Our Mission

What's the difference between the so-called clipboard audits and the ones we do? Let's explore it a little bit.

In order to effectively improve the energy efficiency of a home, an assessment must be made to determine just how inefficient the home is. This assessment is known as a home energy audit.

A clipboard audit is a simple one-page assessment of well-known causes for energy loss, such as lack of insulation, obviously leaky window/door frames, and poor usage habits. Typically, they do not include a blower-door test, and may even be as simple as a visual inspection of your home. While this type of audit tends to be cheaper, it is a much less effective way of determining the energy efficiency of your home, and a full home energy audit will pay back greater in the end.

We do not do not do clipboard audits. We perform a whole house assessment treating the building as one large mechanical system, each component of the home looked at as interacting and codependent.

First, we review your energy bills. This helps us get an idea of where you're losing energy and why. Next, we measure your  home to assess its general area and volume, followed by a blower-door test. This test tells us how much air is being allowed to travel through your home via various penetrations in the building shell (ie: plumbing/electrical penetrations, duct chases, light fixtures, etc.). During this test, we will conduct a series of inspections, including, but not limited to, infrared scans, insulation inspections, and attic inspections. We also perform a combustion analysis of all combustion appliances present (ie: boilers, furnaces, gas ovens/ranges, etc.) to determine their efficiency and ensure that they are all firing and venting properly. This includes, but is not limited to, carbon monoxide testing, combustion draft testing, combustion efficiency testing, flue pipe exhaust inspection, duct air flow testing, duct leakage testing, visual inspections of the condition of the equipment, exhaust fan inspection, clothing dryer vent inspection, and a well pump analysis.

Back at our office, we use the information garnered from these tests to draw up a Rating Report. This report tells you, the customer, how efficient your home is, what work we propose to perform to improve your home's efficiency, and how efficient your home will be upon completion. Also included in this report are drawings of your home, defining its dimensions and thermal boundary. This extensive audit is much more accurate than a clipboard audit, providing greater potential for savings.

There’s been a huge push for Americans to become more energy conscious and eco-friendly. Some grocery companies have begun charging the consumer for using plastic bags, thereby encouraging the purchase of reusable tote bags. Los Angeles will be voting November 16th to ban plastic bags entirely. Considering that one of the greatest contributors to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is plastic bags, this is a wonderful effort. Don’t be misled by the term ‘patch’ though: the garbage island is estimate being between the size of Texas and the size of the continental United States. It’s sort of difficult to figure its exact boundaries.

So while the tote bags are a great way to stop plastic tumbleweeds from blowing across the US and killing off many eco-systems, consumers need to be aware of potential product problems.

“According to a study released by TEI Analytical, half of reusable shopping bags made with Non-Woven Poly Propylene (NWPP) contain an unhealthy amount of lead. Many of the bags that are supposed to save the planet contain more than 100 parts per million of toxic heavy metals.”

All of these reusable tote bags are made in China, so check your bags and maybe considering replacing them if they’re made of Poly Propylene.

Before you consider installing solar panels on your home or business, consider this: By retrofitting your home and reducing wasted energy you may not even need an alternative energy solution.

It can be surprising to consider. Not many people are aware of how much energy a home can waste by simply not being well insulated or a draft coming in under the door.

Have you ever noticed how some homes have snow on their roofs in winter while others do not? Does yours? You might have never thought about it before, but no snow on a roof is a dead giveaway that a building is leaking heat. That means you're paying cash out of your pocket to melt the snow outside.

As we're getting closer to winter, this is something to pay attention to. Rather than pay more money by installing photovoltaics to heat the snow, you should find an accredited building analyst to give your home an energy assessment.

How do you choose a company that's right for you?

Many state and federal organizations have search engines right on their websites to help you find one. The Building Performance Institute (BPI) will allow you to search for Gold and Silver Star accredited contractors and the Better Business Bureau can help you validate a company's integrity.

Or hey, if you live in New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania, you could just give us a call.

Laundry detergent? How will that save me money and energy in the home? Well, by making your own laundry detergent you can save $40 or the equivalent of eight bottles of manufactured detergent. You can make your own for 5% of the purchasing cost of store brands and in a blind smell test, the home brew was preferred.

Materials for Home Brew Laundry Soap (15-20 minutes)

-2 cups Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (30 cents worth)
-1/2 bar Fels-Naptha soap, grated and dissolved in water (50 cents worth)
-1 cup liquid Ivory Soap (half a bottle or 90 cents worth)
-15 drops of rosemary oil, or scented oil of your choice (approximately 10 cents)
-2 gallons of hot water (priceless)

Everything was bought at the local grocery store besides the water (on tap) and the rosemary oil which was on hand.
The total cost to make a batch is $1.85 versus the $40 it'd cost for 7-8 bottles of detergent.

Process:
-The 2 gallons of water must be made hot, either out of the faucet or via the stove. We used the stove. You can use 2.5 gallons of water if desired, but the 2 gallon recipe increases potency.
-Add the ingredients and stir well.
-Pour into storage containers.

Use:
-Make sure to shake detergent before use.
-Use one capful per load of wash (in other words, the same portion you'd use were the detergent manufactured)