Results of Your

Home Energy Audit

Rogers Residence
15 April 2009

prepared for:
Mike and Laurie Rogers
1234 Maple Lane
Cotati, CA 94931

prepared by:
Daniel Bell
Home Performance Specialist
415.294.5380
daniel.bell@recurve.com

License # 863380
summary
Your Concerns Root Causes Recommended Solutions
Results of Your
Home Energy Audit
• House is too cold all year • High air leakage. (see pg. 8) • Air Sealing (see pg. 14)
Rogers Residence
• Lack of adequate wall insulation • Wall Insulation (see pg. 17) 15 October 2009
(see pg. 7)
• Furnace Replacement
(see pg. 13)

• House is drafty and dusty • High air leakage (see pg. 8) • Duct Replacement (see pg. 18)

• High duct leakage (see pg. 9) • High Efficiency Air Filtration

(see pg. 13)

• High utility bills • High air leakage (see pg. 8) • Appliance Replacement (see pg. 12)

• Lack of adequate wall insulation

(see pg. 7)

• Old appliances (pg.12)

License # 863380
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key causes of comfort issues
Air Leakage Insulation Results of Your
Many holes throughout your house allow air to escape Lack of insulation in your walls makes keeping your house Home Energy Audit
and infiltrate, making it difficult to maintain a constant warm or cool difficult. Rogers Residence
temperature. 15 October 2009

Holes like this one in your crawlspace cause heated or cooled air to The red areas in this thermal scan show a lack of proper insulation in
escape, resulting in drafts. your walls.

License # 863380
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key causes of efficiency issues
Old Appliances Lighting
Results of Your
Aging appliances in your house are far less efficient than Lighting your home is a significant portion of your electric
Energy Star models sold today. bill.
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

The blue areas in this thermal scan show air leaks and a lack of proper
insulation around your can lights.

License # 863380
Replacing your refrigerator will save you money on your utility bills.

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key causes of health issues
Duct Leakage Air Leakage
Results of Your
Holes in your ductwork pulls dirty air from crawlspaces Holes in your house allow air to be pulled in from dusty
into the rooms in your home. crawlspaces and attics
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

This photo of a hole in your house shows the dirt that gets pulled into
circulation throughout your home.

License # 863380
This photo, taken in your house, shows the dirt that gets pulled into
circulation throughout your house.

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utility bill summary
How much are you spending on gas and electric per year?
Results of Your
This chart shows how much you’re spending annually on utility bills and the amount that’s being spent on gas vs.
electric.
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009
As you might expect, the majority of gas consumption occurs during the winter for heating your home. Electric
consumption tends to spike in winter due to additional lighting because of short days and in the summer months when
you may run the AC to cool your home.

Cost of gas & Electric per month from

Gas & Electric Costs April 2008 - March 2009
Total kWh* Consumed 9,736
Average Cost per kWh $0.17

Total Electric Cost $1,678

Total Therms Consumed 699

Average Cost Per Therm•• $1.36

Total Gas Cost $949

License # 863380
*kilowatt/hour. Used to quantify the amount of electrical energy delivered by
electric utilities to consumers
**a unit of heat energy equal to 10,000 BTUs. Therms are used to quantify the
amount of natural gas or liquid propane delivered by utilities to consumers.

5
energy loss
Where is energy being lost in your house?
Results of Your
This chart shows which components in your house lose the most energy. By optimizing your home’s performance, it is
possible to have a significant impact on heating and cooling loads thus improving energy efficiency as well as indoor air
Home Energy Audit
quality. Rogers Residence
15 October 2009
Amount of energy lost by building
Energy Loss in Your Home component, on the coldest day of the
Amount of energy loss, in BTUh* by building year in your area
component, on the coldest day of the year.

Walls 16,800
Air Leakage 12,600
Duct Leakage 11,400
Floors 9,000
Windows 7,200
Duct Insulation 3,000

Total 60,000

License # 863380
*British Thermal Unit, a unit of energy. BTUh is used to quantify the heat loss
or heat gain through the building envelope, as well as the power needed for
domestic hot water

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wall insulation
How well are your walls insulated?
Results of Your
As part of a walkthrough of your house, we used an infrared camera to asses the insulation levels in various areas of your
building’s envelope. Lack of insulation results in the shell being the single largest heating load component.
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

Insulation Type & R-Value

Insulation Type R-13 2x4
Installation Quality Average
System R-Value 8.4

Recommended R-Value: R-19 or greater

Percentage of Heating Energy Loss

In this photo you can see that this wall is missing a significant amount of
insulation.

License # 863380
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air leakage
How drafty is your home?
Results of Your
As part of the audit, we performed a blower door test to measure the leakiness of your house. We can estimate the number
of times per hour all of the air in your house is exchanged with the outside air. A higher number means that your house is
Home Energy Audit
draftier and uses more energy. Envelope leakage can also affect other building systems and impact indoor air quality and Rogers Residence
the comfort of your home. We use the blower door test to simulate naturally occurring conditions within your home. 15 October 2009

Many holes like this create drafts

Air Changes Per Hour
Envelope Leakage at CFM50* 4925
Natural ACH** (Air Change Per Hour) 0.95
ASHRAE*** Recommended Level 0.35
Equivalent to a Hole This Size in Your Home 18 in2

Percentage of Heating Energy Loss

We found many holes like the one pictured above. All together, these
holes make it hard to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home.

License # 863380
* Cubic Feet per Minute. Used to quantify the air flow through duct work, air infiltration, or
ventilation
**Air Changes per Hour. The measure of air infiltration or air cleaning. It represents the number
of times each hour that an enclosure’s – typically a house – total volume of air is exchanged
with fresh or filtered air
***American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers

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duct leakage & insulation
How leaky is your ductwork?
Results of Your
Uninsulated and unsealed ducts waste energy and make it difficult to deliver hot or cool air from your HVAC system
to rooms in your house.
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

Duct Leakage & Insulation

% of Energy Lost Through Duct Leakage 19%
% of Energy Lost From Duct Insulation 5%

Insulation Type and R-Value

Insulation Value: None
Radiant Barrier: None

Percentage of Heating Energy Loss

License # 863380
As you can see in this photo, the ducts aren’t insulated, allowing valuable
heat to escape.

9
floor insulation
How well is your floor insulated?
Results of Your
As part of a walkthrough of the building, we visually estimated the insulation levels in various areas of your building’s
envelope. Insufficient or inadequately installed insulation can cause significant energy waste.
Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

Insulation Type & R-Value

Insulation Type None
System R-Value 9.1

Recommended R-Value: R-13 or greater

Percentage of Heating Building Load

This photo shows the bottom of the floor boards where there is no
insulation.

License # 863380
10
lighting efficiency
How much do you pay to light your house?
Results of Your
Lighting can be a major energy drain. While incandescent bulbs continue to be the most common lighting source in homes
today, they are the least efficient and shortest-lasting option. 90% of the energy used to light an incandescent bulb is
Home Energy Audit
released as heat instead of light. Compact Florescent (CFL) bulbs provide very comparable light quality as compared with Rogers Residence
traditional incandescents, but only use 25% of the energy. 15 October 2009

Annual cost of lighting your house Lighting cost per room

$428 Location Annual Cost
Family Room $103
Estimated percentage of your Office $73
Dining $52
electric bill
Kitchen $99
Master Bedroom $48
Master Bathroom $17
Timmy’s Bedroom $16
Guest Room $12
Second Bath $8
25% Total $428

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appliance efficiency
How much do your appliances cost? Results of Your
We’ve estimated the annual cost of operating your appliances based on typical use. See our recommendations for an Home Energy Audit
estimate of how much you could save if you replaced some of your appliances with Energy Star models. Rogers Residence
15 October 2009

Annual cost of elecricity used by Yearly cost of operating your

appliances appliances

$980 Type
Refrigerator
Brand
Sears
Age
1998
kWh/yr
851
Annual Cost
$340
Dishwasher Bosch 1998 641 $100
Estimated percentage of your
Washer GE 1998 526 $200
electric bill Dryer GE 2003 909 $340

Total $980

58%

License # 863380
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recommendations
A custom roadmap to addressing your concerns
Results of Your
Home Energy Audit
Basic Essential Ultimate Rogers Residence
15 October 2009
• Air Sealing • Wall Insulation • Furnace Replacement

• Appliance Replacement • Duct Replacement

• Lighting Upgrade • High Efficiency Air

Filtration

License # 863380
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air sealing
Benefits of Air Sealing
Results of Your
• Improves indoor air quality by reducing air infiltration Home Energy Audit
from crawlspace and attic
Rogers Residence
• Increases energy efficiency by reducing loss of 15 October 2009
conditioned air through leakage points i.e. leaks around
canlights, plumbing and electrical penetrations

• Increases indoor comfort by reducing draftiness of the

home

What to Expect Before: An unsealed hole in your house

• Sealing process reduces envelope leakage by at least

20%

• Recurve uses materials such as foam board, expanding

foam, caulk and fire rated material to seal penetrations
to the extent necessary

• Provide certificate of improvement using Blower Door

test

License # 863380
After: Example of a sealed hole

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appliance replacement
Benefits of Buying New Appliances
Results of Your
When buying an appliance, remember that it has two price tags: what you pay to take it home and what you pay for
the energy and water it uses. Look for Energy Star qualified appliances - they use 10-50% less energy and water than
Home Energy Audit
standard models. The money you save on your utility bills can more than make up for the cost of a less expensive and Rogers Residence
less efficient model. 15 October 2009

License # 863380
Energy Star qyuality appliances use
10-50% less energy and water than
standard models.
Replacing your refrigerator will save you money on your utility bills.

15
REFRIGERATOR WASHER DRYER
Replace your old refrigerator with a Replace your old washing machine Replace your old clothes dryer with a
new, energy-efficient model and you with a new, energy-efficient model and new, energy-efficient model and you
could save up to $1,200 over the life of you could save up to $610 over the life could save up to $100 over the life of Results of Your
the new machine. of the new machine. the new machine. Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
Savings Savings Savings 15 October 2009

Annual Dollars Annual Dollars Annual Dollars

$35-$59 $25-$46 $7-$11
Lifetime Dollars Lifetime Dollars Lifetime Dollars
$700-$1,200 $370-$610 $90-$150
kWh 200-330 kWh/yr Water 5,900-9,900 gal/yr kWh 40-60 kWh/yr
CO2 220-360 lbs/yr Gas (therms) 17-28 therms/yr CO2 40-70 lbs/yr

CO2 200-330 lbs/yr

Cost Cost
Est. Purchase Price Cost Est. Purchase Price
$900-$1,600 $280-$480
Est. Purchase Price
Annual Energy Cost $500-$900 Annual Energy Cost
$80-$100 $150-$180
Annual Energy Cost
$50-$60

License # 863380
Annual Water Cost
$16-$20
Current Dimensions Current Dimensions
70”H x 35.5”W x 32”D Current Dimensions
42”H x 34”W x 29”D
42”H x 34”W x 29”D

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lighting upgrade
Benefits of a Lighting Upgrade
Results of Your
• Lighting can make up a significant portion of a home’s electricity consumption Home Energy Audit
• The utilities tiered pricing structure allows major gains from electricity reduction Rogers Residence
• Best results achieved with complete retrofit 15 October 2009

The blue areas in this thermal scan show air leaks and a lack of proper Properly insulated and sealed can lights will prevent significant energy
insulation around your can lights. waste.

License # 863380
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wall insulation
Benefits Of Wall Insulation
Results of Your
• Increased energy savings through reduced heat loss Home Energy Audit
with R-3.6 per inch or greater
Rogers Residence
• Reduced noise and vibration transmission from outside 15 October 2009

What to Expect
• Floor and furniture covered and protected as required

• 2-3 vertical holes drilled in each stud bay

• Exterior wall cavities filled with insulation to

manufacturers specified density

• Holes plugged with rough patch (texture and paint not Missing wall insulation in your house
included)

License # 863380
18
duct replacement
Benefits of Duct Replacement
Results of Your
• Dramatically increases indoor air quality by eliminating Home Energy Audit
return air leakage
Rogers Residence
• Increases comfort through properly designed air 15 October 2009
distribution to each room

• Increases efficiency by reducing duct leakage and static

pressure

• Exisiting ductwork completely removed and disposed of

or recycled
Before: A disconnected duct in your house
What to Expect
• Recurve Triple Sealing Technology uses water based,
low VOC mastic

• Ducts designed to meet specifications of ACCA manuals

J,D, and T

• Install wireflex or KD duct work

• Target duct leakage is less than 6% where all ducts are

accessible

License # 863380
After: Triple sealed wireflex duct work

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every day energy savers
q Clean or Replace HVAC Filters
• If your HVAC system is trying to circulate air
through dirty filters, it works harder and costs you
more to heat or cool your home.
• Changing or cleaning filters monthly – or at least
every three months – will make it easier on your
heating and cooling system and will even make
the air in your home cleaner and healthier for your
family.
• Also, don’t ignore HVAC system maintenance.
Servicing your heating and cooling system every
one or two years can cut your bills by 3% to 10%.
q Replace Incandescent Bulbs with
CFLs:
• Standard incandescent light bulbs use more than
90% of their energy to generate heat, not light.
• An ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulb (CFL)
is the most energy-efficient of all light bulbs, using
75% less energy and lasting up to 10 times longer
than an incandescent bulb.
• Replacing an incandescent bulb with a CFL can
save about $30 or more in electricity costs over the Results of Your
bulb’s lifetime. Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
q Use Power Strips 15 October 2009
• Even when they are turned “off,” many products
are still using energy.
• Plug all of these devices into power strips or surge
protectors, and when not in use, simply flip the
switch on each strip to deactivate everything at
once.
q Install Timers
• A timer can cut back on energy costs by turning
your electrical devices off at a predetermined time.
• Much like a power strip, a timer can help also help
eliminate phantom energy, which accounts for
5% of your annual energy usage. Instead of going
into a standby mode, your devices are completely
powered down when controlled by a timer.
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20
every day energy savers (continued)

q Install Low-flow Shower Heads and

Results of Your
Aerators
Home Energy Audit
• Low-Flow Shower Heads Rogers Residence
• A low-flow showerhead uses about 2.5 gallons of 15 October 2009
water per minute (GPM) as opposed to 6 GPM from
old showerheads.

• That means you can save 35 gallons of water

during a 10-minute shower, which saves your
furnace from heating more water, too.

q Aerators
• Installing a low-flow aerator on your kitchen faucet
also reduces water use greatly (faucets made after
1994 already have these).

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21
weekend projects
❑❑ Install a programmable thermostat Results of Your
❑❑ Install an energy star qualified ceiling fan Home Energy Audit
Rogers Residence
❑❑ Install dimmer switches 15 October 2009

❑❑ Install motion sensors

❑❑ Install energy star qualified lighting fixtures
❑❑ Install a watersense toilet
❑❑ Install a watersense faucet
❑❑ Insulate your water heater and wrap hot water pipes – water
❑❑ Find and seal airleaks around doors, windows, and baseboards
❑❑ Install insulating window treatments

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