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• RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AUDITING SERVICES
Bestech Energy Systems offers a variety of energy auditing services to help homeowners understand exactly how well their home is or is not utilizing the energy that they are paying for every month in the form of electricity and gas. We also offer home energy saving consulting to help you lower energy use and evaluate alternative energy sources to save you some green on your utility bills, and help you become more green in your daily life.
Whether you live in Ann Arbor, Lansing, Brighton or anywhere else in Michigan, until recently, Michigan had a building energy code that reflected the era of $0.50-per-gallon gasoline and $0.10 calls at the phone booth. A lot of homes were built under this antiquated code. New home builders complained that home buyers wouldn’t pay an extra $5,000 (present-day dollars) for a much higher level of energy efficiency. However, with a 30-year mortgage, this would cost the homeowner approximately $35 per month additional, yet could have saved them between 30 and 50 percent on their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) related utilities. These numbers would represent a positive cash flow due to residential energy savings in a majority of those homes, not to mention increased comfort levels.
To know exactly where your energy is going and what opportunities you have to stop waste and increase your home energy saving, Bestech Energy Systems can perform a Residential Energy Audit on your home.
• COMPREHENSIVE RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AUDIT
A complete Residential Energy Audit by Bestech Energy Systems includes inspection and evaluation of your home using the “Building as a System” approach.
Our aim is to solve inter-related problems of:
- Conservation
- Comfort
- Construction Integrity
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Thermography used during blower door test showing air leak under door |
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We look at all accessible areas of your home during your Residential Energy Audit. This includes your attic, crawlspace, basement, attached garage and any other conditioned space attached to your home. The areas analyzed in your home are significantly different than those areas focused on in our commercial property energy audit services. We inspect insulation, assess its current R-value and report on any unusual conditions, such as moisture or pest damage that we may find. We also do a visual inspection of how your home sheds water. Does the grade flow to or away from your foundation? Do surface irregularities cause water to collect near the home? The answers to these questions may indicate an indoor moisture problem that can lead to rot, mold or dampness.
Bestech Energy Systems uses the latest measurement equipment and is certified to use this equipment. When performing a Residential Energy Audit, we will us the following equipment, as appropriate for your house:
- Blower Door System
- Airflow Meter
- Infrared Camera
- Borescope
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) Meter
- Combustible Gas Detector
- Moisture Meter
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We use a blower door to find air leaks and measure the volume of air that is escaping through them.
We can also use the blower door to find leaks in your accessible HVAC ductwork. This is air that you have paid to heat or cool, and a percentage of it is not going where it was designed to. We look for leaks in your return ductwork that may pull unhealthy air from unintended areas such as garages, attics, crawlspaces or from outside of the home.
If the blower door test finds that your home has excessive air leaks and you choose to implement air-sealing measures, we will be on-hand to prevent over-tightening of your home, which could cause indoor air-quality issues. This procedure is referred to as “test-in/test-out” and it’s our way of ensuring that your house performs as expected after repairs and upfits are made.
Bestech Energy Systems uses infrared (IR) thermal imaging, also called thermography, to assist in the inspection and evaluation process. When outside temperatures permit, we use thermography (thermal imaging) to find missing and deteriorated insulation, drafts and leaking duct connections. Thermography can also be used for non-destructive testing to find roof and wall leaks, moisture issues, in-slab radiant heat leaks, blockages in pipes, poor electrical connections and overheating electrical components. |
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Blower door and gauge
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Wall/ceiling leakage found during blower door testing
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Infrared (IR) photography shows buried radiant heat tubing, detects leaks and flow
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Infrared photography can detect bad electrical components
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| As part of our “Building as a System” approach, Bestech Energy Systems believes that your health and safety are paramount. We will inspect all gas or oil-fired heating equipment for gas and fuel leaks along the accessible piping in your home. We also inspect the same equipment for carbon monoxide (CO) leakage. This testing is used to help determine if byproducts of combustion are mixing into your conditioned air-space. Common causes of CO contamination may include:
- A faulty furnace heat exchanger
- Incorrect installation or corrosion of the flue pipe
- Back-drafting of the furnace or water heater, due to indoor exhaust fans and/or chimney/flue issues, high winds and leaky return air ducts near the combustion equipment
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Furnace heat exchanger Borescope inspection
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Checking for combustible gas leaks on pipe fittings
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Measuring the draft on a gas water heater
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During your Residential Energy Audit, we will also look at some commonly used appliances such as your refrigerator, freezer, stove, dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer. We will record the listed power consumption (if accessible) and note it on your report. Newer, Energy Star appliances available today are much more efficient than units built 10-20 years ago. Coupling lower electrical costs with available tax incentives, and new, Energy Star rated appliances can be a smart investment. We also count your lighting fixtures and light bulbs to estimate what you are spending, and what you may save on your electric bill through lighting alone.
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Please go to the Energy Star website for further information about federal tax incentives on energy conservation. For more information about the Energy Star program and how you may benefit from it, please click on the Energy Star logo to the right.
A comprehensive Residential Energy Audit from Bestech Energy Systems will range from $350 to $500 for homes that are 4,500 sq. ft. and less. Please call for an estimate if your home is more than 4,500 sq. ft. Naturally, an 850 sq. ft. home built on a slab will take much less time to audit than a 4,000 sq. ft. home on a walk-out basement. |
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• THERMOGRAPHY-ONLY INSPECTION
We also offer a thermography-only service that includes the following:
- Thermographic scan of the exterior walls, and foundation
- Thermographic scan of the interior ceiling and basement
- Consultation on findings of thermographic scan
- Provide a CD with images from the thermographic scan of your home
Prices for thermography-only services range from $125-$250, based on square footage of your home.
Because of the temperature difference required between the inside and outside of your home (for effective thermographic scanning), this service cannot always be offered.
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• FREE, BASIC RENEWABLE ENERGY SURVEY
All Bestech Energy Systems residential clients are entitled to a free, basic Renewable Energy Survey as part of a Residential Energy Audit. We will discuss the potential of your home for using solar, wind or geothermal energy for heat and electricity.
Today, more and more homeowners are asking about these technologies, especially with predicted utility-cost increases and significant government tax incentives (the 30 percent Federal Renewable Energy tax credit, for example).
Due to design, codes or budget constraints, renewable energy technologies are not the best solution for everyone. Our Renewable Energy Survey will give you the facts and let you review the possibilities for your home and your situation.
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Remember these from last winter? We can help.
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• HOME ENERGY SAVING SERVICES
Based on what the Residential Energy Audit reveals in your house, Bestech Energy Systems will make specific recommendations for ways you can increase your residential energy savings, lower your utility bills, ensure a healthy living environment and decrease your environmental impact.
Weather-stripping and caulking are low-cost repairs with quick financial returns. Most homes need these repairs to some extent, and we will show you where. Insulation is another common opportunity for improvement. Most homes have inadequate levels of insulation, incorrectly installed insulation or insulation that is just plain missing. Bestech Energy Systems offers innovative and modern insulation products (some of them with radiant barriers) that will save you money year-round. |
Other energy conservation items that may reduce home energy bills include programmable HVAC thermostats, water-conserving faucets and showerheads, water heater insulation and compact fluorescent light bulbs. These are low-cost options that offer very quick payback. Simply stated, every home should have these. |
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And finally, the most important service that Bestech Energy Systems offers during an energy audit is to listen. Don’t worry; we’ll keep the conversation going with questions about your comfort, utility bills, energy usage patterns and observations made during the initial inspection. Just like going to the doctor, the more you can describe what’s wrong, the easier it is to diagnose your home’s energy condition. |
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