If your monthly utility bills give you "sticker-shock", then a home energy audit or inspection may be just the thing you need.  We provide two services that are aimed at helping homeowners significantly reduce utility costs.  Either one of these services, the Home Energy Audit or the Home Energy Inspection, can help you lower your home's energy consumption by as much as 30% when you follow the specified recommendations.  These services quickly pay for themselves with the money you save in lower utility bills.  Besides the energy savings, you also end up with a home that is more comfortable, more durable, and better for the environment.

Our simplest and most economical service is the Home Energy Inspection.  This service is available for homes with less than 3000 square feet of living area.  A trained specialist thoroughly inspects your house from top to bottom, performs a blower door test, and offers on-the-spot detailed suggestions for improving your home's energy efficiency.  A computized energy analysis is not included with this service.  The inspection takes about two hours and costs $100.00.  A travel fee may be added if your home is located outside of our Springfield, IL, service area.  A Home Energy Inspection is particularly useful for do-it-yourselfers who simply need specific information and suggestions on how to make their homes more energy-efficient.

Our Home Energy Audit provides you with a comprehensive inspection, a blower test, a list of suggested energy improvements, and a computer analysis that will help you determine which energy improvements will give you the best value for your money.  The audit takes two to three hours and its cost is based on the size of your home.  See the "Energy Audit Fee Schedule" below.  An energy audit will help you decide which energy improvements make sense for your budget.  This is particularly important when you are considering high-cost improvements such as replacement windows or new heating/cooling equipment.  The energy audit process is described below.

Step One:  We inspect the home from the basement to attic.  This includes evaluating the condition of the foundation, heating/cooling system, windows, doors, and insulation.

Step two:   Since air leakage is often the single greatest cause of home energy loss, a blower door test is used to determine the home's "tightness" or air leakage rate.  The blower door fan, which is installed in an exterior door, lowers the air pressure inside the house by blowing air out.  (See illustration.)  Air from the outside then rushes in through cracks and openings in the home's walls, floor, and ceiling to replace the air removed by the blower door. Special gauges measure the amount of air being pulled in through these leaks.  In many homes, the amount of air leakage is comparable to leaving a small window open year round.

Step Three:  Another inspection of the home is performed while the blower door fan is running so that specific points of air leakage can be identified.

Step Four:  Information from the inspections is used to conduct a computer analysis of the home's energy use.

Step Five:  You receive a copy of the computer analysis, a list of suggested energy efficiency improvements, and an estimate of the savings you can expect from each improvement.

                 Basic Home Energy Audit:

                                   Homes with less than 2000 sq. ft. of living space------------------$200

                                   Homes with 2000 to 2500 sq. ft. of living space---------------------$240

                                   Homes with more than 2500 sq. ft. of living space-----------------$280

                  Post-improvement inspection and blower test----------------------------------------- $50

                  A small travel fee may be added to the cost of your energy audit or inspection.                   The fee is based on the driving distance from Springfield, IL, to your home.

          For the exact amount of the travel fee to your location, just e-mail your home address to:                                                    info@energysolutionsnow.com

DESIGNING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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