Energy Services
What Is An Energy Audit?
Home Energy Audits are very popular because of the incentives and energy savings homeowners can take advantage of. The home energy experts at Hutchinson are ranked in the top three HVAC companies in the US in terms of completed home energy projects. Hutchinson can help you with all the paperwork and logistics of qualifying for state-sponsored energy programs.
Why schedule an ENERGY STAR Audit?
The Energy Audit examines your home’s health and safety and will identify how and where you can reduce energy use. This analysis includes:
- Health & Safety Inspection: During the ENERGY STAR Home Energy Audit we survey your home for possible home health and safety concerns. We look for asbestos-like materials, active mold, roof leaks, gas leaks, exhausts that are not vented properly and we scientifically test your home’s gas using appliance to determine if they are functioning efficiently, safely and are not creating carbon-monoxide exhaust issues.
- Identifying Air-Sealing Opportunities: Our ENERGY Auditor looks for air leaks in attics, basements and crawlspaces. Sealing these leaks with caulk and foam will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing utility bills up to 8%.
- Determining where there is sufficient Insulation: Very few homes meet the ENERGY STAR’s insulation standard of R-38. When correctly installed with air sealing, insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills by as much as 8%.
- Inspection of heating system efficiencies: Those that qualify for the ENERGY STAR rating operate at efficiencies greater than 90%. Older homes that convert their older +/-75% heating system to an ENERGY STAR rated system, especially when utilizing HYBRID technology, can reduce their utility bill over 10%.
- Air conditioning: We will check to see if your air conditioning qualifies for an ENERGY STAR rating with a higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and EER(Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating. Investing in one that is, will help you lower your utility bill up to 4%.
- Water heaters: Heating water accounts for approximately 15% of a home’s energy use. High efficiency water heaters use 10 to 50% less energy than standard models. Older homes with pilot style, chimney vented water heaters that install 95% hi-efficiency water heaters lower their bills up to 7%.
- Appliances: We inspect and recommend appliances that should be upgraded to ENERGY STAR. Upgrading old appliances to ENERGY STAR rated appliances will help lower your bills by 3%.
- Lighting: By replacing your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures of their respective bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR, you can save $70 each year.
- Written report: Your information will be analyzed to determine necessary steps for reducing energy costs, improving comfort and making your home healthier. We will create and review a detailed summary of our findings and recommendations that will also show your potential energy savings.