Green makes sense in having an energy-efficient home
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By CANDICE NOVITZKE mailto:candice.novitzke@lee.net
Monday, January 28, 2008 11:21 AM CST
Editor’s Note: Today’s printed and E-Edition of The Chippewa Herald has a Go Green special section.
Last year, Kristine Berray and her husband Robert noticed something alarming on the roof of their home on Wilson Street in Chippewa Falls.
“We had six to seven inch ice dams coming off our house,” Kristine said.
They knew it was a sign of warm air leaking from their home.
“That’s not the way we want to throw our money out the window,” Kristine said.
Hundreds of area homeowners couldn’t agree more. That’s why energy-efficient homes are beginning to green the Chippewa Valley landscape. Partnerships among energy providers, energy consultants, builders, retailers, homeowners and the Focus on Energy program is making it easier and more affordable than ever before.
Before Kristine, Robert and their three children moved in to their home in 2005, three different additions had been built on. They weren’t sure how seamlessly the additions had been constructed. Now with the ice damming, it became urgent to take a look at where their warm air was finding a way out.
The Berrays got in touch with ENERGY STAR consultant David Geissler. For three hours, he conducted tests at the Berrays home. His job was to determine all the areas warm air was sneaking out of their home, and give them information to learn how to put a stop to it.
“We were losing heat in areas we didn’t even know had problems,” Kristine said. “It makes me think people might be looking into putting new windows into their house, but it might not be your windows. Like we discovered, cold air might be leaking in at a different area.”
After the inspection, Geissler provided the Berrays with a list of ENERGY STAR allied partner companies whose workers are familiar with building practices that meet customers energy-efficient needs.
Just recently, the first phase of the Berrays changes has been completed. They properly insulated the attic and master bedroom, and two basement crawlspaces.
“That has made everything real cozy,” Kristine said. “We went from a drafty home to very comfortable.
There’s a noticeable improvement in heating, because we now keep the thermostat at 67 degrees instead of 70 and it feels warmer.”
And it took care of the ice damming, too.
“The snow just sits up there very pretty, no icicles, no nothing,” Kristine said. “We know from that visual, this is working.”
Though the cost for an energy consultant’s initial services can run from $200-$400, the Berrays know it was necessary.
“Yeah, it’s an investment for us, but it needed to be done,” Kristine said. “It maintains your home’s quality. You could save yourself hundreds, maybe thousands in the long run.“
Lots of homeowners agree — Geissler himself did almost 300 energy assessments in 2007.
“Especially with the increase in fuel prices, people are noticing the energy escaping their home,” Geissler said.
Some homeowners regret not having done the energy assessment sooner, because making changes now will cost hundreds of dollars.
Nancy and Harold Kelcey of Eau Claire had a new roof put on last year but recently noticed some ice damming. After Geissler gave their home an energy evaluation, they found out there were quite a few energy-efficient changes they could have inexpensively made while their shingles were off.
“I wish we would have known this at the time, it really would have been easier,” Nancy said.
Though the Kelceys can’t go back and do their roof over again, they can look to programs that will make it more affordable to do the work now.
Many people are eligible for rebates for the initial energy consultation, for the purchase of qualifying energy-efficient appliances, and certain structural changes done through approved contractors.
Today’s home builder must know how to create an energy-efficient home. It’s no longer an option. It’s a requirement.
“Consumers demand the choice,” said Michael Rasmussen of MR Construction, Chippewa Falls. “I’ve seen work done personally on my own house, and the difference it made, and there’s things I do differently in construction today that doesn’t cost the builder or myself any extra money.”
In addition to simple changes in the way a builder constructs a home, the homeowner is given a choice in the energy-efficiency level of windows, doors, heating and cooling systems, and insulation in their new home.
An extremely energy-efficient home might cost a bit more to construct, Rasmussen said, but will save big money on the energy bill over the home’s lifetime.
Builders also receive a small tax credit for homes that become ENERGY STAR certified — just one additional incentive to make new homes as air-tight and as energy-efficient as possible.
For those looking to purchase a home, the best thing to do is look for an ENERGY STAR certified home, which an ENERGY STAR consultant has already tested and rated as such. If that’s not possible, buyers can (with the homeowners’ permission) hire a consultant to do an energy evaluation before finalizing the sale to get an idea of the home’s energy efficiency.
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This time of year tends to be the busiest for Geissler, because it’s when people notice a spike in their energy bill and want to know why.
“My phone’s been ringing off the hook,” he said.
He covers the home from top to bottom during a three to four hour inspection using as much as $25,000 worth of equipment.
“For example, infrared cameras show us a lot,” he said. “We can feel and see where the cold air comes in — through windows, doors, chimneys.
“It’s the only way you can know how your home is performing,” Geissler said. “The bottom line is, you want an energy-efficient home, and the inspection gives the homeowners all the information to make that a reality.”
Having an energy-efficiency home is no longer considered just a luxury for a select few, but a necessity any homeowner can strive for.
“Making improvements to your home has to be more than just siding, it has to be more than just landscaping,” Kristine said. “You have to take care of the bare bones of the house. It’s just a fact of owning a home.”
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