973-492-1666

What are the major reasons to consider an energy audit?

1. Energy inefficient houses cost more to heat in winter and cool in summer. An audit will discover problems that, when corrected, can save the average homeowner up to 40% off the cost of heating and air conditioning.
2. Energy inefficient homes are often cold and drafty, compromising the comfort of those living inside.
3. Energy inefficient homes can adversely affect the health and comfort of people and pets living inside them. Stale, polluted air can trigger breathing problems and promote illness.
4. Not all energy is renewable. If we waste it, it will not be available to future generations. New Jersey's Office of Clean Energy and the federal government's Energy STAR programs offer substantial rebates and tax credits to homeowners interested in making their homes more energy efficient.
5. When we fix energy inefficiencies we reduce our dependence on energy imports - whether they are sourced from foreign governments or neighboring states.

Why is it important to act now?

For 2010, New Jersey's Office of Clean Energy is offering to pay 50% of the cost of an energy efficiency project (up to $3,000 for a $6,000 project) along with 0% interest financing for up to $10,000 as part of the Home Performance with Energy Star initiative. To be eligible for these incentives, you must have a Home Energy Audit (also called a Home Performance Assessment) by a NJOCE approved contractor like Home Energy Matters. Home Energy Matters is BPI- Accredited and is part of the Home Performance with Energy Star initiative. There are no application fees or closing costs, and the loans do not require a down payment. Additional assistance may be available when homeowners meet certain Income eligibility requirements.

What does an audit involve?

There are three steps to an audit – Inspection, Detection and Correction.

During Step 1, our certified auditors inspect the building envelope and interior rooms of your home, looking for air leaks, ventilation problems, inadequate insulation and other energy inefficient conditions.

Next, they detect problem sources by using sophisticated testing equipment like a thermal camera, blower door, smoke pencil, and various meters and gauges.

In Step 3, they make recommendations on what to fix.

Why is health and safety testing part of an energy audit?

A surprising number of homes have malfunctioning combustion appliances that can cause injury and harm to you and your home. Our BPI accredited auditors have been trained to inspect and test furnaces, ovens, and water heaters for proper performance to help ensure safe operation. During the audit, they will measure levels of carbon monoxide produced by the appliance to ensure that potentially dangerous combustion gases are not introduced into your home. They are also on the look-out for asbestos, lead and fire hazards caused by frayed, worn or improperly capped electrical wires.

Why does air sealing matter?

Air escaping or entering your house through cracks and holes in the building envelope will result in higher energy costs to keep air warm in winter and cool in summer. Using a blower door, manometer and smoke sniffing gun, we isolate both visible and hard to see cracks and holes that allow air to enter and escape. Then, using a combination of general purpose and special high temperature caulks, and various dry and foam based sealants. We close these holes to keep your expensively heated and cooled air inside.

Why does ventilation matter?

Ventilation systems help your house “breathe” by ensuring a steady and healthy supply of fresh air. A proper ventilation system will remove moisture from the air. Uncontrolled moisture can create mold, mildew and condensation problems. Ventilation also helps eliminate potential indoor air pollutants, cooking odors or stale, stuffy air. They are vital to the health and comfort of people and pets living inside a home.

What major appliances are important in a home energy efficiency?

Your water heater, furnace and air conditioner are the most important appliances where you can save energy and lower utility bills.

Depending upon its age and specifications, water heater tanks need to be insulated or replaced with a new more energy efficient model or one using a different fuel source, usually natural gas or a heat pump water heater. If the hot water pipes are not insulated in a cold basement, we will recommend insulating the first six feet.

Do doors and windows matter?

It’s important to have well-insulated, high-performance windows and doors. Homeowners will see and feel the difference through improved comfort, reduced condensation and lower utility costs. Look for the ENERGY STAR symbol to identify the most efficient windows, skylights, and sliding glass doors.

When buying new windows, consider U-value and Low-E coatings. U-value is the measure of the window’s ability to insulate. Lower U-value means less heat flows through the windows. Low-E (low emissivity) window coatings are thin and transparent, permitting visible light to pass through, while effectively reflecting radiation - keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.

What makes a product ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR® products are the same or better than standard products, but they use less energy. To earn the ENERGY STAR, they must meet strict efficiency criteria set by the US Environmental Protection Agency or the US Department of Energy. Since the products use less energy, they save you money on your energy bill and help protect the environment by causing fewer harmful emissions from power plants.

Some examples:

ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces offer a rating of 90% AFUE or greater, which is about 15% more efficient than the minimum federal efficiency standard.

ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators are at least 15% more efficient than the minimum efficiency standard.

ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs (CFLs) use two-thirds less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and must meet additional operating and reliability guidelines

What does an audit cost?

The initial audit costs a total of $349. If you pursue a remediation project with us, we will refund the full cost of the audit.

Who is eligible?

New Jersey homeowners who are customers of the public utilities for either electricity or gas service are eligible to take advantage of New Jersey‘s Clean Energy program. There are other programs for lower income families; however the NJ Clean Energy Program is open to all homeowners who are customers of the public utilities.

Do I need have a low income to benefit from this program?

No. This is not an income tested program. It is open to all homeowners regardless of income, as long as they have a residential account with a public utility.

How do I get started?

Call Home Energy Matters at 973-492-1666 or visit our website at HomeEnergyMatters.com to schedule an audit and learn how you can benefit from energy savings year after year and incentives and rebates now.

How long does all this take?

The initial audit will take about 1.5 to 2 hours. We will then develop a report on our findings and a series of prioritized recommendations. The time required for the actual work depends on what we find and on which of our recommendations you accept, however it typically takes no more than a few days.

Why are the State of NJ and the Federal Government funding this generous program?

Studies have shown that it is far more cost effective to pay for homeowners to retrofit their homes and save energy than it is to add power plants and gas pipelines to meet increasing demand. New Jersey is in the forefront of a national trend to develop the least expensive source of new energy in our country - the energy we waste.

What other benefits do I get?

Most houses have rooms that are too cold in winter and too hot in summer due to inadequate insulation, insufficient air flow and other causes. In the process of saving energy by air sealing, better insulation and new furnaces we make the house considerably more comfortable to not allowing heated or cooled air to escape.

Is Air Conditioning included in the incentives?

ENERGY STAR rated central air conditioners can be part of a package of improvements that are eligible for the 50% incentive rebate. The overall package of improvements must create a reduction of over 25% in total energy cost to qualify, however.

What are your qualifications to do this work?

Dorothy Stone, the CEO of Home Energy Matters, has over 20 years of experience as a licensed general contractor. She has designed and built over 70 homes and major additions. All of our auditors have taken over 40 hours of specialized classroom and field training in addition to substantial self-study and have passed 8 hours of written and field tests to become Certified Building Analyst and Envelope Professionals by the Building Performance Institute, a national non-profit agency whose motto is “Raising the Bar in Home Energy Performance Contracting”. Most of our professionals have substantial backgrounds in the homebuilding industry.

Home Energy Matters is accredited by BPI and enrolled in the NJ Clean Energy Program. We welcome the regular quality control visits from both BPI and the NJ Clean Energy Program to assure that our work continues to meet their exacting standards.