Meet Your Energy Code Requirements With Our Array Of Energy Services
Our team of Certified Energy Raters offers a complete range of energy services including:
Energy-Check with a home inspection
Full Energy Audit of your existing home
Home Energy Score (HES)
Blower Door and Duct Leakage Testing Services
Manual J/D Report services
As inspectors our knowledge of home systems makes us valuable energy service specialists.
What Is An Energy Audit?
An Energy Audit is a specialized inspection of a home with an emphasis on reviewing items related to energy efficiency. Included is a review of Insulation levels, Air-Leakage concerns, Window performance, Heating-Cooling system efficiency, Water-Heating efficiency, and Lighting-Appliance recommendations. Includes Infra-Red scans of the home.
What is a Home Energy Score? (HES)
The Home Energy Score Report estimates home energy use, associated costs, and provides energy solutions to cost-effectively improve the home’s efficiency. Each Home Energy Score is shown on a simple one-to-ten scale, where a ten represents the most efficient homes.
If you are a home owner or a buyer, knowing your home’s energy score and following the energy-saving recommendations provided in your home energy report can save anywhere from 5-30% on energy costs.
What is a Blower Door?
A blower door is a machine used to measure the air-tightness of buildings. It can also be used to measure airflow between building zones, to test ductwork air-tightness and to help physically locate air leakage sites in a home. The blower door is temporarily setup in an outside door, and air is pulled out of the home, while the auditor goes from room to room finding air-leaks, typically with an infra-red camera.
What Is Looked At With Infra Red Scans?
During an Energy Survey or Energy Audit, IR scans of the home are performed in an effort to identify issues that may not be detectable with a standard visual inspection.
Insulation Status in Walls and Vaulted Ceilings – the walls and vaulted ceilings of the home will be scanned and reviewed, to help determine the status of the insulation present, whether gaps and voids exist, and whether missing areas are present.
- Air sealing
- Installing/upgrading insulation
- Upgrading or replacing heating and cooling systems
- Improving ventilation
- Sealing ducts
- Replacing hot water heaters
Moisture Issues – during the scanning of the home, potential moisture issues or hidden leaks may be detectable that would otherwise not be seen with a visual review. If areas of moisture are detected, a moisture meter can be used to verify the concern, prompting a recommendation for further evaluation.
Electrical Concerns – the electric panel can be scanned for over-heating and over-current conditions that may exist and not otherwise be visually detectable.
Hidden Roof Leaks – the roof sheathing in the attic can be scanned, looking for wet areas or potential leak areas that also may not otherwise be visually detectable.
Air Running Across ceiling in Kitchen. Infra-red technology is not without limitations and is not perfect. The images presented need to be interpreted, and often further investigation is needed to verify the findings. The technology does not see through walls, but merely displays the surface temperature of the area being scanned. However, wet areas are usually colder, insulation gaps are colder or warmer, and electric concerns tend to be warmer.
As a property inspector, I am actively in-tune with modern energy requirements. Because of this, Omni Property Inspections & Environmental is dedicated to helping homeowners and builders meet their energy requirements.
The builder and contractor community are under pressure from the ever changing energy codes (IECC) to build houses more energy efficiently, and to meet specific and sometimes stringent standards. Most of these energy standards require addition planning and preparation ( i.e. onsite Bower Door and Duct Leakage Testing).
With my property inspection experience, together with my energy efficiency expertise, I can help expedite the process of meeting your energy needs by providing all the required energy services, plus high-quality customer services and technical support.
