Anyone ever have an Energy Audit done?

[z28snksknr]

Here in NJ, the local gas company has a program that offers a complete home energy audit for $125 and the program will pay up to $1000 for air sealing a home. If the audit discovers more than 25% energy savings potential, the program also pays 50% of the bill up to a $20,000 bill!!

I'm scheduling my appointment since my house is a heat sieve, but I was just wondering if anyone here has gotten them done and what the end results were.

 

[nate379]

They have that program here as well.

We use something called "stars" A good house will be 5 Star, great house 5 Star +. New construction has to be at least 5 Star.

In order to get $$ like your program, you have to do enough improvements to bring your house up a star, which is sometimes not possible or cost efficient.

 

[global72]

I considered it but never did the audit. We just did a bunch of the things our local power company was throwing in for. They paid 50% to blow in insulation into attic, 50% having the duct work sealed and 50% for some other AC/Heat pump improvements.

 

[jklingel]

We did. Learned we had more of an air leak than I thought, but couldn't get a star up, so no help on repairs. If you have a leaky and/or older house, or one that was not well built, it could be wonderful for you. I'd pay the $ and have it done. If nothing else, the next buyer knows what he is getting into. Good luck. j

 

[35mastr]

We just recently had one here where I work. They are trying to get all the spending down as low as possible. At over 100k a month now. They want to take a big bite out of it.

 

[Kevin54]

We had one done last year by our Co-Op. Through them it was free. I have a couple of issues that I need to address but nothing major. They rate our on a point system from something like 400-1000, with 400 being an old farm house with cracks, drafts, single pane windows, etc. and 1000 being a super efficient brand new, pipe in fresh air, super insulated house. Ours came in around 800 IIRC which she said is very good for a 20+ year old house. The thermal imaging pics showed no problems at all and the blower door test showed a few small leaks that needs to be sealed around the registers. Plus they gave us a nice box of energy efficient items, CFL's, a couple cans of expanding foam insulation, wall thermometers, caulking. I was pretty impressed as to what they did for free. So if anyone is with a Co-Op, check and see what you can get out of them.

 

[z28snksknr]

The "auditor" came through this past Friday. I thought they would do the whole audit then, but he was just collecting information about the house so he can see if I qualify for the program with the local gas company. Looking back, I paid $125 for someone to take an application... hmmm...

He did have some cool analyzers - one that he drilled holes in the furnace and water heater flues that calculated efficiency of the units. Water heater came in around 76% and the furnace was 73%. Good to know I guess, since they are "required" to install a 95% or better furnace, so there's 22% savings right there.

He also said they haven't done a house yet that was <40% energy savings and most invoices range from $16-18k, with the program paying almost 50% of that. Not bad. With some figuring, the monthly energy savings equaled more than the payments if you used the programs 10 year 0% financing.

 

[D.J.]

Well I hope the "inspector" sealed the holes he drilled into the flues with some sort of metal plug or something or you now have a place for CO to enter your residence!
Just my $ .02
Thanks D.J.
________
Ipad guide

 

[z28snksknr]

Well I hope the "inspector" sealed the holes he drilled into the flues with some sort of metal plug or something or you now have a place for CO to enter your residence!
Just my $ .02
Thanks D.J.

Yes, he used aluminum HVAC tape.

 

[rlme36]

Ct has this currently for all fuel types. I had it done on my house, the blower door test done before and after the air sealing, the leaks were reduced to almost the standard that they recommend. By doing the audit I qualified for up to $1.00 per sqft installed of high performance insulation. Had additional layers of cellulose blown in for the mains house attics up to R50 final value. Will get about half of what I spent back from the state. Win win the way I figured it. Now if they would include new outbuildings we'd be in business.

 

[jklingel]

One thing that bugs me about this whole deal is this (and if I am ignorant of something I missed, pls advise): Gov'ts are willing to help people who, for whatever reason, did not build well (and there are plenty of understandable reasons why that happens), but no one will give you any particular credit if you plan ahead and, say, grossly insulate in the first place. Why is this? When I checked into this years ago, I could only get $$ if I had added insulation during a particular period of time, excluding the original build. It makes a person think about building and leaving the attic real light the first year, then getting $$ to fill it in the next year, and/or adding blue foam to the outside. That's not necessarily in the spirit of the "retrofit law", but it has the same effect. Building and paying full price while watching your neighbor add on for half the cost could get a person frustrated. Enough whining for now. j

 

[Dragster Racer]

I would really like to do our new house. It is well insulated, but the little things I think add up on a larger home. I tried to find some sort of program in Illinois, but came up empty. Heck, I would pay a couple hundred to find where my problem areas are. It would pay for itself.
Anyone know how to find these programs? I am on propane and rural.

 

[rlme36]

One thing that bugs me about this whole deal is this (and if I am ignorant of something I missed, pls advise): Gov'ts are willing to help people who, for whatever reason, did not build well (and there are plenty of understandable reasons why that happens), but no one will give you any particular credit if you plan ahead and, say, grossly insulate in the first place. Why is this? When I checked into this years ago, I could only get $$ if I had added insulation during a particular period of time, excluding the original build. It makes a person think about building and leaving the attic real light the first year, then getting $$ to fill it in the next year, and/or adding blue foam to the outside. That's not necessarily in the spirit of the "retrofit law", but it has the same effect. Building and paying full price while watching your neighbor add on for half the cost could get a person frustrated. Enough whining for now. j

I think its more of a defense play by the energy suppliers, it costs them more money to have higher usage in the long term than to subsidize better utilization by their client base. Infrastructure expansion for electric is BIG money compared to tossing me a couple of grand for uping my insulation.

On a side note CT does offer rebates for new construction, 50 cents per sq ft installed, the use of energy star appliances, geo thermal heating & cooling etc etc.

 

[bry@n]

So when do you see if you qualify?

 

[jklingel]

I would really like to do our new house. It is well insulated, but the little things I think add up on a larger home. I tried to find some sort of program in Illinois, but came up empty. Heck, I would pay a couple hundred to find where my problem areas are. It would pay for itself.
Anyone know how to find these programs? I am on propane and rural.

•• When it is cold, find the biggest fan you can, and put it in a doorway, blowing out. Block off all around the fan, and block any openings that you can(range hood exhaust, etc). Turn the fan on and you should create a negative pressure in the house. Go around with a punk (no, not the kid down the road) or something else that smokes, and watch for drafts. If the draft is bad, you'll feel it. The fan test is what the auditor first did here. Common sources are, of course, any holes in the house, like around doors, windows, under exterior walls. If you find no leaks and your ear drums blow out, you have a tight house! Good luck. j

 

[jklingel]

I think its more of a defense play by the energy suppliers, it costs them more money to have higher usage in the long term than to subsidize better utilization by their client base. Infrastructure expansion for electric is BIG money compared to tossing me a couple of grand for uping my insulation.

•• OK, but it seems like it is just delaying the agony to tell a guy to "build cheap, we'll pay you later". Why not help out even a tad up front? I'll check into State and Fed regs again when I get into the build more seriously. Hopefully, the Big O and Friends will have awakened. "It's change we need", right?