Home Energy Audit

Your First Step Toward Saving Energy & Money!

You depend on your home to keep you cool and comfortable during the intense Georgia heat. So, what happens when your home doesn’t deliver? You figure out the problem and address it!

When you experience comfort problems, it’s easy to assume your HVAC system is at fault. But you could be facing other problems, including leaky ductwork, an unsealed air envelope, poor insulation and more.

If your home is uncomfortable or your energy bills are increasing, turn to Bolton. Most HVAC contractors will make sure your HVAC equipment is operating correctly, but Bolton will go above and beyond. We’ll analyze your whole home to find every possible home comfort problem.

Are you a member of our service plan? As part of your membership, we offer a home comfort energy audit. But the benefits don’t stop there. Learn more about the advantages of joining our service plan here.

Not a member of our service plan, but have home efficiency concerns? You can still schedule a home energy audit with us. To claim one of our limited appointments, contact us today!

Our professionals will show you how to increase your home’s energy efficiency so it functions at its best. You will eliminate energy waste, boost efficiency and enjoy a comfy home.

What You Need to Know About a Home Energy Audit

Here’s how it works. When you schedule your affordable home energy audit, our energy-efficiency experts will thoroughly evaluate how your home operates to identify energy waste. From here, we’ll compile a complete list of any problems. Then, we’ll provide you with a detailed report that includes recommendations of energy-saving improvements and the order in which you should make them. Plus, we’ll provide an estimate that includes the exact cost of each improvement.

• Curious about the specific tests we perform? Take a peek.

  Here are some of the tests we will perform during an energy-efficiency audit:

  • Infiltrometer blower door test: All homes leak air to the outdoors. But how much? Bolton performs an infiltration blower door test to find out! This test assesses your home’s overall air tightness and identifies leaky areas that may need to be addressed.
  • Load calculation: Properly sized heating and cooling equipment is determined by a Manual J Heat Loss & Heat Gain Load Calculation. Bolton will measure your entire home: windows and doors, walls, ceiling heights, direction exterior walls face, insulation levels and more. These measurements are entered into special software, usually at Bolton’s office, to determine equipment capacity and air flow requirements for your home.
  • Duct leakage test: There are more than a million miles of ductwork in U.S. homes. Industry experts estimate that more than two-thirds are leaky enough to justify sealing or repair. Leaky ducts can increase energy bills, create dangerous indoor air quality problems, reduce equipment performance and more. Your HVAC equipment is only as good as the duct system it is connected to. 
  • Duct evaluation: Ductwork determines the efficiency and performance of an HVAC system, but most duct systems are undersized by at least 25%. Here’s why that matters: If your 3-ton air conditioner is connected to an undersized or restrictive duct system, by 30% for example, equipment will perform like a 2-ton AC unit. Again, HVAC equipment is only as good as the duct system it is connected to.
  • Airflow verification: Uncomfortable rooms are usually the result of inadequate airflow to supply registers and from return grilles. Bolton will measure air flow to determine if there is enough conditioned air being delivered to each room. We will also measure and determine if return air is being delivered back to HVAC equipment for proper filtration. Air flow requirements vary from room to room, depending on the following: size of windows and doors, area and volume of room, orientation/direction of exterior walls, insulation, number of occupants, heat-producing electronics or appliances, etc.

These rigorous analyses and tests are required to accurately determine a proper solution for comfort, equipment longevity, safety and energy savings. There’s an old saying at Bolton Heating, Air & Fireplaces: “If you’re not testing, you’re guessing.”

These tests take several hours at your home and usually require two visits. The first visit is to gather measurements, perform tests, review equipment and gather other information. The second visit is to compare calculations and data and review solutions.

Watch the video below to learn how home performance testing can identify solutions that will improve your home comfort and efficiency.

Why Should You Follow Our Recommendations?

Bolton is the leader when it comes to home performance. So, you can trust our experts’ recommendations!

When you choose to follow through, you’ll enjoy a more comfortable and healthier home with significantly lower energy bills. In fact, you can potentially save 5 to 30% on your energy bill after making the upgrades!

Plus, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems don’t have to work as hard to keep homes comfortable. This boosted efficiency will expand your unit’s lifespan, delay your need for a system replacement, lower your energy bills and improve your comfort.

But that’s not all. Operating a more energy-efficient home:

• Reduces moisture issues (no mold, leaks, condensation, etc.)
• Increasesyour home’s resale value
• Improves IAQ
• Reducesyour reliance on fossil fuels
• Releases less greenhouse gases into the environment
• Decreasesyour carbon footprint… And more!

Bolton does more than just recommend energy-saving enhancements. From installing a system that’s properly sized to air sealing and insulation, we offer and flawlessly perform the services you need, too!

FAQs

Got questions? We’ve got answers!

• Why is it so hot in one room of my house?

  There are many reasons for this problem. The room could be hot due to:

  • The direction your home faces and window locations
  • Inadequate ductwork
  • Improperly sized HVAC equipment
  • … And more!

  To find out for sure, call Bolton and schedule a home energy audit today!

• Does closing vents redirect air?

  Closing air vents is a popular strategy for adjusting airflow, but it’s not necessarily a good one. Homeowners typically close vents in an attempt to redirect air away from unused spaces. The belief is that closing a vent will push the air to other areas of the home, improving energy efficiency. However, the reality is a very different situation, which may cause energy bills to rise.

  Closing air vents increases the pressure in your ducts. If they’re tightly sealed, this may increase airflow to other areas of the home. However, the heated or cooled air may travel an inefficient path to get there, ultimately decreasing the efficiency of your system. If your home has leaky air ducts, the excess pressure will push its way out through the nearest leak, delivering none of the air to your home and increasing your overall energy losses.

• Should you close doors in unused rooms?

  The answer depends on a variety of factors, such as:

  • Are the supply and return ducts correct?
  • Is the room zoned?
  • Is the room unused for a day or for a longer period?

Cash in on the Efficiency, Comfort & Savings You Deserve

Ready to drive down your energy bills and boost your home comfort? Our HVAC company in Gwinnett County will show you how! Through an affordable home energy audit, we’ll make it perfectly clear how you can achieve a more comfortable, energy-efficient home today!

Contact us online or dial 770.674.6868 to schedule your home energy audit today!