 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richardson Home Inspections and "The Home Green Team"
Below are questions we frequently receive about home energy performance audits, blower door testing, energy efficiency, and how a home energy survey can help you make decisions that will lower your energy bill. If your question is not listed below or the answer is not satisfactory, please contact us.
- What is a home energy audit?
A home energy audit is a whole-house assessment of the energy efficiency of your home. This inspection seeks to diagnose sources of high home energy expenditure, with the goal of informing you how to retrofit your home to lower energy bills, increase home comfort, and make your house more environmentally-friendly.
- Why do I need a home energy audit inspector?
A home energy audit inspector uses state-of-the-art technology to run the diagnostic tests associated with your home energy survey. Our knowledgeable inspectors will recommend qualified contractors to carry out any necessary improvements. After your home energy retrofitting is complete, your home energy audit inspector will do a follow-up analysis to ensure energy efficiency goals are met.
- What is the best time of year to do a home energy audit?
A home energy survey takes only a few hours and can be performed at any time of the year. Our Green Energy Compass test is particularly suited to every season. Please note, however, that blower door testing requires a shutdown of the furnace or air conditioning for the duration of the test and also necessitates closed doors and sealed windows. These prerequisites may lead some homeowners to request home energy audits during more temperate seasons.
- How is a home energy audit conducted?
Our home energy performance audit consists of a three-part diagnostic process involving
- blower door testing – an evaluation of your home’s airflow to measure air exchange and locate sources of air leaks
- thermal imaging – an analysis utilizing infrared testing to determine your home’s insulation performance
- combustion safety analysis – an examination of the combustion appliances in your home to measure carbon monoxide emissions and identify other possible safety hazards
- How will blower door testing help me identify energy leaks?
By forcing air into your home and measuring the resultant air pressure, blower door testing serves to pinpoint all sources of air infiltration within your house—those drafty places responsible for leaking your heated or cooled air to the outside. Identifying the biggest culprits for air leakage is your first step toward reducing energy expenditure and achieving lower energy bills.
- Why is thermal imaging so important to your energy audit?
Infrared testing stands as one of the fastest and most accurate means of investigating the insulation capabilities of your home. Our high-tech cameras use infrared imaging to detect thermal loss or thermal gain and determine exactly how much energy is leaking from your home.
- Do I have to leave my home during the inspection?
Our home energy audits, which typically last two to three hours, are safe and do not require a vacant home. Please be aware that a home energy survey cannot be performed on a house insulated with asbestos or vermiculite insulation, which is dangerous if disturbed.
- What is the ENERGY STAR® Program?
Sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Education, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® is a national program geared toward protecting the environment and improving home energy efficiency through home energy surveys.
- What federal incentives exist for home energy retrofitting?
Homeowners who retrofit their homes in an attempt to make them more energy efficient qualify for certain federal tax credits. To learn more, please visit energystar.gov/taxcredits. For state and local incentives, see the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (DSIRE): dsireusa.org/
- What areas of Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia do you serve?
We offer home energy surveys in the following Maryland and Washington, DC, areas
- Anne Arrundel
- Baltimore
- Baltimore City
- Carroll
- Frederick
- Howard
- Montgomery
- Prince George’s
- Washington, DC
- We also provide services to these areas of Northern Virginia
- Alexandria
- Arlington
- Fairfax
- Falls Church
- Loudoun
- How do I schedule a home energy performance audit appointment?
For further questions, or to schedule an appointment, call us at 301-942-4610, or contact us.
Please contact us for more information about Maryland home energy surveys, blower door testing, how to lower your energy bill, and more.
|
 |
Schedule Your Home Energy Performance Audit Today
Don’t wait to discover how you can increase your home’s comfort, lower your energy bills, and achieve an energy efficient home.
To schedule your home energy performance survey,
call us at 301-942-4610,
or contact us.
Please contact us for more information about home energy performance
surveys,
blower door testing, how to lower your energy bill, and more.
 |
 |
