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 HCCC's
Comprehensive Energy Audits include blower door testing,
infrared scanning (outside temperature dependent), insulation
inspection, combustion safety inspection and carbon monoxide
testing as needed. Call HCCC's Energy Programs Manager,
Jon at 970-485-3509 or email jon@highcountryconservation.org
for pricing and more info. The proceeds from your Energy
Audit will be reinvested in HCCC's Energy Programs throughout
our community.
Residential Energy efficiency
and sustainability should start with making intelligent
informed decisions. When considering the numerous opportunities
for making your home more sustainable you should consider
starting with an Energy Audit.
A cold and drafty home,
rooms that are too hot or too cold, and high energy bills
are all common issues for homeowners. Installing a new heating
system, buying replacement windows, or adding more insulation
may fix part of the problem, but the path to better results
is by implementing an integrated "whole-house"
approach that looks at your home as a system. This is what
you can expect from an Energy Audit, whole-house perspective
from an independent third party inspection specific to your
home.
Your Energy Auditor will
spend 2-3 hours with you going through your home taking
a close look at attics, crawl spaces, basements and mechanical
equipment to gain a whole-house perspective of your home.
Along the way the auditor will share observations and insights
where your home has room for improvement. This time is very
much a learning experience for home owners, giving them
insight into how there home and its "systems"
work together as a whole.
The results of your Energy
Audit will be compiled into a comprehensive report that
will address issues specific to your home and detail strategies
to improve your homes energy performance. This report can
be used to map out where to spend money on efficiency upgrades
over a short or long period of time.
Download
an HC3 Energy Audit Program Brochure HERE!
Download
a PDF on Infrared Scanning HERE!
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Diagnosing the Problem
Rather than focusing on a single component,
such as single-paned windows, an old heating system, or
leaky ductwork, an Energy Audit will assess your entire
home and result in recommendations for the most cost effective
improvement options that will result in:
-
consistent
comfort throughout your home
-
increased efficiency
-
lower utility costs
-
better ventilation & humidity control, thus better
indoor air quality
-
|| Common
Recommendations
Sealing Air
Leaks and Adding Insulation
Many air leaks in homes are fairly obvious, such as around
windows, doors, and electrical outlets. But others, like
those in attics, fireplaces, around chimneys, and through
recessed lighting fixtures, are often the more significant
sources of energy loss in a home. Sealing air leaks is critical
to improving the overall efficiency of your home and will
make your heating and cooling system perform better. Along
with air sealing, your Auditor may recommend that you add
insulation. Many older homes are not well-insulated, and
some have no insulation at all. Properly installed insulation
in walls, floors, and attics provides for more even temperatures
throughout the house and results in a quieter, more comfortable
home that is easier to heat.
Sealing Ductwork
Many homes have leaky ductwork and poor air flow, resulting
in stuffy and uncomfortable rooms — regardless of
the thermostat setting. The Energy Auditor may recommend
sealing your home’s ducts with mastic, metal tape
or spray-on sealant, and balancing the duct system to optimize
air flow to all rooms. Insulating ductwork in attics, crawlspaces,
and some basements can also help to ensure that your home
will be more comfortable.
Improving
Heating Systems
If your furnace or boiler is more than 10 years old, your
Auditor may recommend that you replace it with a unit that
has earned the ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these
high-efficiency units can save up to 20 percent on heating
costs. But when it comes to heating equipment, bigger is
not always better. A properly-sized unit will make your
home more comfortable by providing more consistent temperatures
control.
The Energy Auditor should also test combustion equipment,
such as your furnace and hot water heater, to ensure that
it is operating and venting properly.
Upgrading
Lighting and Appliances
Energy used for lighting, entertainment equipment and appliances
can account for half of your home's total utility bill.
As a result, the Energy Auditor may recommend ENERGY STAR
qualified products, such as refrigerators, dishwashers,
electronic equipment, light fixtures, and compact fluorescent
bulbs. An energy- and water-efficient hot water heating
system may also be recommended.
|| Energy
Audits and Renewable Energy
Once
you’ve taken steps to increase your home's efficiency,
you may also want to consider adding renewable energy systems,
such as solar electric (photovoltaics) or solar hot water,
to further reduce your utility bills. By having an Energy
Audit performed on your home first you may be able to substantially
reduce the size of your renewable energy system.
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Consider an Energy Audit if:
-
Your
preparing to remodel or add-on to your home.
-
You
have excessively high utility bills.
-
Your
home has noticeable cold or hot spots.
-
You are interested in adding renewable energy features
to your home.
- Your
home experiences frozen pipes.
- Ice
dams build up on the roof of your home.
-
You would like to make your home more efficient and
reduce your impact on the planet.
- Your
home has indoor air quality issues such as condensation
on the windows, mold or other respiratory toxins.
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What Makes a Qualified Auditor?
When considering having someone work on
your home it is important to verify they have the experience,
skills and training to assure that the work is done safely
and to the highest standards.
Choosing an educated and experienced energy
auditor to work on your home should be as important as
choosing a qualified doctor or auto mechanic.
Hiring a qualified energy auditor will ensure
that you get professional, independent advice on how to
improve your home without the sales pitch for things you
might not need.
An energy auditor should have some formal
training and experience in residential construction, building
science, energy modeling/analysis, energy rating and implementation
of energy improvements.
Qualifications from organizations such as;
Residential Energy
Service Network (RESNet), Kansas
Building Institute (KBI), Energy
and Environmental Building Association (EEBA), Building
Performance Institute (BPI), and Energy
Star may help determine the individuals level of training.
Questions to ask:
- Ask what certifications the auditor
has.
- Ask for references from previous audits they've performed.
- Ask what is involved in an audit and how long it will
take.
- Ask how many audits or ratings the individual has
performed and how long they've been in this business.
- Ask what other services they offer besides auditing.
In 2008 HCCC partnered
with the Governor's
Energy Office (GEO) to offer rebates directly to qualifying
homeowners for the installation of either attic or exterior
wall insulation and basic recommended air sealing measures
through the Insulate Colorado Program. Properly insulating
your home will help reduce heating costs and make a home
more comfortable. Participating local governments (Town
of Frisco, Town of Breckenridge and unincorporated Summit
County) are offering a 20% contractor job cost rebate,
or $300 maximum per home, whichever amount is less.
Rebates will be awarded on a
first-come, first-served basis until the program funding
is exhausted. Interested homeowners should contact Jon
Kinstad, HC3's Energy Programs Manager for more information
- jon@highcountryconservation.org
or 970-485-3509.
For residents with
Xcel Energy gas service use the Xcel
Insulate Colorado Application.
For more information about Xcel Energy's
Insulate Colorado Rebate program contact Ann.Kirkpatrick@xcelenergy.com
or 303-294-2943.
For residents without
Xcel Energy gas use GEO's
2008 Insulate Colorado Homeowner Rebate Request Form.!
Xcel
Energy Appliance Rebates
Solar
Thermal Rebate Program - The Solar Thermal Rebate
Program has expired but stay tuned, this rebate will likely
be renewed by the GEO. The Solar Thermal Rebate Program
is perhaps one of the most cost effective ways to incorporate
renewable energy into a home or business. In the average
Colorado home, up to 15% of the annual energy consumed
is used for domestic water heating. By using solar energy
to heat domestic water, homeowners and businesses can
significantly reduce their water heating costs while also
mitigating the consumption of fossil fuels.
Xcel
Energy's Solar*Rewards Program offers a rebate
of $3.50 per watt of DC capacity (rebate of $2 per watt
and Renewable Energy Credit of $1.50 per watt) on systems
smaller than 10.0kW.
Federal Investment Tax Credit allows
an individual or business to claim tax credits on 30%
of spending in qualified solar property after rebates.
There is no cap (formerly $2,000) and it is effective
for property placed in service beginning January 1, 2009.
If your municipality doesn't offer any of these rebates,
please contact your elected officials to ask for their
participation.
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