A money-saving energy audit

CORNWALL — A demonstration of how a home energy audit would be conducted was held Dec. 8 at the Town Office building, adjacent to Town Hall.Cornwall Energy Task Force (CETF) Chair Katherine Freygang got an exemption from CL&P to allow an actual audit to be done of a public building, normally not allowed under the Home Energy Solutions Program. The single-story building, with 2,100 feet, seven rooms, a crawlspace and an attic replicates an average-sized home.Under the program, the state’s electricity and natural gas providers partner with the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund to funnel small assessments on energy bills into a rebate on audits performed by approved contractors.The idea by CETF was to encourage residents to take advantage of the program. The audit is valued at $750. Through the program, the final cost is $75. With a grant obtained by CETF, 25 people are offered an additional $50 rebate.Freygang said at that point only about half of the rebates have been given away, and she wasn’t sure why anyone wouldn’t take advantage not only of the discount but also of the energy savings that are likely to follow the audit. “Almost everyone can reduce their energy bills by at least that monthly amount,” Freygang said.Clutter is not a problemOne person showed up at the audit demonstration, and it wasn’t long before he was signing up and wondering why he had not done it sooner.One reason people often give is that they are embarrassed by closets, attics and basements that need cleaning out, and they don’t have the time or inclination to prepare. Jeff Page and Gerson Diaz, from Competitive Resources Inc. in Wallingford, Conn., said they don’t really care. Even the least lived-in and well-maintained homes have their share of cobwebs, literally. And who doesn’t have clutter? “Yes, we do have to look in closets and in every space in order to get an accurate assessment of the air volume of the house. We need a square-footage profile,” Page said. “But that doesn’t mean you have to clear everything out. In the attic, for example, we need to get to the perimeter. If everything can be consolidated in an area in the middle, we’re good.”They will check heating and cooling systems, evaluating them for capacity and age and making recommendations for replacement as needed. Ductwork also gets a good look for potential leaks and proper air flow. There are plenty of small things that can add up to big energy savings, and the materials and installation are almost always provided during the audit at no extra charge. They might wrap hot water pipes, replace sink aerators and shower heads and swap out incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents. Fresh air is goodThey will come back for jobs such as sealing and air duct systems. Page said he has even recommended in some cases installing mechanical ventilation on homes that have been tightened up too much. “A little fresh air is good,” he said.An infrared sensor is used to measure temperature differences. On a cold day, it was easy to see where the issues were, including in some eye-opening places such as recessed can lighting. The solution is as easy as putting a cap over the top where the light opens into a space above, while using a compact fluorescent bulb that will not overheat.After they have climbed and crawled and measured, the team sets up a fan in a sealed doorway to depressurize the house, creating a vacuum, usually. At Town Hall, they opted to pressurize instead. Page said they found what might be asbestos in the attic and crawlspace and could not risk blowing contaminants out into the air.Diaz went around with a “smoke stick” — a device that emits a stream of sugar-and-water vapor to identify air leaks. Again, there were surprises, at least for the onlookers. Among them were suspended ceiling tiles that are not insulated above; gaps left in interior walls around pipes as part of retrofitted heating systems; and electrical outlets. All are easy fixes. Diaz said to use the right ones. For instance, outlet insulators are cheap and easy, but do little. A better idea is to use child safety plugs in unused outlets.Audit extrasThe audit takes about four hours and ends with a “kitchen table wrap-up.” Residents are given a brochure full of coupons and rebates for things such as insulation upgrades, appliance upgrades, heating and cooling system replacements and ductless heat pumps.The results for the Town Office building? Not great, but not unexpected: more than 2.5 times the air leakage of a new, Energy Star-rated home.Those who work in the building were not surprised by the results. Town Clerk Vera Dinneen said that in the winter, for instance, she puts her feet up on a box under her desk so they don’t freeze, and was able to predict which of the windows would come up short on efficiency.Homeowners are advised to contact CL&P about audits of multiple buildings on a property. Many here have both homes and accessory buildings, such as barns converted to studios and workshops. Diaz said both may be included in one audit, usually allowed when both are on the same electric meter.The only other thing residents — tenants can also schedule audits, with the landlord’s permission — need to do is get together a year’s worth of fuel bills that indicate the gallons used, electric bills and the amount of wood or pellet usage.Go to www.bitly.com/cornwallhes or www.cornwallctenergy.org, or call 888-403-3500.