A Home Energy Assessment

Sign Up for Our Special Offers 

 

A home energy assessment is a complete, in-depth analysis of a home's energy efficiency. During this procedure, Brower Mechanical will use state-of-the-art equipment to analyze how energy is being used and where energy loss is occurring. By conducting an energy audit, our energy auditor is able to identify ways to either stop or reduce energy loss. Minimizing or eliminating energy loss altogether could result in dramatic savings to your energy bills. Once the audit is completed, you will receive a detailed report of the results. We often refer to this report as your roadmap to energy savings. The report will highlight any problems and include recommendations on what action needs to be taken to improve energy efficiency. An average home energy assessment takes about three hours to complete.

First Step

- Initial Interview

During this interview, our energy consultant will collect as much background information as possible about the house. Any existing energy or ventilation problems should be discussed at this stage, as well as your concerns, goals or any plans that you may have for your home (e.g. building an extension).

Second Step

- Outdoor Inspection

The outdoor inspection examines all the exterior aspects of the house. A thorough assessment is made of the doors, windows, overhangs and skylights - if any. The outside perimeter of the home will also be taken into account. This includes looking at the building orientation and any vegetation that affects shade and windbreak. If you are considering solar energy or a cool roof, we will also conduct a roof assessment.

Third Step

- Indoor Inspection

The indoor inspection is divided into the following sections:

Main Level

The examination of this area includes: thermostat, furnace, water heater, basement wall and band joist insulation if applicable, ducts for sealing and insulation, window sealing and locking and glazing, weather stripping for doors and windows, flooring, and overall character of the home.

Upper Floors

The examination of this area includes: attic hatch seals, canned lighting, attic insulation /ventilation and sealing of perforations in the ceiling below the attic.

Fourth Step

- Blower Door and Infrared Tests

This stage consists of two tests, each to ascertain different areas of concern:

Blower Door Test

The blower door test entails the use of specialized diagnostic equipment to measure the air tightness of the house. It will determine where any air leaks are occurring and what the total amount of that air leakage is. This test is also used to check if there are any moisture condensation problems, and to test the indoor air quality. The blower door test uses a powerful fan to depressurize the entire house and then check the rate at which air reenters the building through unsealed cracks and other openings in the building envelope.

Infrared Thermal Image Scan

In conducting this test, our energy auditor uses an infrared thermograph and a special infrared camera called a Forward Looking Infrared or FLIR camera. By using wavelengths which are invisible to the naked eye, the FLIR camera will measure temperature variations along the building's surfaces. In this way, "hot" and "cold" spots in the building envelope can be identified, allowing the auditor to form a picture of what's going on behind the walls. The scan enables the auditor to accurately pinpoint those areas where insulation and/or air sealing needs to be improved.

Fifth Step

Our assessor will review the preliminary findings and within one week, our energy consultant will return to your home, giving you a detailed report. This roadmap is a report that will outline specific steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient. By making energy efficient improvements to your home, you can qualify for a number of rebates and tax incentives offered by your utility company and federal and state governments.

Action

Ready to get started?  Contact us at 916-624-0808 or888-624-0808 and schedule your energy assessment now.

We at Brower Mechanical are trained and certified to help you through the entire process, leading you to a more comfortable, energy efficient home.  We will begin with an initial consultation, followed by building diagnostics assessment if necessary, to obtain an accurate picture of how your home systems are presently operating. If you know you want to make improvements, we can schedule these together.

We at Brower Mechanical are set up to stay with you through the entire process.  We will help you follow through with any recommendations that we make as part of your home assessment, and can specify and install the recommended product and service upgrades as well.   You’ll achieve your goals by tapping into cost effective, cutting edge, eco-friendly technologies and solutions that we will recommend.  We can also help you with project financing, if needed.   At Brower Mechanical, we know quick fixes don’t pay back.  Our sensible, cost effective approach will help you achieve desired energy savings with rapid return on investment. We can determine what rebates you are eligible for within your energy report.

We have been in business since 1979. We are a full service contractor with an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. We are participating contractors with Energy Upgrade California. We are home performance contractors with SMUD and PG&E.