In 2007, I remodeled two-thirds of my old, rambling ranch house, installing solar hot water, attaching a solar greenhouse, replacing old single-pane windows, and beefing up my ceiling insulation. I also changed the floor plan for more efficient heating through better airflow. (The plan is to do the other third as soon as the economy shifts, and I can borrow a little more money.)
When the work was done, I did an energy audit. I tell my clients to do them, but I wanted to do it myself, so I could back up my suggestions with personal experience. I find people respond better to facts coupled with true-life experiences.
An energy audit:
• determines your energy use
• gives recommendations on making the home more energy efficient
• shows which improvements have a quicker return on investment (ROI)
You can do an audit yourself or your utility may do one for free or a discounted fee. You can also hire a professional energy rater, who will give you a thorough report.
I chose to hire a professional, my friend, Alva Morrison, a Certified Energy Rater. Alva knows energy efficiency – he has been in the weatherization industry for many years. Here is what he needed to start my audit:
• my gas and electric bills for a year
• an estimate of how much wood I burned
• age of the house
• volume of the house
• approximate wall area
• numbers of windows
• type of construction
Once he had my data input into his laptop, we closed the windows and exterior doors, and left the interior doors open for airflow. He ran a blower door test. He installed a high-power fan in a panel in an exterior door (see the interior and exterior photos below). He plugged it into his laptop and turned it on, sucking air out of the house. This would naturally draw air into the house through cracks and other small openings, and we went around the house looking for these air leaks. There were some where I did not expect them, and none where I was sure I’d find them! It was surprising!
The report came back with different ideas about energy efficiency and ROI than I had expected or planned on. My insulation is old and sagging, and I was prepared to open some walls and replace the insulation and sheetrock. The report said this was not cost-effective. It suggested I insulate around my foundation, two feet deep, 4’ thick for less airflow and a higher ROI. It also said replacing the fairly new woodstove with a gas stove would have a greater ROI as well. I hadn’t considered this, either.
When I make these improvements, I will give the information to Alva to input into my file on his laptop. He will generate a new report each time I do this, and it becomes a living document.
All in all, the house got a good report. I opted to get a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score in addition to the audit. My house received an 88, which means it is 12% more efficient than the model home, which is the reference point of 100. Alva said this was great, considering the incomplete remodel and the age of the home.
An energy audit is a good tool for homeowners when they decide to sell. As you saw, it will show which improvements bring the highest and quickest ROI. It will also show potential buyers exactly how efficient the home is. Improvements can be done by the homeowner or negotiated with a buyer.
If there is no audit on a home, a buyer can pay to have one done. This way, s/he will know how efficient the home is as well as the cost of improvements to upgrade. Those costs can be rolled into an energy efficient mortgage (EEM), but that is another topic entirely.
Check RESNET (Residential Energy Services Network) to find a Certified Energy Rater.
Read more about my remodel.
