Home Energy Audit - What to Expect

Our Comfort/Energy Advisor will ask permission to look for anything that might affect the comfort, efficiency, longevity, and safe operation of the systems and house, even if we are there for a very specific reason. We do this because we believe it is our job to be advisors for you on all things related to these systems and how they interact with each other. We provide solutions and choices that can help you live better in your home. We want to make it clear that all of this is your decision and if you would prefer that our Advisor not look beyond the immediate issue, that is absolutely fine.

We believe it is our responsibility to look at the house and systems as a whole and advise you if we see things such as ductwork in poor condition, moisture and/or growth in crawlspaces, inadequate attic or floor insulation, items that are not up to current building codes (such as dryer venting systems that are not metal pipe or need to be cleaned), equipment is beyond the average life expectancy, just to name a few. We believe it is our responsibility to make you aware of new technology and products that are available that might enhance the comfort, efficiency, and safety of your home.

After the initial discussion, our Advisor will begin the inspection of the house and existing systems. Depending on what is found and the original reason for the visit, this could take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours or even more if it is a larger home. We realize that your time is very valuable, and we value that, however, we believe it is our responsibility to evaluate the house and systems in a manner to help you make an informed decision. In most houses, this cannot be done in only a few minutes. The type of work we perform can require a large investment so we will do our best to be as thorough as possible so you can invest as little as possible to solve the issue at hand.

We will be gathering information about the house and all the systems related to comfort and energy efficiency which can include the existing equipment size & type, examining the area where equipment is located, taking pictures of the potential work area, measuring the home for a system load calculation, examining the insulation in the home, looking for any excessive moisture, code issues, ductwork condition plus many others. We may use tools such as an IR Camera and Infiltrometer to help us determine what the best solutions are to present to you. This allows us to have a somewhat scientific and diagnostic approach to problem solving and determining the best solutions to propose.

After all the needed information is obtained, our Comfort/Energy Advisor will do a quick review of the information with you and what you are looking to accomplish before moving to the next step.

If we have all the information needed and you are comfortable, we will then ask permission to complete the proposal while on site. Again, we realize how valuable your time is and therefore really want to minimize how much time we take while still giving you as much information as possible.

Our Advisor will then proceed to put together a proposal for the work requested unless you do not have time or the proposal will require something unusual that requires outside information or possibly the help of one of our partners to complete the work or proposal. The proposal will typically include at least three choices so you know that there is almost always more than one way to address an issue in your home. Very rarely will you be limited to only one solution. During this phase, we welcome as many questions as possible. We will always do our best to explain our solutions but we also know that some of what we might propose could be something that you have never seen before or have never had to deal with before. Now is the time to ask as many questions as possible.

If we have done our job properly up to this point, we believe that you will be moving forward with the work. However, we also know that all the persons involved in the decision may not be present. If you are not ready to make a decision, our Comfort/Energy Advisor will ask for permission to follow up on a certain date/time.

We greatly appreciate the opportunity to present solutions that will improve the comfort and energy efficiency in your home. We believe strongly that no one will serve you better or stand by the work better than we will.

Sincerely,
Steven Long
President, Residential Divisions

What are the signs you need a Home Energy Audit?

1. Drafty rooms: Although the problem may be your windows, don't assume that to be the case. Convective currents (or just improper installations) are usually to blame.
2. Rooms too hot or too cold: Having some rooms that are harder to heat or cool indicates problems with your insulation, ducts, or the heating and cooling system.
3. Dusty rooms: It has to be coming in from somewhere! An improperly sealed home, leaky duct, and/or improperly balanced duct system are all potential culprits.
4. Heating/cooling system runs continuously or turns on/off frequently: This may indicate an overly leaky or drafty home or an improperly sized heating or cooling system.
5. Asthma or allergies: Homes that are too leaky or drafty bring unwanted allergens into your home from outdoors - a sign that you may need to seal your home.
6. Odd or musty smells: Musty smells usually mean mold. It doesn't take high concentrations of mold to create odors; microscopic and airborne mold affect your health. Moreover, it's usually the result of energy efficiency issues as well.
7. De/humidifiers or pests: If you have to run a humidifier or dehumidifier, or you've treated your home for pest issues, you're probably treating the symptoms and not the source.
8. Cold floors: This is usually a sign of problems with your insulation, ducts, weaknesses in the thermal and pressure boundaries, and /or am improperly sized HVAC system.
9. Rooms over garages: These rooms are generally neglected, with consideration to the envelope of the home. Because of this, they're often riddled with energy and comfort issues.
10. Cracks in walls: Although the blame usually lands on the settlement of the home, expansion and contraction from moisture levels and rotting crawl spaces can also lead to cracks in the walls.
11. Paint peeling or blistering: This relates directly to the relative humidity in your home. If your home has excessive dryness or humidity; it's a sign of larger issues.
12. Dirty around registers: This is an indication that condensation is occurring and collecting a higher amount of dirt. This is a good clue that other problems also exist.
13. Crawl spaces: If you have a crawl space, you need an energy evaluation for many reasons. Energy loss, mold growth, temperature imbalance, rotting wood... the list goes on and on. Simply put, there is nothing good about a musty, rotting, drafty crawl space beneath your home
14. High energy bills: If you are experiencing high energy bills, making specific repairs to your home will save you money and make your home more comfortable and efficient.

If you have any questions between now and your Home Energy Audit, please feel free to contact us at, leads@gsmsince1927.com, or call or text us at 704-864-0344. Thank you again for choosing GSM Services!