (blower door and manometer) to determine how to best weatherize the building so that air leakage is minimal.

    2. We also determine the minimum airflow standard (based on ASHRAE) to maintain adequate amounts of air move throughout your building to ensure occupants have sufficient, fresh air for best respiratory health.

• 7. Water waste

• • 1. What areas are you wasting water?

    2. Can you be filtering your water rather than purchasing bottled water?

    3. Can you capture water from your rooftop to use for watering? or perhaps even drinking?

• 8. Reduction/Reuse/Recycling opportunities

• • 1. What do you really need?

    2. Can composting be used?

    3. Can all areas of your home be more efficient from simple behavioral changes?

• 9. Air quality

• • 1. Are you exposed to Radon?

    2. Is mold/mildew/fungus an issue for respiratory health?

    3. Do you have problems with pests?

    4. Can measures be taken to reduce moisture?