HOME ENERGY EVALUATION
Air Leakage
May Energy Solutions is Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified to perform home and duct air leakage testing and home energy evaluations and solutions. For the home air leakage test (blower door test), a temporary door with a fan is placed in an exterior door opening. Air is drawn out of the home creating a slight vacuum in the home that represents the conditions when a 15 mph wind is blowing outside.
A calibrated fan and a manometer (pressure measuring instrument) are used together to calculate how much air is leaking out of your home. During this evaluation, our technicians will go through every room to find and document the leaks. The gaps between drywall and plumbing or electrical boxes are typical leak points. A similar fan system is then used to evaluate the heating and cooling system ducts. The supply vent grills are sealed and the fan pulls air out of the return air grill. The fan and the manometer calculate how much air is leaking out of the duct system. See Air Sealing services for more information on how to stop leaks.
Attic Inspection
Our technicians will inspect your attic insulation to evaluate the amount and condition of your current insulation. Many older homes have far less insulation than is recommended by current building codes. Even newer homes can have problem areas due to improper installation when the home was built.
Many older homes may have insulation that is dirty with dust, allergens from age/improper air sealing or contamination from pests/water leakage. This makes the insulation less effective and potentially harmful to the home and its occupants. In these cases, removal of the old insulation is recommended before installing new insulation.
Our technicians will also examine your roof and soffits to evaluate the amount of attic ventilation and air flow. Current building codes specify a minimum amount of ventilation for every square foot of attic space. Many older homes have far less ventilation than the code requirements.
Thermal Imaging
Our technician will use a thermal imaging camera to document areas in your walls and attic where heat or cold is getting into your home due to missing or minimal insulation. To perform this service, the weather conditions have to be right, with the temperature outside being significantly more or less than inside the home so the camera can see the temperature differences in your walls and ceiling.
