Home Energy Audit *Includes two visits

Goal:

To help clients spend less on their energy bills and become more comfortable within their home.

Method:

First Visit (Test-In)
The inspector will interview the client to discover their household energy concerns. The house will be inspected inside and out to locate areas of energy loss. The combustion equipment (gas or oil furnace and water heater) will be tested to ensure that it is operating at peak efficiency. A blower door is temporarily installed to depressurize the house and locate air leakage sites. Infrared Thermography is usually used to assist in locating the air leakage. A report is created for the client, which details the findings of the inspector and makes suggestions for improvement. This report is reviewed with the client and improvement suggestions are discussed.
Second Visit (Test-Out)
A second visit is made to review and validate the improvements that were made and insure that the house air supply is safe for the occupants. Combustion equipment and air supply to that equipment is rechecked if appropriate. The blower door test is performed and air infiltration is recalculated. If there is room for improvements, a re-evaluation, which may include an infrared scan, will be done. All Star is concerned that your efforts will produce energy savings and improved comfort, which was the goal of the Energy Audit. *Our free second visit has a 180 day time-limit on it, which we hope you will find to be a gentle push to make the improvements which were recommended in the first visit.

Time:

First Visit (Test-In)
An audit will take 3 to 4 hours on an average house.
Second Visit (Test-Out)
The second visit usually takes about an hour.

Preparation:

Perform the following steps prior to the arrival of your home inspector:

• Have available one year of energy usage (this information should be listed on your current utility bills)
• Take note of any broken or defective windows and doors
• Take note of any drafty areas or rooms that are always too hot or too cold
• Remove clutter and obstructions around water heater, AC units, and furnaces
• Close all windows and outside doors
• Shut fireplace dampers, fireplace doors, and wood stove air intakes
• Remove all ashes from fireplaces or cover the ashes with damp newspapers
• Remove anything you do not want your Home Performance Contractor to see. The contractor will need to go into every room and closet in your house as well as the basement and crawlspace.

Cost:

$495.00 or 15¢ per square foot, whichever is greater.
$50.00 for each additional combustion (gas or oil) furnace/boiler and water heater.

Preferred Contractors:

Home Energy Audits are done with Building Performance Institute (BPI) standards and Maryland Home Performance with Energy Star guidelines. Their goal (and All Star's) is to have you make the changes that will save energy. To that end, your auditor is encouraged to recommend contractors who are able to make correction repairs on your house. This is different than a home inspection done with American Society of Home Inspector (ASHI) standards where because of potential Conflict of Interest issues; the Home Inspector is discouraged from making contractor recommendations. With this understanding, click on the Contractor List.