Energy Audit Q&A

A Severna Park resident had an energy audit completed for her home in late November and shared her experience with me.

My first question was to gain an understanding about what were her reasons for doing the audit. There were several motivating factors. She had concerns about whether or not her home had the recommended insulation, especially in the attic. She was also frustrated with high electrical bills, and wanted to reduce her home’s impact on the environment where feasibly possible. To read the complete Q&A click here.

I also chatted with Adam Levitt, President of Pro Energy Consultants the company that completed this homeowner’s energy audit. I asked him what were the top sources for energy loss in homes. He explained there were three he saw most frequently. The first is lack of air sealing along the sill plate. He also commonly finds unsealed duct work. The third source of energy loss comes often from deficiency of insulation in the attic.

Adam hears many different reasons why homeowners are considering an energy audit. Sometimes homeowners are frustrated with a room(s) feeling cold and/or drafty, and high utility bills. Now and then, homeowners may even have concerns about their home’s air quality. Either because the air is smelling badly or they are experiencing allergy and/or some kind other respiratory problems.

The most surprising thing for the homeowner was not being told she must replace all of her windows. Instead, she was advised to improve the insulation in her attic, and fix a number of small air leaks in other areas of her home. Even though Adam did not put window replacement at the top of her ‘to do’ list, she will consider replacing them next year.

If you have questions or comments, please email me at jmhall@villabuildersinc.com
Thanks for reading,
Joanne