As a participating contractor with MD Home Performance with
ENERGY STAR (MDHPwES) (www.mdhomeperformance.org),
energy auditing is done to exacting standards by highly trained
technicians utilizing state of the art diagnostic equipment,
and using a 'top to bottom, whole-house approach'.
 Sponsored
by the Maryland
Energy Administration, the Maryland Home Performance
program is an energy efficiency program geared toward Maryland
homeowners inspired by Governor Martin O'Malley's initiative,
EmPOWER Maryland. The Governor has set a goal for the state
to reduce electricity consumption by 15% per person by 2015.
The program is modeled after the U.S. Department of Energy
and Environmental Protection Agency's national Home
Performance with ENERGY STAR program.
The diagnostic home energy
audit helps you solve your comfort problems and understand
why you're spending so much to heat and cool your home. A
diagnostic audit uses tools such as a blower door, infrared
thermal imaging camera, a moisture meter and combustion analyzer
to measure pressure, temperature, locate moisture and analyze
combustion gases to give exact answers to specific energy
questions.
The infrared camera is
particularly useful in identifying hidden insulation, air
leakage and moisture problems. A diagnostic audit is designed
to shed light on the interrelations of home systems that can
affect energy use, comfort, health, safety and durability.
The energy investigator uses high-tech tools to measure everything,
but a solid knowledge of home systems is most important. That
is to say, the inspector or auditor has to know how one home
system affects another system, which is why an energy audit
to US Home Performance standards is as good as one gets. A
typical energy audit will provide both a review of the issues
and recommendations to solve the problems.
The recommendations are
sorted by importance. Health and safety is always at the top
of the list followed generally by comfort and cost effectiveness.
Once you have decided to take an action you are well on your
way to saving energy and creating a safer and healthier world.
A standard US Home Performance audit takes approximately 3
hours or longer, and will cost from $375 on up depending on
complexity.
|
