Houston Home Energy Audits
Call (281) 342-5762 to schedule a Home Energy Tune-uP®
Is your money leaving your house through cracks in the walls? Have you considered making your home more more energy efficient?
Here are some energy facts!
- Save an average of 25% on your energy bill ($450/year);
- Find out which improvements to make – the Tune-uP report will estimate the savings and costs of each potential upgrade;
- Increase the comfort of your home – no drafts; better temperature control;
- Increase the value of your home – each dollar spent on Tune-uP-recommended improvements will increase the future sales value by more than a dollar
The Four Easy Steps Of Home Energy Tune-uP®
Step 1: ENERGY INSPECTION
A certified energy inspector examines and measures the home and finds all opportunities for energy savings.
- To reduce utility bills, the first step is to find out where you are wasting energy.
- To do this, you need a residential energy inspection—which should be done by a certified energy inspector who has no financial interest in the improvements recommended.
- The energy inspector will examine, measure, and evaluate the factors that affect energy use in your home, e.g., size of the home, efficiency of appliances, insulation, draftiness of rooms, and efficiency of heating and cooling systems (HVAC).
Step 2: DETAILED HOME ENERGY ANALYSIS
- The information gathered during the energy audit is analyzed using specialized software to produce a comprehensive Home Energy Tune-uP® Report. The Report shows which energy-efficiency improvements would reduce energy costs and make the home more comfortable. The analysis takes into account regional variables such as local weather, implementation costs, and fuel prices.
- The Report contains estimates of the savings, costs and payback for each energy-efficiency recommendation. It identifies the group of improvements that, if financed, will save more on energy bills than it costs. These are the improvements that everyone can make since they require no out-of-pocket cost when financed.
- The detailed Recommendations section enables contractors to provide preliminary cost estimates without a visit to your home. It also explains how to get the best energy savings from these improvements by listing related no-cost low-cost measures that you can take. See a Sample Tune-uP Report
Step 3: IMPLEMENTATION BY ENERGY EXPERT
The Report provides access to a database of contractors, a direct line to an energy expert, and access to other energy products and services.
Step 4: FINANCING TO IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The report lists the improvements that, when financed, will save more than they cost. It includes information on the Streamlined (k) Limited Repair Program by which home buyers and homeowners can finance up to an additional $35,000 into their mortgage for energy-efficiency improvements identified by their home inspector.
Energy Issues And You
With ever-rising energy prices, home owners are trying to find ways to make their homes more energy efficient. Some options might include:
- having an energy audit or inspection of their home to help pinpoint energy dollars that could be saved
- installing energy efficient appliances - like Energy Star rated appliances
- upgrading to energy efficient windows or installing window treatments (like solar film or shades)
- adding solar energy technology to their homes
- lowering/raising thermostat temperatures to use less energy
- installing more energy efficient heating or cooling systems
- switching to alternative fuel sources or green power sources
- finding help from their utilities to pay their bills
A Home Energy Tune-uP® or a HERS Rating?
Rating the energy efficiency of homes has been used primarily by home builders who want to market their new homes as being energy efficient. This rating system has not been readily adopted by owners of existing homes and their REALTORS® because older homes are less energy efficient than new ones, and therefore get lower grades. The majority of older homes would score somewhere between 40 and 70, depending on their age, whereas a home built today should score at least 80. If the home scores 86 or higher, it is considered an Energy Star rated home.
Tune-uP, developed by CMC Energy Services , was designed specifically for owners of older homes who want to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes, rather than grade them. With a more detailed Report, quick access to low-cost financing, a low price tag, and more inspectors to do the energy audits, Tune-uP is an excellent choice for owners or buyers of older homes, whereas rating remains the choice for builders of new homes.
The Home Energy Tune-uP® Report
Your key to a more comfortable home with lower energy bills
- An Inventory of all energy using systems and appliances, including condition and replacement dates.
- Cost effective recommended upgrades. < each for savings energy>
- Estimated cost of installation for each recommendation.
- Identifying the group of recommendations whose energy savings exceed the cost when financed.
- Financing options.
- An explanation of each recommendation.
- A discussion of low-cost or no cost improvements.
- Resources to help find contractors and suppliers for implementation.
