The DC Department of the Environment is sponsoring FREE home energy assessments for homeowner in the District of Columbia.  Eligible participants include:

• Single-family or townhouse (no condominiums or co-ops)
• 4,000 square feet or less

The assessment is based on a home energy rating system.  Auditors will suggest specific cost-effective, energy efficient improvements that should be done to reduce the home's operational costs and improve comfort.   Such improvements and ratings may help you qualify for lower rate mortgages or energy efficiency home mortgages. Your energy rating should also help sellers be more attractive to home buyers.

Learn more about the program here.

Get the benefits of a professional audit include accuracy and possible immediate energy conserving measures at the time of the audit FREE of charge and without the hassle of the DDOE paperwork. A $300 to $500 value! Schedule yours today by submitting a request for here.

What to expect:
During a professional home energy audit the auditor will examine the outside of your house and each internal space, as well as assess past utility bills. To prepare for the audit:

• List existing problems or concerns you have with any part of your home, such as drafts and condensation.
• Copy or summarize your home's energy bills for the past several years. Your utility company can provide these if you have not kept them. The energy audit will take into consideration such house features as its size, the number of windows and doors, seasonal thermostat settings, each room's amount and time of use, and other related factors. Professional auditors may use several tests to determine energy efficiency:
• A blower door test to find a home's air infiltration rate. A strong fan mounted into an exterior door's frame pulls air out of the house. This lowers the air pressure inside and causes higher outside air pressure to flow through all unsealed openings and cracks. This useful information is used to correct air leakage, moisture condensation, drafts, and possible indoor air pollution problems.
• A thermographic inspection or infrared scanning test to determine any air leakage in your home. This is done with use of an infrared video and still cameras which see light in the heat spectrum. Thermography can determine whether or not insulation is needed or if it has been installed correctly.