Thank you for scheduling your Home Energy Audit with Hometrust Remodeling!

Our goal isn't simply to inspect your home. It's to understand how your house works as a complete system so we can identify the root causes of comfort problems, high energy bills, moisture issues, and indoor air quality concerns.

The good news is that there's very little you need to do before we arrive. This guide will help you prepare so we can make the most of your appointment together.

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Before Your Appointment

A few minutes of preparation can help us spend more time diagnosing your home and less time gathering information.

Think About Your Home Throughout the Year

Many home performance problems are seasonal. Before your appointment, take a few minutes to reflect on what you've noticed at different times of the year.

Summer

• Rooms that get too hot

• High humidity

• The air conditioner runs constantly

• Upstairs uncomfortable

• Rooms that never cool down

Winter

• Drafts

• Cold floors

• Cold bedrooms

• Condensation on windows

• High heating bills

Spring

• Allergy symptoms

• Musty odors

• Moisture problems

• Basement dampness

Fall

• Rooms that cool off quickly

• Fireplace drafts

• Preparing for winter

• New comfort issues beginning

The more examples you can give us, the easier it becomes to identify patterns that point toward the underlying cause.

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Make a List of Any Unusual Odors

Believe it or not, odors can tell us a lot about how a home is performing.

Examples include:

• Musty smells

• Moldy odors

• Stale air

• Attic smells

• Crawlspace odors

• Smoke odors

• The mechanical room smells

Many of these can be connected to air leakage, moisture movement, ventilation, or pressure imbalances inside the home.

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Let Us Know About Previous Improvements

Have you added insulation since moving into the home?

If so, knowing:

• where it was installed,

• approximately when,

• And what type of insulation was used

helps us better understand your home's history and identify what has—or hasn't—already been addressed.

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Know the Age of Your HVAC Equipment

If possible, have an approximate age for:

• Furnace(s)

• Air conditioner(s)

• Heat pump(s)

Don't worry if you don't know the exact year. An estimate is perfectly fine.

This information helps us better understand the overall efficiency and expected lifespan of your heating and cooling system.

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If You Have a Wood-Burning Fireplace

Please let us know:

• How many fireplaces do you have

• Whether they are wood-burning

• That the loose ashes have been cleaned out before the appointment

This helps us perform certain portions of the testing safely.

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Have a Recent Utility Bill Available (Optional)

If you have a recent BGE or Pepco electric bill, it's helpful to have it available.

We may review:

• overall energy usage,

• seasonal trends,

• and whether your home's performance matches what we'd expect.

Don't worry if you can't find it—we can still complete a thorough energy audit.

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Plan for About Four Hours

Most home energy audits take approximately four hours.

The good news is that you do not need to stay with the auditor the entire time.

We'll certainly ask questions throughout the visit, but much of our work involves inspecting the attic, crawlspace, mechanical equipment, and performing diagnostic testing.

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Make Attic and Mechanical Areas Accessible

If possible, please make sure we have access to:

• Attic entrances

• Crawlspace entrances

• Utility rooms

• HVAC equipment

• Water heater

• Electrical panel (if accessible)

There's no need to clean these areas—simply making them reasonably accessible helps us perform a more complete inspection.

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What We'll Be Doing During the Audit

Every home is different, but your audit may include:

• A discussion about your concerns and goals

• Exterior inspection

• Blower door testing

• Infrared camera inspection

• Attic evaluation

• Crawlspace or basement inspection

• HVAC inspection

• Ductwork inspection

• Combustion safety testing (when applicable)

• Moisture and ventilation evaluation

• Recommendations based on the findings

Rather than guessing, we use diagnostic testing to measure how your home actually performs.

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You Don't Need to Prepare Everything

Many homeowners worry they need to "get the house ready."

You don't.

You do not need to:

• Clean your attic

• Understand building science

• Know where the problems are

• Move every stored item

• Research insulation

• Diagnose your own house

That's exactly what we're here to do.

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Our Goal Is to Find the Root Cause

Many contractors focus on replacing equipment or recommending products.

Our approach is different.

We believe every comfort problem has an underlying cause.

By combining diagnostic testing, building science, and years of experience, we work to identify why your home behaves the way it does—not just treat the symptoms.

That's what allows homeowners to make informed decisions with confidence.

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Questions?

If you have any questions before your appointment, please don't hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to helping you better understand your home.