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Old 01-02-18, 05:21 PM   #39
gasstingy
Journeyman EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Arab, AL
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After I finished the build of our second solar array and getting the two of them grid-tied, I had an energy audit done on our home in the Spring of 2013 {I can't seem to pull it up now, but that's another story} in order to correctly size a new heat pump. I knew my old one was oversized and had to prove it in order to keep from being oversized again by lazy HVAC contractors.

The baseline {IIRC} of 100 is for a well-constructed home to 2006 standards. They did a blower door test, duct leakage tests and a number of other calculations. At the end of the tests, a report was drawn up and my house scored a 28. I was rechecked when my auditor was being audited. Between the 1st (official) and 2nd (unofficial) audit, I had replaced the old unit with a SEER 19 HVAC unit along with an added 10" of cellulose blown in and a couple of can lights sealed up. The unofficial figure my original auditor gave me was 13. The house was built with open cell spray foam in the 2x4 walls, 3.5" on the top of the ceiling sheetrock and 2" closed cell under the floor. All cfl's at the time, the microwave and all electronics on power strips. Stuff like that.

FWIW, an energy audit should have a report. Review the report if you can gain access to it and it should show where the best areas of improvement for the money are. I'd check the house carefully for air sealing....around doors, windows, exterior wall electrical outlets, etc. Then, if I couldn't put my hands on a copy of the claimed audit, I'd have an audit of my own run so I could see where I stood and what would be the best place to start spending effort / money.
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