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[DaveWertz]

Been thinking about getting and energy audit done to my home. Ive been bitting my nails about getting blown cellulose on my first floor since this floor seems to not be heating constantly.  Ive gone and fully insulated the attic and did as much as seal as I can deal with!. Have any of you had an energy audit if so was it well worth it? Or should I just quit being a tight ass and do the insulation blown in the walls? Cant seem to decide.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Spend the money on the energy audit Dave. Stop guessing about where  your heat losses are. The audit will tell you where your biggest bang for your buck is. Make sure that the auditor does a blower door test as well as a color screen thermal imaging camera view of your house inside and out.

[mingom]

I got one a year ago with a groupon - more just to ease my mind that I wasn't loosing heat crazily anywhere.  The guy had some really good suggestions on places I could improve.

[DaveWertz]

There are a few in the area. Im going to call monday and set something up. Kinda hoping these guys arent going to break the bank, that would interfere with my spending towards the house. As of now I have around 1800 to safely play with.

[DaveWertz]

Mingom if you dont mind me asking what did it cost you?

[mingom]

I paid $149 for a $450 energy audit - guy was super through, blower door test, IR Camera, crawled in the attic, would have done a combustion test on my propane unit if it was running, and was happy to have me with him every step of the way - and explained everything.

[netwerx-r-us]

check with your electricity dept, ours offer that free and of course they have the insulation/ water heater /heat pump programs. some offer solar incentives as well 

[coolidge]

Get the audit and as hondaracer mentioned "stop guessing". you will have a report in your hand and can pick and choose wich project to tackle based on your budget. Check with your state also to see if there are rebates.

[DaveWertz]

Yeah I was just reading that our electric supplier offers this for free or at most $50. Im going to call tomorrow for sure. The guessing game got old and expensive REAL quick! I'm about 1k into it now. As long as I can stay under my $1700 mark I will be happy as a pig in chit. Seems like when I get one project done another 5 pop up! Never ends.....

[DaveWertz]

Well I was wrong about my local electric supplier doing free audits. They want 600-800 for an audit. I called a few other places and the cheapest I could find was a gentleman near by that does it for 300-400 per floor!! I talked to other companies that do this and they even said that is robbery for an audit. This company charges a flat rate of 275 for the whole house but I am just out of there area of travel. This is very very salty to say the least.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Those are crazy numbers. Ask the $275 guys if they will come out for $350.

[slimjim]

Dave did you ever contact Kerry Ellis, our dealer in Binghampton

[DaveWertz]

Slim I tried calling but got no answer? Honda, He said he would travel that distance for an extra fee but he said it could be anywhere from 400-700. Only because they would have to set one of there employees aside for the whole day to be able and come to my place. There were about 3 other auditors I found in my area and all were about the same price. That really cuts into my pockects pretty deep. It's a hard one to choke down to pay that much. I really have to sit back and think about what I want to do. A big part of me really wants to have one done but I will be limited with my funds getting put back into the house. If I wasnt paying the mortgage and utilities myself it would be a no brainer but until then I have to budget my spending. I was really shocked with those numbers!

[Scott7m]

Wow. I cant imagine paying someone for that. 

They offer them here through elec company but they tell you the goofiest crap, like to put plastic over your Windows and turn thermostat down.

[hondaracer2oo4]

Scott, Yeah these aren't like that at all(or shouldn't be anyway). They should have a blower door fan that they set up to pressurize the house. Then they take readings of how much pressure the house holds, they go around and find where the air is finding for ways out of the house. They should also go around with a color thermal imager and show you all of the cold spots inside and show you the warm spots on the outside of the home.