Checklist for Home Energy Evaluations

With cooler weather approaching the mid-Atlantic region, you may be looking for ways to save energy. Saving energy is exactly the purpose of a home energy evaluation: pinpointing where your home is wasting energy and outlining the steps needed to plug the drain on your energy budget.

A comprehensive energy evaluation conducted by your HVAC service provider is designed to show you how much energy you may save in each system of your home. In this way, you may focus your home efficiency upgrades in key areas to maximize your investment.

Read on to familiarize yourself with the energy evaluation process, how to prepare for a home evaluation, and simple efficiency upgrades you can perform as a homeowner.

Professional Energy Evaluation

You can prepare for your home evaluation by organizing the previous year’s utility bills, and writing down existing problems regarding drafts, window condensation and your average thermostat settings. This information gives your HVAC provider a basis to begin the assessment, as follows:

• An infrared camera reveals heat gain/loss problems in your home’s envelope.
• A combustion analyzer measures flue gas temperature, leaks and CO levels.
• A blower door test measures air leakage in your home’s envelope and in ductwork.
• A manometer measures air pressure variances during the blower door test.
• A fog or smoke device is used to pinpoint air leaks in ductwork and around windows and doors.

Simple Efficiency Tips

While you may not possess the professional equipment and expertise your HVAC provider does, you can use this checklist to make substantial energy-saving gains yourself.

• Use caulk and silicone tubing to seal windows and doors.
• Convert all lighting to CFLs or LEDs.
• Use power strips for electronics and small appliances.
• Attic insulation (i.e. fiberglass or cellulose) should be approximately 15 to 18 inches thick.

For more information about an energy evaluation, contact Sobieski Services, Inc.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues – especially HVAC and plumbing issues – so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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