The Basics of Energy Audits
Energy Audits can consist of many things -- and at many levels -- depending on the depth of the audit. A basic audit can consist of an auditor simply walking through the home and inspecting for some basic areas that could potentially be robbing you of energy.
An audit can also include an inspection of insulation levels, HVAC operation, duct work leakage, water heaters, lighting, weather stripping, infrared scanning, blower door testing, and a complete HERs rating.
To learn more about energy audits, watch this short video:
What To Do
While some of these inspections can be very thorough and lengthy, you can do some very simple things around your home with a low cost to you that can benefit you greatly. Basic inspections are a great way to begin auditing your energy use. KC Spray Foam provides insulation audits free of charge. We visit your home and perform a quick and easy insulation audit to inform you of any way your home could benefit from added insulation. This could be as simple as adding insulation in your attic or a crawlspace. Our salespeople are trained in building science and can also easily identify problem areas for you and suggest a cost-effective way to make your home more energy efficient and comfortable.
Another option is to find energy auditors from utility companies. This website
HERs Rating
The higher end of energy audits includes HERs ratings. HERs stands for Home Energy Rating System and is governed by RESNET. A HERs rater is extensively trained, tested, and certified regularly. To learn more about a HERs rater, you can read here.
HERs ratings can provide an in-depth assessment of a current home. These ratings also can be helpful when planning and building a new home. HERs raters use tools such as blower doors, duct blasters, and advanced computer software. All of these tools come together to help reduce the amount of energy used and improve the comfort of a home. Having a HERs rating completed on a home can also aid in establishing resale value. Pictured below is a blower door in a home.
What to Look Out For
When utilizing the services of an energy auditor, watch out for them trying to push their goods or services. While selling their products is okay, we believe they should communicate this desire to sell from the start. So ask your prospective auditors what kind of training and certifications they may have to help them establish their value. Just like many other things, doing your homework is vital to getting good results. This video will elaborate more on energy auditor certification:
What Should You Do
If you would like a free insulation audit, give KC Spray Foam a call. We will be more than willing to stop by and take a look at your home for you. If we see other areas besides insulation that could use some attention, we will point them out to you. Regardless if we can help you with these other deficits, we promise to only sell you spray foam insulation!