Homeowners are increasingly concerned about home energy issues.
But at $500-$800, a comprehensive energy audit costs too much for a homebuyer.
**Q: **So, what can home inspectors do?
**A: ** Start offering Home Energy Inspections.
And the idea is to connect Home Energy Inspections to home energy professionals, who can take it from there.
Connecting the Dots
Look at the first dot.
A funny thing… every energy audit starts with a non-diagnostic visual inspection of the home (That’s what home inspectors do!) The next dot is where the workers come in (And that’s if the client wants to take energy-saving action). The work includes an assessment (comprehensive energy audit or “test-in”). And after the work is complete, there’s a “test-out,” another audit. And finally, the last dot, a QC Inspector comes in and makes sure that the work was done correctly (another visual inspection).
The Future
Those dots represent the future of home energy inspections and home energy upgrades.
And it begins with home inspectors performing Home Energy Inspections.
And the U.S. Department of Energy is going to “sponsor” those home inspectors who are performing Home Energy Inspections (DOE Partners, Utilities and large retailers like Ace Hardware, Lowe’s, and The Home Depot are next).
EnergySmart in Colorado
InterNACHI Inspectors are getting paid to perform Home Energy Inspections for homebuyers in Colorado.
QC Inspections
As we’ve explained, home energy upgrades begin with home inspectors educating consumers. It begins with home inspectors, and it will also end with home inspectors. Read about the future of QC Inspections in this article by Richard Knaub, Project Leader at National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL.gov) And find out more about becoming a QC Inspector.