Home Energy & Health Audits
A Comprehensive Home Energy & Health Audit utilizing state-of-the-art building science inspection and diagnostic techniques is your best first step. GCC follows a house-as-a-system approach to identify the causes of problems in your home and determine comprehensive solutions. GCC Auditors perform a full series of inspections and testing to assess your home's performance including energy usage.
Our Auditor Partners will provide you with a detailed onsite report including energy and health upgrade opportunities and financial estimates specifically tailored to your home and priorities. Once you receive an Audit and develop a weatherization and retrofitting strategy with our Auditor Partner, you are ready to develop an action plan. Green Collar Crew can help you sort through the options and guide you toward the most effective solutions.
Audit Items Covered
Building Envelope - Air Infiltration
The shell or “building envelope” of a home is designed to protect occupants from outdoor elements. Unfortunately, most existing homes have building envelope air leakage, known as infiltration, through windows, doors, walls, floors and ceilings, as well as attics and crawl spaces. Studies show that 35 to 40% of heating and cooling costs pay for infiltration alone. Your Auditor will use a Blower Door to measure the amount of air infiltration and identify critical leaks.
Heating, Cooling & Ventilation Systems
Duct Leakage
Leaky ducts are a leading cause of poor indoor air quality as pollutants are drawn into the system, re-circulated and distributed throughout the home through the heating and cooling systems. Homeowners lose 20% to 45% of heating and cooling energy through leaky and poorly insulated ducts.
Equipment Sizing & Performance Efficiency
The national average of HVAC system performance is 60%, meaning if your system is not properly sized, charged, tuned/commissioned or has an improperly designed duct system, you are receiving about 60% of what you paid for. Proper Duct Renovation is typically a better option than replacing equipment. Your Auditor will provide performance testing on your HVAC system.
Ventilation & Fresh Air
Most heating and cooling system simply recirculate interior stale polluted air instead of introducing fresh air into your home. Interior air pollution can be 5-30% more polluted than outside air.
Water Heating & Usage
Water heating accounts for 15%-20% of your total home energy use. Ensuring a well maintained, insulated, properly set and energy efficient water heater is critical to creating an energy efficient home. The most cost-effective way to decrease water consumption is to install low-flow shower heads and faucets. Your Auditor will measure water flow from your showers.
Insulation
Insulation is only effective if it is a continuous thermal barrier, with no air gaps or voids, and is in continuous contact with the air barrier or building envelope. Batt insulation is very often improperly installed, stuffed into stud cavities (including in front of or behind piping and wiring) with gaps and voids between the batt and the drywall. When insulation is compressed, it loses R value. Your Auditor will be utilizing a Thermal Imaging Camera to help identify of missing or improperly installed insulation.
Moisture and Mold
Attic
An effective thermal barrier can prevent humid outside air infiltration. If there are flaws in that barrier, breaks and leaks, this moist air can be drawn into the conditioned space. Moisture build up like this will breed mold and mildew. During the winter months, if warm air leaks from the home, it will condense on the cool attic sheathing and create an environment for mold.
Crawl Space
Crawl space vents can draw humid air from the outside and allow it to condense on cool surfaces where this moisture promotes mold growth. If there are leaks in the crawlspace return ducts, mold spores can be drawn into the ventilation system. A majority of the air you breathe in your home comes up from your crawl space and it can be perfect for breeding mold and toxins that can affect your family's health. Sealing your crawl space keeps mold away with a high quality moisture barrier and converts it into a semi-conditioned dry space.
Room Imbalances
Pressure and Indoor Drafts
Bedrooms and bathrooms usually have a forced air supply but no return path except through an open door. If bedroom and bathroom doors are shut, pressures build causing low pressures in the main central area. These negative pressures in the central area can create a vacuum effect which pulls outdoor air through the garage, attic, crawl space, and around windows and doors. In the winter this would be cold and drafty air, in summer, hot and humid air.
Temperature
Hot and cold spots in walls, ceilings, and floors radiate uncomfortable temperatures. They are caused by improper framing-breaks in the air barrier, missing or improperly installed insulation.
Combustion Appliances
Combustion appliances need fuel and air to burn and operate properly. Room pressure imbalances in a house can quickly result in the back drafting of an open combustion gas water heater or furnace and lead to dangerous consequences. Your Auditor will check for worst case scenario of negative pressure in all rooms containing open combustion burning appliances.
Carbon Monoxide Levels
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a natural byproduct of the combustion fuel process. It’s important that CO levels be controlled and appliances properly vented to ensure the safety and well-being of your family. Your Auditor will test CO levels at all gas appliances and check for gas leaks near the units.
Indoor Air Pollutants
Toxins are commonly found in our home environment in the form of mold, pollen, carbon monoxide, pesticides, chemicals and fertilizers. After eliminating direct sources of pollutants, controlling moisture and room pressures inside homes are the keys to improving indoor air quality (IAQ) levels and your family’s health.
Rainwater Management
Rainwater drainage can rot roof sections where rooflines join at right angles if they are not properly flashed. Grading must divert stormwater away from house foundation. Foundation drains should be installed (separately from gutter drain lines) around the perimeter of the house to move groundwater away from the foundation.
Preparing for Your Audit
A typical Comprehensive Home Energy & Health Audit will take approximately 1.5 to 3.5 hours. A Consultation will take approximately 1 hour. Please review and sign the Auditor's Pre-Audit Agreement prior to your Auditor beginning her/his Audit. Once signed, your Auditor will begin the Audit with a conversation with you to learn more of your concerns and specific information about your home.
Below are steps we ask you to take prior to your Audit so your Auditor can efficiently audit your home with minimal interruption to you or your family: