photo: totalgreenenergysolutions.com
Before beginning any sustainable renovation on your home, be sure to identify which aspects of your home contribute to the most energy deficiencies. By completing a home energy audit a professional will assess what aspects of your home need to be corrected. An energy assessment report can tell any homeowner where they should invest their money in a sustainable renovation in order to see the most economic return in energy bill savings.
Some may suggest completing an assessment yourself but I would recommend hiring a professional auditor that is familiar with the climate and similar homes in the area. A professional auditor will have assessment tools such as blower doors, and infrared cameras. A blower door is used to detect leaks in the building envelope, namely doors and windows. Infrared cameras are highly efficient in detecting missing insulation in walls and thermal breaks in a building’s structure.
In addition to locating air leaks and missing insulation a professional auditor will check your heating and cooling systems as well as each lighting source to see where you can save on gas, water and electric usage.
