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Home Energy Audit

A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An assessment will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time.

During the assessment, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Energy assessments also determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. An assessment may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity. You can perform a simple energy assessment yourself, or have a professional energy auditor carry out a more thorough assessment.

A professional auditor uses a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure. Thorough assessments often use equipment such as blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation.

Article on BPI: What is this BPI thing?

http://www.examiner.com/green-building-in-peoria/so-what-is-this-bpi-thing

Your house is a system.

You understand that your car is made up of interacting components and systems - when one component fails, it affects the performance of the entire vehicle. Do you know that the same goes for your house?

High energy bills, uneven temperatures from room-to-room, drafts, moisture, mold, mildew, poor indoor air quality, ice dams, pest infestations, seemingly uncontrollable humidity levels and even premature deterioration of building materials can all be the result of a breakdown in the relationship between the systems in your house - the building envelope (shell), heating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and you, the occupants.

If one system has a problem, it impacts the other systems' ability to function properly. Treating the obvious symptom without knowing the real culprit behind it can actually make the problem worse or create new problems. The process of elimination approach just causes frustration as you try solution after solution - investing more time, money and energy - without resolution.

Properly diagnosing and fixing the root cause requires a house-as-a-system approach based on building science.

That's exactly what AJ Michaels does. We assess your whole home and we are uniquely qualified unlike other home auditors because we have the expertise and licencees to do all the work required to make your home more energy efficient.

Here's how it works.

Most projects start with an interview with you, the homeowner, to find out what symptoms you've noticed and what, if anything, you've tried to fix those symptoms. An evaluation of your energy bills provides clues to areas that need improvement.

Next, our BPI certified professional will conduct a thorough walk-through - both indoors and out. The technician will use an infrared camera to get a visual on temperature differences in different areas, conduct a blower door test to depressurize the house and assess air leakage levels through the building envelope, and test for leakage in the duct work of forced-air HVAC systems. They will also perform other function and safety tests on HVAC equipment, including carbon monoxide levels and combustion appliance back-draft testing.

At the end of the comprehensive whole-home assessment, A.J. Michaels will provide you with a scientific, objective view of the situation. They'll be able to help you prioritize repairs in order — from must-do to nice-to-do — so you can solve the biggest problems without making smaller problems worse.

Once the improvement work is completed, A.J. Michaels will conduct a second whole-home assessment that follows all the same steps as the first. This makes sure that all the corrections work, and the desired performance levels have been achieved. The project is only considered complete when you agree that the job has been done right.

Solar Energy

Why should you use solar? It's a choice with many benefits.

Homeowners across the globe are seeing the solar light. The reasons vary for each person, though they mainly come down to the following:

It's free.

Solar-energy systems allow you to capture free sunlight and convert it into usable power in your home.

It's clean.

Solar energy can be used to heat and cool your home, but it has almost no impact on the global climate. By comparison, electricity generated by power plants produces carbon dioxide emissions that scientists say pose serious threats to the environment.

It's infinitely renewable.

While nonrenewable energy sources like oil, gas and coal are becoming increasingly scarce, the sun's energy is limitless. Wherever sunlight shines, electricity can be generated.

It can reduce your utility costs.

Having a system that creates solar energy means you use less electricity from your utility company, and that can contribute to lower heating and cooling costs. This is significant, especially when you consider 56% of energy use in a typical U.S. home comes from heating and cooling[1]. To find out how much you can save by harnessing energy from the sun, use our solar calculator.

It comes with incentives.

The U.S. federal government and some states provide tax credits for renewable-energy systems. Depending on where you live, you may also be eligible for incentives through your utility company. To find out what incentives are available in your area, visit dsireusa.org.

It increases your energy self-reliance.

The more sunlight harnessed by the system, the less electricity you need from your utility supplier.

It can also increase your home's value.

An investment in a solar-energy system may improve the value of your home, thanks to its ability to lower the cost of heating and cooling. Surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development have shown that home values rise an average of $20 for every $1 reduction in annual utility bills.

It's extremely reliable.

The sun has been around for billions of years and is likely to burn on for billions more to come. And when you consider how a trusted name like A.J. Michaels putting it to economical use in the home, it's easy to see solar energy's future is bright.

A simple guide for getting started with solar.

Are you ready to get started on the path to real energy savings? The following steps will help you prepare for installation of a SunSource® Home Energy System.

Step 1: Call A.J. Michaels for a consultation

Your Dealer has a detailed planning checklist to help determine whether your home meets all the requirements for installation of a SunSource Home Energy System.

Step 2: See if your roof gets enough sun.

A southern exposure is best, and your roof should be relatively free of shade from trees or structures such as chimneys. A.J. Michaels will perform tests to estimate the site's monthly and annual solar energy generation potential.

Step 3: Determine whether your roof is big enough.

Each solar module requires about 15 square feet of rooftop surface area. The number of modules you want installed determines how much space you need. A.J. Michaels will help you with the calculations.

Step 4: Investigate possible building restrictions in your neighborhood.

If you belong to a Homeowners' Association (HOA), you might be required to submit your solar installation plans for approval ahead of time.

Step 5: Upgrade your Internet service if necessary.

An always-on Internet connection with broadband router is required to take advantage of the SunSource system's web-based performance monitoring service.

Step 6: Check for proper utility service and electrical wiring.

A.J. Michaels will check the grid power supplied by your local utility company and also inspect your home's distribution panel to make sure all required specifications are in order. Your dealer will also need to identify all local electrical code requirements to ensure compliance.

Step 7: Find out if your local utility company has solar-friendly programs and policies in place.

Ask whether your utility company has a net-metering program that will allow you to receive credit for at least a portion of the electricity your SunSource system generates. You will also want to learn whether you must meet power-generating thresholds to qualify for valuable rebate and incentive programs.

Step 8: Watch your utility bills shrink, right along with your carbon footprint.

Once your SunSource Home Energy System is installed, the money-saving and environmental benefits begin!

Get a tax break for going solar

Government tax credits for solar

30% of the cost of SunSource solar modules, including installation costs, may be offset by government tax credits under terms of the U.S. Emergency Stabilization Act of 2008.

You may also receive a tax credit of up to $300 for the solar-ready heat pump or air conditioner that's at the heart of the SunSource system.

Consult a qualified tax professional for complete details. You can also learn more in the “Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency” section at www.energystar.gov.

Additional solar tax credits and incentives

The SunSource Home Energy System may also qualify for tax credits from your state and local governments. In many areas, local utility companies are also offering rebates and other incentives.

To learn about rebates and credits available in your area, check with your local utility company or visit dsireusa.org.

Geothermal Heat Pumps

Geothermal heat pumps (sometimes referred to as GeoExchange, earth-coupled, ground-source, or water-source heat pumps) have been in use since the late 1940s. Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) use the constant temperature of the earth as the exchange medium instead of the outside air temperature. This allows the system to reach fairly high efficiencies (300%-600%) on the coldest of winter nights, compared to 175%-250% for air-source heat pumps on cool days.

While many parts of the country experience seasonal temperature extremes—from scorching heat in the summer to sub-zero cold in the winter—a few feet below the earth's surface the ground remains at a relatively constant temperature. Depending on latitude, ground temperatures range from 45°F (7°C) to 75°F (21°C). Like a cave, this ground temperature is warmer than the air above it during the winter and cooler than the air in the summer. The GHP takes advantage of this by exchanging heat with the earth through a ground heat exchanger.

As with any heat pump, geothermal and water-source heat pumps are able to heat, cool, and, if so equipped, supply the house with hot water. Some models of geothermal systems are available with two-speed compressors and variable fans for more comfort and energy savings. Relative to air-source heat pumps, they are quieter, last longer, need little maintenance, and do not depend on the temperature of the outside air.

A dual-source heat pump combines an air-source heat pump with a geothermal heat pump. These appliances combine the best of both systems. Dual-source heat pumps have higher efficiency ratings than air-source units, but are not as efficient as geothermal units. The main advantage of dual-source systems is that they cost much less to install than a single geothermal unit, and work almost as well.

Even though the installation price of a geothermal system can be several times that of an air-source system of the same heating and cooling capacity, the additional costs are returned to you in energy savings in 5-10 years. System life is estimated at 25 years for the inside components and 50+ years for the ground loop. There are approximately 50,000 geothermal heat pumps installed in the United States each year

Benefits of Geothermal Heat Pump Systems

The biggest benefit of GHPs is that they use 25%-50% less electricity than conventional heating or cooling systems. This translates into a GHP using one unit of electricity to move three units of heat from the earth. According to the EPA, geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy consumption—and corresponding emissions—up to 44% compared to air-source heat pumps and up to 72% compared to electric resistance heating with standard air-conditioning equipment. GHPs also improve humidity control by maintaining about 50% relative indoor humidity, making GHPs very effective in humid areas.

Geothermal heat pump systems allow for design flexibility and can be installed in both new and retrofit situations. Because the hardware requires less space than that needed by conventional HVAC systems, the equipment rooms can be greatly scaled down in size, freeing space for productive use. GHP systems also provide excellent "zone" space conditioning, allowing different parts of your home to be heated or cooled to different temperatures.

Because GHP systems have relatively few moving parts, and because those parts are sheltered inside a building, they are durable and highly reliable. The underground piping often carries warranties of 25-50 years, and the heat pumps often last 20 years or more. Since they usually have no outdoor compressors, GHPs are not susceptible to vandalism. On the other hand, the components in the living space are easily accessible, which increases the convenience factor and helps ensure that the upkeep is done on a timely basis.

Because they have no outside condensing units like air conditioners, there's no concern about noise outside the home. A two-speed GHP system is so quiet inside a house that users do not know it is operating: there are no tell-tale blasts of cold or hot air.

[1] U.S. Department of Energy statistics