Home Energy Assessment

Weatherization measures can cost-effectively reduce fuel usage in many homes by at least a third.

SERG offers three Home Performance services to help you reduce energy use, save money, improve the health, comfort and safety of your home and protect the environment. Each of our services builds off the one before. So you start at step 1 and, if you choose, move on to steps 2 and then 3. Here is a description of the services, followed by our on-line survey to get you started.

Step 1 – Home Efficiency Calculator - Fill in the square footage of your home's heated space and the amount of heating fuels you use in our on-line survey. You will receive FREE automatic feedback on how efficiently you are heating your home and how it compares with similarly sized efficient homes. It only takes a minute! This will let you know whether you need to take more action to increase your home's efficiency and save money.

Step 2 – Home Energy Assessment Survey and Consultation – Complete and submit the on-line survey. Then send a $30 check made out to "SERG", 432 Ulman Rd., Thetford Center, VT 05075. SERG's trained and certified Home Performance contractor will review your survey and call you to discuss its results and any other energy or home performance concerns you have.

Step 3 – Home Performance Assessment – If, at the end of the survey consultation, you would like to proceed with an on-site Home Performance Assessment, our contractor will schedule a time with you and the $30 fee will be applied toward your Assessment. We prefer conducting the assessments while owners are at home so they can observe the process if interested and answer questions if needed.

The Assessment includes:

A blower door test to measure how leaky your house is and identify the source of air leaks – the biggest source of heat loss.
An infrared scan (if temperatures permit) to assist with identifying thermal openings.
Health and safety tests to make sure your combustion appliances are operating efficiently and properly venting.
A thorough visual inspection of your home to identify areas of heat loss, as well as health, comfort and safety concerns.
A written report with findings, recommended measures and estimated energy savings.
A list of certified contractors who can make the recommended improvements.

SERG Home Performance Assessments are currently limited to Upper Valley towns from Bradford, VT in the north to Hartland, VT in the south, and from Canaan, NH in the east to Woodstock and Sharon, VT in the west.

The cost of SERG's Home Performance Assessment service varies with the size and complexity of your home:

SERG Home Performance Assessment Rates

For Single-Family Homes up to 2,500 sq ft		$450.00
For Single-Family Homes 2,501 to 3,500 sq ft		$550.00
For Single-Family Homes 3,501 to 5,500 sq ft		$650.00
For Single-Family Homes 5,501 to 7,500 sq ft		$800.00
For Single-Family Homes over 7,500 sq ft		Contact SERG for pricing

The $30 fee for the Energy Survey Consultation above will count toward the Home Performance Assessment Fee. Assessment fees are based on area of intentionally heated space as measured by our contractor during Assessment and is due in full at time of Assessment. If an infrared scan cannot be performed dur to poor temerature differentials, $50 will be deducted from your bill. You could hire SERG for $100 to return to perform an infrared scan at a later time. Should the SERG Home Performance contractor find asbestos, vermiculite or other hazardous situations, which prohibit him/her from completing all tests, the homeowner will be charged two-thirds of the assessment fee with the understanding that they will receive a written report with the information that was found at the time of the Assessment along with recommendations. SERG could be hired to return to complete tests and final report once the hazardous materials have been dealt with.

How much will I save?

Energy savings will vary depending upon how leaky your home is and on how extensively participants implement the suggested efficiency measures. Many inefficient homes can expect to achieve 25% to 35% savings or more in energy use through a comprehensive energy retrofit. Comparing the results of your Home Efficiency Calculator against 30,000 BTUs/square foot of heated space for a relatively tight house will give you some sense of your potential savings.

Special Incentives For Vermont Residents Only

Thanks to Efficiency Vermont, residents of Vermont can receive several value-added features to their Home Performance Assessment. SERG will replace high-use screw-in incandescent bulbs with FREE compact fluorescent lightbulbs. This can save $40-$70 in electricity costs over each bulb's lifetime. We can also install free hot water tank insulation jackets, pipe wrap, low-flow showerheads, and faucet aerators for Vermont residents using electric hot water. Vermonters who complete the work plan as described in our report with a certified Building Performance Institute (BPI) contractor affiliated with Vermont, can receive up to $2,500 in financial incentives offered by Efficiency Vermont based on work completed.

For more information about SERG's Home Performance Services, contact us at 802-785-4126 or SERG@valley.net.