Residential Home Energy Audits:

Most homeowners know the price of operating a home is the second largest expense next to the mortgage. As home energy costs rise and budgets become tight, knowing where your energy dollars are going is more important than ever. Did you know that you can reduce home energy use by up to 30% per month and dramatically improve the overall comfort level in your house?

Note: If the national average for home energy spending is $2,300 per year, and you improve your home's energy use by 30 percent, you'd be able to save $690 per year (that’s a savings equivalent to a 4-day, 3-night vacation package at Walt Disney World every two years).

We wanted to really make an effort to actually do all of the things that you recommended in your audit. We installed a new ground source heat pump, changed out many light fixtures, and put cellulose insulation in the attic. We still have several projects to do but our June 2009 bill was 300 kwh less than June 2008. (June 2009 had 8 days with temps well above 90 while June 2008 only had one 90+ day). We've only used 740 kwh for the month of July although it has been an exceptionally mild month. - C. Rice, Homeowner

What Can I Expect from a Home Energy Audit?

As the name suggests, a home energy audit is an evaluation of how a home performs from an energy efficiency standpoint. Performance Plus Homes also evaluates home air quality and environmental safety elements.

Our “Whole Home Performance Audit” Identifies the type, size, condition, and rate of energy consumption for each major energy-using device. We recommend appropriate home energy conservation, operation, and maintenance procedures for each home tested. So that every homeowner can be fully informed, we will estimate labor and material costs for any energy retrofits. We also note current and potential health and safety problems and how they may be affected by proposed changes – as well as explain behavioral changes that will reduce energy waste. Lastly, Performance Plus will provide a written record of all recommendations.

Consulting and Testing Services

Performance Plus Homes specializes in consulting and testing services that take a comprehensive look at the make-up of a home – in an effort to identify ways to improve its comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. With this audit, we can:

• Document building structural elements (envelope, mechanical, insulation)
• Evaluate energy usage using 12 mos. of utility bill information (if available)
• Conduct infiltration test using blower door • Conduct back draft test on furnace, water heater and other combustion appliances
• Make prescriptive retrofit recommendations based on data gathered and computer modeling of the home’s systems identifying potential cost savings

Performance Plus Homes will discover where air may be leaking both in and out of your home. With a computer and a little exploration, we can identify air leaks, provide documentation, and make recommendations toward fixing those leaks (many times it can be as simple as adding insulation and caulking around doors and windows).

As part of a home energy audit, we can also perform Infra-red Thermal Scans and find additional areas of energy loss. Thermal Scans require the use of the blower door and an Infra-red camera, allowing you to actually see areas of heat loss on the camera.

Performance Plus Homes is an independent company that can give you an unbiased assessment of improvements and equipment that can improve your testing results. We can also partner with EnergyStar certified contractors to make repairs and upgrades such as:

• Seal ductwork
• Upgrade Heating & Cooling System (if applicable)
• Improve Indoor Air Quality

And when your home repairs are completed, a new test can be performed to measure how efficient the house has become.

For your own home energy audit, contact Performance Plus Homes today at 913-851-0732 and start saving energy and money!