Home Energy Inspection Tool

[An HI]

Originally Posted by rswartz

The truth of the matter is that most homeowners THINK they know what needs to be done to make their homes more energy efficient. In some cases, they do know. Most of the time, they don't. Most think that replacing windows and adding insulation is the answer. Fact is, air sealing is what they really need. Go ahead and knock the "full blown energy audit", but you guys walking through a house with an infrared camera without using a blower door, telling the homeowner to change out their light bulb and add more insulation are only giving your clients a small portion of the story. Full blown energy audits is all that I do. My clients want to know why they are spending so much on their utility bills and I am able to tell them with my full blown energy audit. Some of the power companies in my region give their customers a FREE energy audit. This is a good start, but the homeowner is not really getting what they need. Where I live, I'm not able to make a living doing this, but at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping the homeowner achiever a higher level of energy efficiency and truly am giving them what they are paying for.

Good post Rswartz!

Until the inspectors that are just getting into the residential energy consulting field see and experience the differences between a true class "A" energy analyses by an experienced auditor and the class "Z" POS to be offered here and by DOE, the public will be misled. What inspector will offer the DOE version while telling the client that what they do is not very good; they should hire a true auditor?

Homeowners doing their own work after receiving the DOE version may get themselves into future trouble with CAZ, IAQ, moisture, mold, rot and other problems. They also may miss some significant potential energy saving opportunities or do the work poorly by themselves. This is where the fully trained pro is needed.

[Darren Spencer]

Originally Posted by An HI

Good comments, Rodney. Enjoyed the comparison with Canada's Hot2000, a leader in the world.

Quite a difference in evaluations! You cannot train energy evaluators in a few days classroom time and you cannot do an energy evaluation in a few minutes. This could become mis-spent government money.

I see some of us understand a true audit process. A complete modeling of the home is what information the Client wants...just want it free.