What is the Home Energy Audit?
The first step to a healthier and safer home is to schedule a Home Energy Audit with GreenSavers where we will conduct a comprehensive test of your home and make recommendations that will help you save money on bills, make your home more energy efficient, improve indoor air quality, and help you create a safer, more comfortable place to live.
The Home Energy Audit allows us to take a holistic approach to making your home work as a system. We use state of the art diagnostic equipment to evaluate your entire home and then we create an action plan indentifying changes you can make, and estimating your energy savings, your Energy Trust of Oregon Incentives, and tax credits.
Energy Trust of Oregon has created a series of videos that we have posted below to demonstrate how the Comprehensive Home Test works. These tests (and many more) will be conducted in your home by a GreenSavers energy expert to help you take the next steps towards a more comfortable and energy efficient place to live. Call GreenSavers today to schedule your Home Energy Audit: (541) 330-8767.
Energy Audit Videos
Home Energy Audit
The comprehensive home energy audit will test your home for energy efficiency, healthier indoor air quality, and provide solutions for you to live in a safer, more comfortable home.
Exterior Inspection
The exterior inspection begins with an examination of moisture problems, proper attic and crawl space ventilation, and window inefficiencies. Your GreenSavers energy expert will look for discoloration on the siding or roofing, gutters and downspouts that are not working properly, and other drainage issues, especially water flowing towards the house.
Interior Inspection
The interior inspection entails a search for moisture problems by your GreenSavers home energy expert, such as staining on the walls and ceilings. Signs of high relative humidity in the house can indicate structural damage and durability issues which could lead to significant health problems.
Attic Inspection
The most important aspect of the attic inspection is checking for proper insulation, which is measured in R-values, with a high R-value being most effective. The recommended insulation is 12 – 18 inches with a 15 – 38 R-value or higher, which will keep heat from transferring to your ceiling and out through your roof.
Crawl Space and Basement Inspection
Your GreenSavers home energy contractor will look for moisture problems such as standing water as well as a vapor barrier to keep moisture from affecting the living area. Good insulation, coupled with proper air sealing under the house, is critical to a healthy home.
Diagnostic Testing – Combustion Safety
After locating all the combustion appliances in the house, your GreenSavers home energy auditor will test them for safety and efficiency. Are they firing and operating safely? Are they emitting toxic air into your home like carbon monoxide? Natural gas leaks, gaseous toxin levels, and the energy efficiency level of appliances will also be tested.
Diagnostic Testing – Blower Door
The only way to quantify the actual volume of air leaking out of your home is through a blower door test. A frame covered with a lightweight cloth and a fan is placed at an exterior door. An instrument called a monometer measures air pressure so the contractor can then calculate air infiltration and leakage.
Diagnostic Testing - Duct Leakage
For homes with forced air heating and cooling, leaky ducts can increase utility costs by 15 – 30%, even in newer homes. Leaky ducts can also pull dust, pollutants and odors into your house. It is not uncommon to find ducts partially or even completely disconnected. Sealing ducts saves energy and money, and improves air quality and overall comfort in the home.
