Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the free home energy audit usually take?
The energy audit can take anywhere from 1.5 hours to 3 hours depending on the size and complexity of your home and the nature of the problems you are having. We do ask that your spouse or partner living with you be present. This way we can address the concerns of all interested parties.
What do I need to prepare for my free home energy audit?
It is very helpful to have a year’s worth of billing information from your energy provider/s. If your home is all electric then we only need to review the electric bill. This information helps us to determine; where your energy dollars are going, what kind of energy inefficiencies you are experiencing and determining the cost effectiveness of our recommended interventions. If you have gas heat then we would need both the gas and electric bills. Most energy companies have an on line method of easily obtaining this information.
How can you guys afford to do such a complete audit for free. What’s the catch?
Well, naturally we hope that the recommendations that we make based on our audit will make so much sense to you that you will hire us to do the upgrades. Also, we are very passionate about what we do. We all love our work and the audit is fun and educational for the homeowner and us. Homeowners come out of the audit, often, with a new understanding of how their home works. Every house is different and our trainers get even more experience with every house they have the opportunity to audit.
What is “air sealing?”
Air sealing is simply closing holes, cracks, and gaps where air can pass into or out of your home. On hot and cold days, you pay money to run an air conditioner or a furnace to maintain your home at a comfortable temperature. A house that leaks air costs more to be heated or cooled, because your system must work longer to "condition" the air. In addition, if you happen to sit next to one of those leaks, you are uncomfortable because the room may feel hotter or colder due to drafts.
What if you seal up my house too tight. Shouldn’t a house breath?
The Energy Star website states the following: “While it is possible to seal a house too tightly, it is very unlikely in most older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house. If you are concerned about how tight your home is, hire an energy specialist to perform leakage tests using diagnostic tools and make sure all combustion appliances are operating properly. If your home is too tight, the energy specialist may recommend that a fresh air ventilation system be added to your HVAC system.” We routinely use a blower door test to check the leakage of your home before and after we air seal it. Our goal is to give you control of how your house breathes rather than just allow the forces of nature to determine this. We recommend getting our house as airtight as possible then adding mechanical ventilation if needed. Otherwise you are simply ventilating via uncontrolled and inefficient infiltration and exfiltration.
Is it expensive to get a home upgraded to energy efficiency?
That is the best part! In most cases our customers are very pleasantly surprised at how cost effective our solutions are. Typically, with rebates and energy savings most work we recommend has a 2-5 year payback time and your home value may immediately increase even more than the cost of the improvements. Home appraisal studies indicate that a homes value typically rises more than $20 for every one dollar that is saved in energy costs. Our work only needs to be done only once so it just keeps paying you back as long as you own the home.
What is your Energy Barricade radiant barrier?
The FAQ for Energy Barricade is here.
How do I know what tax credits and utility rebate programs I can take advantage of?
Our trained energy auditors can help you determine what tax credits and rebates apply to our recommendations. We complete all Progress Energy rebate paperwork for you and we supply all tax credit documentation.*
Does Radiant Barrier qualify for the Federal Tax credit?
With the signing of the ARRA, the definition for a qualifying insulation product was changed from previous years’ stimulus packages and this led some confusion regarding the qualification of Radiant Barriers for the new 2009-2010 tax credits.
Under the ARRA, the qualifying insulation definition is based on the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) definition for insulation which references R values and U values. Because the IECC does not directly reference “radiant barriers,” manufacturers were hesitant to promote their radiant barriers as qualifying for the much desired tax credit.
However, as a result of a recent meeting between the Reflective Insulation Manufacturer Association (RIMA) and the IRS in early December 2009, a position was successfully presented on how a radiant barrier reduces heat transfer (lowers U-Value) and thus was accepted by the IRS.
While not an “official” acceptance of radiant barriers on behalf of the IRS at this point, the IRS has communicated that manufacturers presenting a Manufacturer’s Certification Statement covering their radiant barriers shall be deemed valid and qualifying for the 2009-2010 ARRA tax credits until such a date that they may NOT be considered qualifying.
“may NOT be considered qualifying” – What does this mean to you as a consumer? It means that if you purchase(d) a qualified radiant barrier and you obtain a Manufacturer’s Certification Statement covering the product you purchased, your purchase is eligible for the tax credit, providing you meet the eligibility requirements put forth by the ARRA. If, at a later date, the IRS deems radiant barriers are not eligible OR the manufacturer’s products are not eligible, you are still guaranteed eligibility for your purchase made prior to this date. We provide all customers with a Manufacturer’s Certification Statement.*
Tax Credit Eligibility Requirements
For a radiant barrier or reflective insulation product to qualify for the tax credit as defined by the ARRA of 2009, it must:
- have a primary purpose to insulate in the tax payer’s primary residence,
- be installed between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010,
- be expected to last five years or have a two year warranty, and
- be accompanied by a Manufacturer’s Certification Statement (while this is not actually filed with your tax return, it should be saved with your purchase and tax return records).
* You are strongly advised to talk with your tax professional regarding true eligibility for any and all tax credits you may be claiming.
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