Energy efficiency: NorthWestern program provides free audit of home energy consumption

For the last 12 years XENERGY has been conducting free energy audits for consumers across Montana. Four, two-person teams visit 25,000 homes a year from one side of the state to the other providing the Efficiency Plus energy audit for Northwestern Energy.

By TIMOTHY MITCHELL Staff Reporter

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"There is little a customer can do about the cost of electric and gas, but there are things everyone can do to better manage their energy consumption and get more control over their usage," Northwestern Efficiently plus Coordinator Deb Young said.

During an audit http://www.northwesternenergy.com/energy/residential/home_audit.htm the two spread out like mice, taking readings of most everything imaginable, from the temperature of the freezer to the depth of insulation in the attic or basement of the home.

The auditors also look at water use, gas usage and electric consumption. They show high months from charts of past usage, locate deficiencies, and provide information on lowering bills.

During a short interview with the home owner the auditor can calculate how the home is using the energy and in some cases the efficiency of the products on hand already.

Once the interview is complete they get down to work.

One person wraps the hot water heater and the water pipes to keep the heat in, while the other installs low flow faucet aerators and showerheads as needed, checks insulation levels and does safety tests on the furnace.

Then a special device, the Minneapolis Blower Door, is attached to the residences door and a test is conducted.

"From a mobile home to a three-story house every home is expected to have a complete air exchange in three hours," XENERGY energy conservation specialist Richard Spencer said.

Depending on the size of the home a target amount of air exchange is determined based on the square footage of the house.

Once the machine is turned on, the device pushes air out of the home at speeds of up to 30 mph, according to Spencer.

In doing so, the air inside the home will be replaced through a variety of normal openings, around pipes coming into the house, or under doors or window frames, even from furnaces and dryer vents.

Once the machine has pushed the air out of the home the crew walks around looking for where air is rushing inside.

The door test can only be conducted if the home is free of asbestos. If an immediate determination is not established the auditors will return to complete the test once the home is determined to be asbestos free.

The audit takes about 90 minutes.

The report is mailed and takes about two weeks to arrive according to Young. The statement details usage and breaks down what device uses the most energy and ways the home owner can save.

From computers to washers and dryers, some savings can usually be found.

However the largest savings can be found in simply adding more insulation if the home is not already at the recommended R-factor.

A generic estimated savings amount cannot be calculated because the audits are house specific and depending on the habits and behaviors of the resident, can vary widely.

At the end of the report an estimated savings for that house is given along with the items a homeowner needs to do to get the savings.

"This is a wonderful time for people to do this as they are getting prepared for summer projects. Now is the time to act, before the next winter," Young said.

The audit is funded by the Universal Systems Benefits Charge which can be found on the utility bill.

The qualifications for the audit are simple. The home owner must be a space or water customer of Northwestern with no previous audit and the house has to be older than five years.

Contact: 800-823-5995, [email protected]

Reporter Timothy Mitchell can be reached at 363-3300 or [email protected]