Why Our Energy Audits Aren’t Free
If you have been looking to gain some insights into your home performance through an energy audit, you may have done some searching for “free energy audits” here in Nashville, TN. The results can vary from “Do-It-Yourself energy audits” (quite a task to take on) or complementary energy audits offered by other home performance contractors. But as the premier home performance and whole home experts here in Nashville, there’s a reason we offer three tiers of energy audits, at reasonable prices instead of giving them away for free: you deserve a better and more accurate home performance test!
What Should Be Included in an Energy Audit
The problem with most free or complementary energy audits is what they leave out. A true energy audit should look at the entire home, from top to bottom to see how each system is operating in relation to one another. This is all a part of what we at E3 INNOVATE call the “home as a system” philosophy, also known as the whole home approach. And though E3 INNOVATE offers three different tiers of energy audits for homeowners in Nashville, every energy audit we offer includes the following:
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Whole Home Walk-though Evaluation
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Multi-point Basement/Crawlspace Inspection
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Multi-point Attic Inspection
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Duct Work Visual Evaluation
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Bathroom and Dryer Exhaust Visual Evaluation
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Thermal-Imaging Photography*
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Bathroom Exhaust Testing [two fans included, additional fan test $30 ea.]
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One Professional Radon Test
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Combustion Safety Discussion
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Heating & cooling equipment discussion
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Temp/Humidity Sensor with Remote Sensor for Attic or Crawl Space
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On-site Review with E3 Home Expert
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Customized Home Improvement Plan
Even our basic inspection tier ensures that your home is inspected from top to bottom through the eyes of a building science expert. Why? Because we rarely encounter a home that is only lacking in one area.
Imagine Humpty Dumpty for a moment; his shell is cracking and falling off in multiple places. To fit all the pieces together again, he'll need an expert that understands the puzzle of his broken shell. Living more comfortably in an energy efficient home here in Nashville requires the whole home approach because our houses are like puzzles with lots of pieces — If one piece is forgotten or not installed correctly, other problems can occur in the future.
Better Building Science Using Better Technology
There are many aspects of your home performance that can be inspected using the naked eye. But with the help of a few extra tools, we can further increase the effectiveness of your pending home performance upgrades by finding the areas most in need of improvement.
Our Basic Inspection makes use of an infrared camera to locate any areas where your home is under-insulated, or where there may be air leaks. Additionally, our ventilation, radon and combustion safety testing equipment will ensure your home is safe from unwanted air contaminants. With the Extensive Diagnostic Test, we use a blower door test to determine the exact amount of air leakage throughout your home. It also includes testing of your ductwork to locate any air leaks that are undermining the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems, plus a second professional radon test for increased peace of mind.
Worried About Your Indoor Air Quality?
If you are concerned that the air inside your home may contain excess mold, dust, bacteria, or other contaminants, the Comprehensive Diagnostic Test will give you all the answers you need to breathe easier. In addition to all of the tests included in the Extensive Diagnostic Test, you will also receive:
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Temperature and Humidity Monitoring **
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Long-Term Professional Radon Monitoring **
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Air Particulate Monitoring **
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CO/CO2 Monitoring **
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Surface Moisture Metering in Strategic Locations
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Indoor Air Quality Report
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Renewable Energy Opportunity Discussion
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Onsite Discussion of Testing Results (up to 1 hour max)
**monitoring up to a three week period
Energy Audits: You Get What You Pay For!
Upgrading your home performance can be an intimidating process, so who can blame you for wanting the quick fix when it comes to understanding how your home is currently performing? But unfortunately, you get what you pay for. With an energy audit that isn’t fully comprehensive, you could be missing the information you need to make targeted improvements to your home instead of just the “big box” services other home performance contractors provide. When you trust E3 INNOVATE with your home energy audit, you will receive a detailed report summarizing key findings. You can also discuss the results with a home performance professional so that all your questions are answered. That way, you'll be sure to get the most out of your home upgrades.