Environmental Systems Associates, Inc.

Residential Air Conditioning & Heating

(410) 381-7991

Howard County, Maryland

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For Service Call: (410) 381-7991

BPI Certified Professionals

Initial Consultation

Your input is vital to the success of the audit. We will start the audit with an initial consultation to discuss your concerns and observations about your house. Do certain rooms feel warm or clammy when the air conditioner is running? Do you need to dust in one part of the house more often than in others? Are there drafty areas? What are your utility bills like? Let us know. Together, we will determine we which tests need to be performed.

After the initial consultation, we will begin the testing. We will examine your house from attic to basement, looking for structural leaks, inadequate insulation, and ductwork or equipment failures. You should plan to accompany us so we can discuss problems and possible solutions as they are found.

Types of Tests

Based upon the initial consultation, a Home Efficiency Audit may include any or all of the following tests and inspections:

• A Visual Inspection to check for the existence of mold, soot or dust inflitration—substances that affect the quality of the air you breathe in your home.
• Equipment Inspection, a visual assessment of the size, age and efficiency of your heating and cooling system.
• Insulation Inspection to see if your home has the recommended levels. We will also look to see if there are areas in the attic where air leakage is ocurring.
• Combustion Analysis to ensure the safety of gas furnances.
• Structural Leakage Evaluation—Infiltrometer™ test—also known as a "Blower Door Test" to determine how tight your home's structure is.The test will determine how leaky or airtight your entire home is, and where improvements can be made. During the construction of your home, chases, penetrations, crawl spaces and even recessed lights may not have been sealed completely. This allows warm and humid or cool and dry air from your basement, attic and in spaces between the walls to become mixed with your conditioned air. Basements can only be tested if there is an outside door. A smoke puffer will be used to pinpoint where your home's worst air leaks are, and where improvements can be made.
• Infrared Camera—thermal photos and assessment to pinpoint areas of insulation settling and air leakage. Using an infrared camera, we are able to see hot or cold spots on walls, ceilings and floors. We look for areas throughout the home that may benefit from adding more insulation, repairing thermal by-passes and sealing air leaks.
• Air Duct Leakage Evaluation—Duct Blaster Test to identify structural failures in your duct system. If your air duct system has hidden design flaws or blockages, your air flow will be restricted or unevenly distributed. In addition to wasting energy dollars, your home can be uncomfortable.
• Air Flow Diagnosis—Static Pressure Test and an Electronic Air Flow Capture Hood Test, if required, to check for air flow balance. We will conduct a 'Static Pressure' test (like a blood pressure check for your ducts) to determine if your duct system has a blockage.
  
  Then, we will use an 'Air Flow Capture Hood' to measure precisely how much conditioned air is getting to the various rooms in your home. If air flow to a room is low, the causes will be determined, and appropriate solutions suggested.
• Exhaust Fan Evaluation to check for proper installation and performance.

Personalized Improvement Plan

Once the inspection and testing are complete, we will explain the results and follow up with a written report of the test results and our recommended improvements. Some of the improvements like window sealing you may be able to do yourself. For the larger-scale projects, we will prepare a proposal for repairs that we can perform and recommend other contractors for services we do not offer.

Post-Improvement Testing

After you have completed major modifications, we will come back to do a "test-out." Remember, it is important that your home "breathe" and that you have adequate ventilation. We will conduct another Infiltrometer (Blower Door) test to make sure you have optimal ventilation and to demonstrate the results of the improvements you have made.

Preparing for the Audit

In order to gain the most information possible from your Audit, we will need full access to your home. This will include every room and every duct within each room. Please move furniture or other accessories away from vents ahead of time.

For more information and pricing, please contact us at (410) 381-7991.

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• Environmental Systems Associates, Inc.
• 9375-J Gerwig Lane, Columbia MD 21046
• (410) 381-7991
• Lic. HVACR MD 01-2939