Home Energy Efficiency

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Building energy efficient homes and improving energy efficiency in our homes can increase their value

Over the past few years, there has been a ground swell of Green building interest by home buyers and builders. In response to the growing demand to conserve energy in our homes, there are several new mortgage programs that allow home buyers to finance the cost of energy improvements into their mortgage, to increase their loan-to-value, or improve their qualifying ratios. Some of the more common improvements that are used to make homes more energy efficient include the addition of new windows, high efficiency heating/cooling systems, and improved insulation.  All of these contribute to reduced energy use, and also to making homes quieter, more comfortable, and more desirable.

What makes a home energy efficient?
The cost of heating and cooling a home represents the largest cost of ownership, outside of the home mortgage expense.  Everyone wants a home that is comfortable to live in, and yet the costs associated with reaching a comfortable level can be very high.  Energy Efficiency can be defined as the use of products or systems that use less energy to do the same or better job as conventional products.  In home construction and performance, there are many areas where energy efficiency can be achieved, to allow you to meet those desired comfort levels.

The EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program has developed a process for evaluating products used in a home, such as appliances, windows, lighting and other products that meet or exceed certain efficiency standards or recommendations.  When choosing products for a home, ensure the products meet Energy Star ratings.  This can include furnace, air conditioning and water heater performance, replacement of appliances in the home, and installation of energy efficient lighting such as Compact Florescent Lamps (CFL’s).

Other construction design aspects can have a significant impact on the energy performance of a home.  Insulation levels should be adequate for the environment, and more importantly, proper installation of the insulation is critical in ensuring it is performing to the expected levels.  Air infiltration and leakage can be another area where hidden openings in the building shell can cause heat and cooling losses to occur, reducing the efficiency of the home’s performance. 

In addition to performance of individual components in a home, the EPA’s Energy Star Program also works with builders to qualify and certify home performance, to ensure that maximum performance is achieved.  ENERGY STAR® qualified homes are designed to be at least 15 percent more energy efficient than homes built to the 2004 International Residential Code (IRC). 

ENERGY STAR® qualified homes offer homebuyers all the features they want in a new home, plus energy-efficient improvements that deliver better performance, greater comfort, and lower utility bills.  ENERGY STAR® homes have had their energy efficiency independently verified by an inspector known as a Home Energy rater. A HERS Rater will inspect and test the home during construction, and verify that the home meets EPA’s strict guidelines for energy efficiency.  

Contact Scott Home Inspection for all your inspection needs!