How do I Know this Stuff?

If you are interested in figuring out how much attic insulation costs, there might not be any better way than to look at a project than through the eyes of a certified home energy auditor - such as myself.

I set out into Maryland communities every day to perform comprehensive home energy audits for BGE and Pepco utility energy customers by inspecting their attics, crawl spaces, and basements and then providing them with solutions, insulation costs, and returns on their potential investments.

Each home energy audit requires that a specific set of data points for the house get collected. During that process, it is an auditor's job to determine what "opportunities" exist for low-cost insulation improvements, also known as retrofits. 

Retrofitting is the work that goes into Home Performance. 

You will find loose fill insulation, spray foam in different varieties, fiberglass insulation, rigid foam board, caulk, baffles and attic domes if you visited a home performance project while in progress.

Making a real impact on your comfort and overall energy efficiency is the goal of the comprehensive home energy assessment and the subsequent retrofitting.
 

Home Performance vs. Attic Insulation

In addition to the bottom line cost of attic insulation, another thing you must consider is the two different ways you can go about getting insulation pricing and how they differ.  You don't want to miss key techniques that make a big difference in your final results.

1. Typical Insulation Quote

Most people tend to get an insulation cost estimate the familiar way which is to call ABC Insulation Company and have a rep come out, take a look in the attic, and give them a price. 

After all, it is only insulation and it is in the attic.  How hard can it really be?

2. Home Performance: Comprehensive Energy Audit

An energy audit has a primary goal: to evaluate your home as a complete system and report back to you.  The energy audit is actually an assessment and it uses a whole-house approach to calculate energy usage deficiencies and find ways to make everything work much, much better.  And, it comes with measurable results.

Much like the performance of your car increases with a tune-up, your home can perform better after tightening things up!  This means that you are able to sit in the driver's seat when it comes to creating better comfort and efficiency. 

Another key benefit of getting the audit done is knowing that all of the possible insulation costs will be uncovered in advance for accurate pricing and budgeting. -Top-

Think About Home Insulation in Three-Dimensional Ways
 

Common Insulation Misperceptions

Most homeowners think that the more insulation you have the more efficient you are and the more comfortable you will be.

Others believe that insulation is missing in their walls and it is the reason why bills are high and comfort is low.

But, if you miss the opportunity to insulate your home correctly, then it could leave you scratching your head about why it is not more comfortable in the house and why the energy bill has not gone down.

What does it mean to insulate effectively? 
 

Establish a Pressure & Thermal Boundary

If you have had a typical insulation quote recently and the representative did not mention the pressure and thermal boundary then you might be on a path to an incorrectly installed insulation project.

Most insulation, alone, will not stop the flow of air.

Insulation is similar to a jacket.  If a jacket is not zipped, the air flows inside and around the shell resulting in loss of body heat and comfort woes. 

If insulation (thermal boundary) has nothing stopping the flow of air (pressure boundary), then your home loses energy and you feel drafts.
 

Building Envelope

Identifying your house's envelope or "shell" is important for a properly estimated and installed insulation project.

Knowing where insulation is needed at every turn and what type of insulation is best for the job is an energy auditor's assignment.

Pressure dynamics inside your house create infiltration (air coming in) and exfiltration (air going out) in places that will get missed if building science principles are not applied during a typical insulation quote.
 

Incorrect Diagnosis

A typical insulation quote may provide information about insulation for walls which is costly and will undoubtedly yield little to no meaningful results. 

An energy audit is a great way to gain a new perspective on how your home is actually losing energy and why the top and bottom are way more important than the sides. 
 

Testing

Did you know that a properly installed insulation project around the house is likely to yield measurable results compared to window and door projects that tend to cost more?

For starters, an energy audit will perform an air leakage test (blower door test) and each window and door can be checked.

The blower door test is not something you would get with a typical insulation quote. 

The test can show how ceilings, walls, floors, and basement areas all lead to as much as 40% of a home's air leakage compared to only 10% for windows and doors.  -Top-
 

The Attic Insulation Technician - Required Skills

Determining how much attic insulation costs also will depend on the solution's complexity. Each home is quite different and getting measurable results requires hiring skilled technicians that are properly trained on how to do the job right.

Sealing and insulating a building shell requires technicians to work in tight spaces. Crews must be in good physical condition.
 

Watch this skilled technician install a baffle at the attic low point.

Often times similar houses in the same development have different problems. Through the years, different owners make changes to the building shell. Each property owner had their own "vision" along the way.
 

X-Ray Vision

For the best results, technicians must have good general knowledge of residential building construction, including basic knowledge about the techniques that are used when building additions.

The insulation crew needs to be able to look past the boundaries that the eye can see so that sealing the right spots or not sealing the right spots is constantly being considered.

Otherwise, important measures required to make the job effective, may not get completed.

The quality of the workmanship should and does factor into the cost of an attic insulation job.  -Top-

 

Proper Measurements Are Key to Attic Insulation Cost

Houses that need pricing for attic insulation usually have lots of twists and turns.  This is not because the insulation is different or because the house is older, rather it is a simple fact that all houses are complicated.

Knowing how to evaluate things from all six sides when determining the proper treatment is key to accurate insulation pricing.

Missing a measurement or a location where insulation is required could be the difference between not only an accurately priced job but also a job that will yield the desired results. 

Similarly, if you don't seal all of the holes in a leaky boat then you might as well not seal any cause you're still gonna sink!  

A detailed work scope should be provided with specific information about the area/measurements and treatment methods. -Top-
 

The Size and Style of Home Impacts Insulation Cost

In all cases, insulation around a home must be contiguous with an air barrier. That is that the insulation and the air barrier must be together wherever the boundary between inside and outside exists.

When considering how much attic insulation costs, it should be understood that the price depends on the style and size of the home.

If a home has high ceilings in a bedroom and a standard ceiling in the hallway, there could be higher costs. This configuration creates a knee wall that also needs insulation.

If a house has a crawl space foundation and also has high ceilings on the upper floors, then the cost will be higher than a home that does not have those features.

A good general way to figure out the cost comparison of two insulation jobs is to determine the overall square footage of the home's envelope or building shell.-Top-
 

What are the Costs of Having Existing Insulation Removed?

In most home renovation projects it is customary to get rid of the old.  For example, during a replacement roofing project, the old shingles are stripped off the roof and thrown into a dumpster not to be used again.  The old shingles have no value.  In fact, adding shingles over top of old shingles will actually lower the value of the project and the overall value of the home.

Insulation, on the other hand, is different.  The insulation in your attic, believe it or not, does have some value.  For example, if you have 10 inches of fiberglass rolled batting insulation on your attic floor, the R-Value is calculated at 10 inches by a factor of 2.1 to get the R-Value of the material.  So, in essence, the insulation is giving you back some insulating qualities.

Unfortunately, as in the scenario above, there is typically not enough insulation to adequately separate the living space from the outside.  But, there is no reason to get rid of the value that you do have.  For example, if the R-Value of your existing insulation is calculated at R-20 and the recommended value should be R-49, then you only need R-29 to get where you need to be.

Removing existing insulation actually gets you further away from the mark you need to hit and will end up costing you more.

Here is one key thing to always remember: there is virtually no reason to remove existing insulation on the attic floor.  Insulation is on the "outside" of your home. 

Insulation that has been subjected to mold growth will not be a threat to your health if the issue causing the mold growth is stopped.  Therefore, throwing away insulation that has mold on it once the problem is resolved is a waste of resources.

Once you stop a moisture issue in an attic that is leading to mold, it is not necessary to remove the dirty insulation.-Top-
 

Solutions: Insulation Cost Analysis

**Pricing listed in this article is based on information gathered in the Maryland market.

There is an expression in team sports like football and basketball.  It goes something like this: "Let's take what the defense is giving us".  Essentially, what the team is saying is let's go after the places that the other team is not guarding.  The path of least resistance, so to speak.

In preexisting homes, it is a similar game plan.  We have to "take what the house is giving us".  This means that careful consideration should be given to treating the areas that are accessible compared to the areas that cannot be reached.  This approach will have a significant impact on the overall cost.  

As a general rule, when you are dealing with a Home Performance contractor, the overall goal is to find the opportunities that: 

SAVE YOU THE MOST and COST YOU THE LEAST!
 

Watch to Get More Insight Into Attic Issues
 

-Top-
 

Insulation Costs

Let's take a look at what items are on the retrofit list and figure out a little more about each type of project including what is involved with treatment and how much each insulation solution costs.
 

Cost for Rim Joist Air Sealing & Insulation

$5.25 per linear foot

Air Seal and Insulate Rim Joist - The cost of an attic insulation job should also include easy-to-access areas in the basement or at the foundation area.  Great opportunities to seal the basement exist at the top of the foundation wall.  Basement work in tandem with attic work will yield the best overall results. 

-Top-

Watch before and after treatment to the basement rim and band joist.

Knee Walls Insulation Cost and Treatment Methods

$4.25 per square foot

General Knee Wall Insulation with Air Barrier - Generally, a knee wall is much like an exterior wall.  The difference - it is accessible from an attic area.  Knee walls are usually insulated, but not well, and as a result, they are major sources of energy loss and comfort complaints.  To properly "button" up a knee wall, you can expect to pay for air sealing, new insulation, and some type of air barrier (sheathing).

$3.50 per linear foot

Block & Seal Knee Wall Attic Floor Gaps - A big issue that many homeowners don't address is the space between floors.  The space between the floors is only accessible if certain types of residential home construction. 

-Top-

Check out a knee wall issue and how it gets treated.

Attic Access Costs & Solution Types

From $175 up to $300 per opening

Most homes have at least one way to get to an attic space that needs to be sealed.  The best way to determine how many hatches you have is to count.  Then for each one, consider where you access the space.  If you are inside, then you need to seal the opening to disconnect it from the attic.  Attic access can range in price depending on the size, type, and location.

The most commonly seen attic access points are push-up hatches and pull-down stairs.  
 

Watch a technician treat an attic hatch in the field.

Attic Air Sealing Costs

Air sealing an attic can be broken down into two main parts. 

$1.00 per square foot

1. General Air Sealing: includes the top plates, standard penetrations (regular light fixtures, plumbing stacks, and general voids and cracks.
 
-Top-
 

Watch a technician air seal connections between the attic and inside.

From $50 - $200

2. Ala Carte Air Sealing:

A. Combustion appliance flues
B. HVAC chase openings
C. Staircase voids and other thermal bypasses that are created by the construction style of the home. 
D. Vertical wall air sealing
E. Recessed Lights
F. Chimneys
G. Plumbing Penetrations

Cost per air sealing solution can range depending on the requirements to properly seal the area.
 

Attic Insulation Cost

A key to determining the cost of insulation for your home is to figure out what the current R-value is in the attic and around the shell of the home.  You can use this article to determine your exact R-value and come back to see what the cost is per square foot for the R-value you are missing.

Insulation Price Matrix - Blown In Insulation Solution

$ Per Square Foot

R-13.......$.98
R-19.......$1.35
R-21.......$1.57
R-30......$2.07
R-38......$2.43
R-49.......$3.07
R-60.......$3.77

Watch loose fill insulation being installed.

Baffle Installation Pricing 

$4.00 Each

Attic ventilation is important for the longevity of your roof, roof deck, insulation, and wood framing.  You should expect that for every foot of eave, you have around your house that you will need 1/2 a baffle to improve, maintain or in some cases actually create new air intake for ventilation.  Baffles are installed in the toughest-to-reach places in the attic - the lowest place the roof deck is in relation to the attic floor. -Top-

Baffles maintain a channel for air intake and good attic ventilation.
 

Cantilever (Overhang) Insulation Costs

Overhangs on the front and rear of your home are wonderful because they add valuable square footage to the inside of the living space it can really make a difference.  The problem, they are susceptible to air infiltration if not insulated properly and they are hard to get to. 

Pricing for a cantilever can vary depending on many challenges, including the height at which the cantilever is positioned, the type of siding, if any, is in place and the amount of insulation required to fill the cavity. 

You can expect a cantilever project to cost between $275 - $2000 and more.  Analysis should be given to the value vs. cost for a cantilever project.  A well-trained energy auditor can give you guidance on this type of insulation solution and the cost.

Tip: Once you identify the location of any first-floor cantilever you have, take a look to see how that aligns with any unfinished portion of the basement. If the two areas match up then the overall cost can be less since the need to remove the soffit is not necessary.
 

Watch spray foam being applied to this overhang with ducts.

Cost of Crawl Space Insulation/ Encapsulation

A crawl space foundation creates great opportunities for improved efficiency, comfort, and indoor air quality.  On the other hand, it can escalate the overall cost of an insulation project. 

Untreated crawl spaces tend to go unnoticed when homeowners are thinking about how much an attic insulation project costs, but not considering the space for treatment could be the difference between an attic insulation job that yields results and one that does not. 


Crawl Space Before

Crawl Space After

Crawl spaces have to be broken down into the following components of the job:

Typical Crawl Space Work Scope and Insulation Cost

Removal of Existing Insulation - $2.00 per sq. ft.
Floor/Vapor Barrier - $1.50 per sq. ft.
Walls (R-13) - $6.00 per sq. ft.
Closed Cell Spray Foam - $12.00 per sq. ft. (includes ignition barrier)
Rim Joist $5.25 per linear foot
Duct Sealing $2.50 per linear foot
Any Access Points - $175 - $300 each

Dense Pack Insulation Cost and Solutions

Hometrust will recommend dense-pack insulation solutions for easily accessible cavities that can be properly "packed" to get the desired result.  Dense packing walls are a project that should be given a lot of consideration by any homeowner in any age home. 

Pitfalls associated with improper installation techniques could render the work useless, however, you may never really know.

The cost to dense pack a cavity is $6.00 per sq. ft.

To understand more about why sealing the top and bottom of a home are most beneficial, read this information about building science.  

-Top-

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 1000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland and each scenario requires an insulation cost analysis. I am certified through the Building Performance Institute.
I would like to hear your comments about this article.  Feel free to post something below...

Sealing HVAC ducts is an easy way to save energy and improve comfort and it can easily be done with a few supplies and a little bit of time and effort.

A duct blaster test is often confused for a test that blasts air through the ducts to clean them out and make them work better.

That is a misperception and we should also point out that getting ducts cleaned is not a worthwhile investment.

Actually, a duct blaster test is a duct leakage test.

Ducts, usually metal with seams and joints, carry precious conditioned air to the different locations in your house.

The entire duct system is a loop that is joined at the air handler, usually in the basement or an attic.  

The loop is encapsulated, meaning there is very little outside particles or debris that can build up in your ducts, even if they run outside (attic, crawl space).

In a perfect world, the ducts would be completely sealed.

But, they are not.  And, it is not the air that enters into the leaky places in ducts (rare) it is the air that escapes the ducts that we are most concerned about.

An HVAC system is designed on pressure so that the air can reach the furthest areas of your house.

That same pressure will force air out at the seams if they are not sealed properly which will cost you comfort and money.

A duct blaster test uses air (fan) and a sensitive pressure gauge to measure the overall leakage of a duct system.  It measures leaks that are invisible to the naked eye.

It is critical to seal the ducts before it is too late and they are hard to reach.

Once the ducts are sealed properly and tested the HVAC system can truly be considered high efficiency.

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 1000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland.  I like to take my personal experiences with each of my audit customers and try to get the things that concern them out into the world so others can make good home improvement decisions - in the right order - according to their needs.
 

Have you had a duct blaster test done for IECC code compliance in Maryland?  If so, we want to hear about it.

If you happen to be in the market for attic insulation then you might want to consider the two different ways you can go about getting an estimate.

1. Typical Insulation Quote

Most people tend to get an insulation estimate the familiar way which is to call ABC Insulation Company and have a rep come out, take a look in the attic and give them a price. 

After all, it is only insulation and it is in the attic.  How hard can it really be?

2. Getting a BGE Home Energy Audit

A BGE energy audit has a primary goal: to evaluate your home as a complete system and report back to you.  A BGE energy audit takes a whole-house approach and it comes with measurable results. 

This means that you are able to sit in the driver's seat when deciding how to improve comfort and efficiency.  
  

Do you have something going on around the house? 
 
Not sure if an energy audit would be able to solve it for you? 
 

Ask Me!
I'll let you know if it is something that is included in the service.
 

Common Insulation Misperception

Most homeowners think that the more insulation you have the more efficient you are and the more comfortable you will be.

But, if you miss the opportunity to insulate your home correctly, then it could leave you scratching your head about why it is not more comfortable in the house and why the BGE bill has not gone down.

What does it mean to insulate effectively?  

Pressure & Thermal Boundary

If you have had a typical insulation quote recently and the representative did not mention the pressure and thermal boundary then you might be on a path to an incorrectly installed insulation project.

Most insulation, alone, will not stop the flow of air.

Insulation is similar to a jacket.  If a jacket is not zipped up, the air flows inside and around resulting in loss of body heat and comfort woes. 

If insulation (thermal boundary) has nothing stopping the flow of air (pressure boundary), then your home loses energy and you feel drafts.

Building Envelope

Identifying your house's envelope or "shell" is important for a properly installed insulation project.

Knowing where insulation is needed at every turn and what type of insulation is best for the job is a BGE energy auditor's assignment.

Pressure dynamics inside your house create infiltration (air coming in) and exfiltration (air going out) in places that will get missed if building science principles are not applied during a typical insulation quote.

Incorrect Diagnosis

A typical insulation quote may provide information about insulation for walls which is costly and will undoubtedly yield little to no results. 

A BGE energy audit is a great way to gain a new perspective on how your house is actually losing energy. 

Testing

Did you know that a properly installed insulation project around the house is likely to yield measurable results compared to window and door projects that tend to cost more?

For starters, a BGE energy audit will perform an air leakage test (blower door test) and each window and door can be checked.

The blower door test is not something you would get with a typical insulation quote. 

The test can show how ceilings, walls, floors and basement areas all lead to as much as 40% of a home's air leakage compared to only 10% for windows and doors.

Check out a blower door test set up in 2.5 minutes!

Consultative Approach

A professional BGE energy auditor will provide you with unbiased information about the condition of your insulation, details about the proper location for new insulation, information about indoor air quality and the BGE energy audit can be an invaluable resource for HVAC advise and expertise.

After all, according to BGE, the Program is designed to improve the energy performance, durability, comfort, health and safety of existing residential housing in BGE’s service territory.

A reporting package through a BGE energy audit will include a detailed findings report, a prioritized list of measures with rebate information and a detailed workscope with pricing.

Schedule your BGE home energy audit with Hometrust here

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 1000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland.  I like to take my personal experiences with each of my audit customers and try to get the things that concern them out into the world so others can make good home improvement decisions - in the right order - according to their needs.
 

Did you get a typical insulation quote and a BGE energy audit?  If so, we want to hear about your experience in the comments below:

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s (BGE) Smart Energy Savers Program® is a portfolio of programs promoting energy efficiency and conservation, including rebates, education and services.

The BGE residential Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program (the Program) offers financial incentives to participating contractors for the completion of comprehensive home energy audits and to participating homeowners for the installation of qualifying energy-efficient equipment and improvements in eligible residences.

The Program is designed to improve the energy performance, durability, comfort, health and safety of existing residential housing in BGE’s service territory.

The objectives of the Program are to enhance the delivery of building performance services that use state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and the principles of building science to reduce energy consumption cost-effectively and safely, while simultaneously addressing building durability issues.

In partnership with the national Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), BGE is offering homeowners a comprehensive assistance package designed to increase awareness of and demand for building performance contracting, while simultaneously building an infrastructure of trained and certified contractors, home energy raters and consultants to deliver these services.

Schedule your $100 BGE energy audit today

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 1000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland.  I like to take my personal experiences with each of my audit customers and try to get the things that concern them out into the world so others can make good home improvement decisions - in the right order - according to their needs.
 

I would like to hear your comments about this article.  Feel free to post something below...

Building science principles are fascinating. When it comes to Maryland residential indoor air quality it all makes very good sense and Maryland homeowners should have basic knowledge of three important things around the house and how they are connected.

Three building science principles every homeowner should know

• Air Changes per Hour
• Energy Efficiency 
• Indoor Air Quality

Read on to learn how they all connect to one another...

Air Changes Per Hour (ACH)

Air changes per hour (ACH) can be defined as the amount of times the volume of air inside your home changes with the outside air.  It is the house "breathing" in effect. If your house is calculated at 7 ACH then you can expect that on any given day and during any given hour, the inside air will exchange with outside air seven times. 

ACH in new construction homes has to be very low (3 or less).  New building codes for energy efficiency are making builders install energy efficient measures at the time of construction so that all of the typical leakage points are sealed before walls and ceilings go up which makes those areas very difficult to treat after they are in place (like in preexisting homes).

Energy Efficiency - Controlled vs. Uncontrolled Fresh Air

But, when we tighten up the envelope and don't allow the house to "breathe" as much we have to find solutions to create the right amount of ACH for healthy indoor air quality.  The key to this is to make sure the introduction of fresh air into the building is controlled so that less energy is consumed to maintain good indoor air quality (the right amount of fresh air) rather than allowing it to infiltrate uncontrolled causing heating and cooling systems to work much, much harder.

Indoor Air Quality - What is it Actually?

So in considering indoor air quality, it is important to know that measuring indoor air quality is NOT to measure the amount of particles in the air.  Indoor air quality is actually making sure that a building has enough fresh air and in a manner that is cost-effective.  Good indoor air quality also goes a long way towards sustainability and the longevity of the buildings structural components.

Get Your Score Today - Home Energy Audit - BGE or Pepco

The best way to check your indoor air quality is to get a BGE or Pepco energy audit with Hometrust Remodeling.  We are certified to test and calculate your indoor air quality as part of your comprehensive energy audit.

An comprehensive energy audit is a great way to have your home evaluated.  Measures can be prescribed in a way that will address indoor air quality as well as energy efficiency and comfort.  It is the whole house approach that ensures that you can have the best indoor air quality and a less drafty house at the same time.
 

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 2000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland.  I like to take my personal experiences with each of my audit customers and try to get the things that concern them out into the world so others can make good home improvement decisions - in the right order - according to their needs.
 

What do you think about the indoor air quality in your house?  We want to hear in the comment section below!

If you live in Maryland long enough you will experience a cold winter. During extreme cold events most untreated houses in our area will give in to the "pressure" and feel drafty. The heating bills go up and you may never feel warm. Before you know it the winter is over and you spent a whole lot, but you didn't end up getting much comfort in return.

Unless the envelope of your home has a pressure boundary to go along with the thermal boundary then extreme winters are likely to be costly and uncomfortable. The missing part of an insulated home is sealing up all places where air can flow from the outside to inside (infiltration) or inside to outside (exfiltration).

Most Maryland houses are in this category and are considered to be leaky.
 

Check out this 1952 Maryland Attic with a Large Thermal Bypass
 

Typical Characteristics of the Houses that Grade the Worst

As a certified professional home energy auditor with over 1000 home energy audits completed, I understand the common configuration problems that cause issues for different style houses. Having this experience gives me good insights into how to solve issues and not make them worse.

Below are a list of characteristics found in the houses with the biggest winter comfort issues:

• Recessed Lights in Top Floor Ceiling
• Open Chimney Damper
• Large openings at the attic floor like this one
• Unsealed Attic Access Hatches
• Fiberglass Batt Insulation Installed at Attic Floor
• Closets with Doors to Attic Areas
• Houses Built on an Open Crawl Space
• Homes with Kneewalls and Sloped Ceilings
• Houses with Uninsulated Ducts
• Poor Overall Attic Ventilation

This is Why it is Happening - The Stack Effect

To understand how to get a hold of the winter cold in your home, you must first understand the Stack Effect. The stack effect happens in every building and it gets its name from a fireplace and chimney. The physics behind the name is that at the base of the chimney - at the fire level - there is a "pull" or negative pressure. At the top of the chimney the smoke and heat billows out. That is the "push or burst" - the positive pressure.

In the winter our heat in our homes rises upwards. Much like a hot air balloon. We all know that hot air rises. What we have been missing for all these years is that the hot air is escaping through holes in the ceiling. And when it gets pushed through the top it gets pulled in at the bottom (crawl space, untreated basements).

To make a Maryland home more comfortable in winter the focus must be on sealing the attic floor. Disruption to the flow of warm air escaping through the ceiling will also disrupt the negative pressure, or cold air streaming in at the basement. Less negative pressure means less cold air infiltration - or less drafts. By sealing the attic, the heat can't escape and the furnace/heat pump does not have to run as long.

An energy audit through the BGE Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program is a great way to get up to speed. An energy audit, done with a great energy auditor, will guide you to how your home fares. Usually, we intrigue homeowners with easy to fix finds and advice that puts them in control.

Conclusion

In sports, one expression to describe a team or a player that is performing at peak is to say there is a "science" behind what they are doing on the court or field. 

When it comes to home comfort there is a true science behind it and Hometrust has the training, knowledge and diagnostic tools to test and finally get to the source of your home comfort issue.
 

Considering an energy audit, but not sure if it will help your issue or concern? 

________________

Written by Eric Gans
I have over 1000 energy audits under my belt in Maryland.  I like to take my personal experiences with each of my audit customers and try to get the things that concern them out into the world so others can make good home improvement decisions - in the right order - according to their needs.
 

I would like to hear your comments about this article.  Feel free to post something below...

Positive customer feedback!

Get to the Root of the Problem

A doctor always wants to get the the source of the issue. Let's consider a lower back ache as an example. If you hurt your lower back chances are the doctor will give you a muscle relaxer for the symptoms. A good doctor will likely give you a pamphlet on core strengthening exercises to get to the root of the problem.

Specialized Contractor Needed for Damp Basements

Some issues inside the home can be confusing and confounding for many contractors. A damp basement and high humidity are hard to solve.  As a homeowner, knowing where to turn for help might be difficult to figure out. Making matter worse, getting the wrong contractor can waste time or cost extra money.

Indoor Humidity and Seasonality

The recommended indoor humidity level - year round - is between 40-60%.

To get a handle on indoor humidity, the first thing to understand is the seasonality of indoor humidity.

In the summer the air outside is hot, humid and sticky in Maryland. We run our dehumidifiers in the basement. If you have not gotten around to attaching the hose most likely you are dumping water on the regular.  This effort pulls extra moisture from the air.

In the winter everyone talks about the Polar Vortex. Aside from being very cold, the Polar Vortex is also very dry! In winter our hands are cracking, lips get chapped and we need to introduce moisture into the inside air.  In this case a humidifier is used.

So, I will be clear. High indoor humidity is more of a summer issue.

Home Energy Audit

The key to solving a high indoor humidity issue is to look at it like a doctor. We need to find the source of the humidity in the air. We need to attack the problem. Where is the humid air getting in?  Waterproofing will not completely solve the issue.  Industrial strength dehumidifers are the muscle relaxer and treat only the symptom.

Having your home evaluated by a certified Building Analyst (BA) is a great way to identify home air leakage. It is important to understand that air leakage works both ways. Not only does air leak out of a house (exfiltration) air also leaks in (infiltration).

A blower door test can uncover air leakage points around a house.

Working with a Building Analyst is a great place to start for a damp basement due to a high indoor humidity issue.

Did you know that at any given time there are around forty approved BGE contractors to do energy audits for Maryland homes?

Every once in a while I get a call from a Maryland homeowner that already had an audit performed and they want to get another quote.  It happens quite often and what I can report to you is that I am amazed at the lack of details in the audits that I get to review.

Once a homeowner gets an energy audit, their home's "scenario" is registered in the BGE database.  All approved contractors can request access to the file if the homeowner authorizes it.  So, I get to see my peers final product and I can say, I have been less than impressed.

Providing a comprehensive energy audit is a specialized service. It takes many hours of training, hands on experience and practice to give a great all around energy audit.

With so many houses in Maryland and so few BGE auditors how can you be sure to get a great auditor that hits on all points? After all, you only get the audit one time for the discounted price of $100.

Here are the questions you can ask the company (including us) you choose for your BGE energy audit:
 

1. How many BGE energy audits has the assigned auditor performed?

2. What is the auditors background before becoming an auditor?

3. What level of detail does the auditor plan to add to the energy audit report?

4. What is the physical condition of the energy auditor assigned to my house?

5. Is the auditor a good communicator and willing to engage?

Let's explore each of these questions a bit further.
 

1. How many audits have you completed?

Collecting the necessary data points during an energy audit is important. Having the repetition and experience allows a great auditor to assign time to the issues. If an auditor is new, taking accurate measurements may be a challenge. The auditor is learning on the job.

Everyone has to start somewhere, but do you want your one-time discounted audit to be the one? A great audit can unlock amazing concepts that will put you in control of comfort and energy usage.

2. What is the auditors background?

An energy audit looks at a house in a different way than a window consultation or roof estimate. An energy auditor is a three dimensional thinker whereas a window salesman has a one track mind. And, I am not even talking about making the sale.

An energy auditor needs to know a little bit about everything around a typical house. Having a background as a home contractor helps, but also being a homeowner is important. Experiencing and problem solving around your own home generates great learning experiences. These experiences along with learned concepts can go a long way towards helping you!
 

3. How is the final report going to look with a mediocre BGE energy auditor?

It is going to be a complete bore. The template for the BGE energy report is well designed and the information is good.

A great energy auditor will add details that pertain to discussions you had. Your BGE energy report final copy will be something you can keep for reference.

4. Should I really ask about my auditors physical condition?

Believe it or not, but doing a BGE energy audit the way it needs to is demanding work. An auditor must be able to get in small spaces, climb in attics and inspect crawl spaces. An auditor must be in good physical condition to perform a great audit.

5. Communication Pulls it All Together

An energy auditor needs to be so many unique things and on top of that if they are not personable, then it is a waste.

An energy auditor must be able to articulate key concepts in easy to understand ways. If the auditor cannot complete this task, the BGE energy audit could end up being useless.