dook Energy Audit

Well for fun, I decided to sign up for my free dook (yes, I went to UNC) Energy home audit.  They initially called and asked about May13th, which I had to decline as I'll be out of town, but yesterday I got a call that there was a cancellation and they could come out around Noon.  So, I jumped at the opportunity.  Below is an explanation from their website about what you get:

(from:  http://www.duke-energy.com/north-carolina/savings/home-energy-house-call.asp)

How it Works

One homeowner must be present at the time of the audit. A trained energy specialist will visit your home, at your convenience, to conduct a thorough in-home analysis. The energy specialist will:

• Analyze your total home energy usage
• Check your home for air leaks
• Examine your insulation levels
• Review your appliances and heating/cooling system

From the information collected, a custom-tailored report detailing steps you can take to increase efficiency and reduce your energy bill is prepared and given to you before your energy specialist leaves your home.
As part of our commitment to saving you money on your energy bill, we will also provide you with a free Energy Efficiency Starter Kit that includes Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs. The energy specialist can install the items at the time of your Home Energy House Call, so you can begin saving your energy dollars right away.
Begin saving on your energy bill today!
To schedule your appointment for a free energy analysis, complete the request form or call 1-877-388-7676 to find out when auditors will be in your area.
The Home Energy House Call is a free program available to the customers of Duke Energy for a limited time on a first come, first served basis. Duke Energy may terminate the program at any time without notice.

My goal of this audit was to see if I could find anything else that I needed to do and possibly get some direction of what to do next. 

Anyhow, Mark (a dook Energy subcontractor) showed up and did my audit.  It lasted about 1.5 hrs and definitely was not as intensive as the home energy audit I did previously using ProEnergy consultants.  There was no thermal camera and no blower door test....which is kind of what I was hoping for, but I guess the audit was free...so what do you expect? 

Well, we walked around, I showed him all the work that I've done, and he asked a bunch of questions...most of which were on a form that he filled out.

Overall, this was the first house Mark has given the highest marks too.  But then again...this is my second audit, so I've already covered most of the stuff not to mention I've gone a little above and beyond. 

I got this simple dook Energy 'energy efficiency kit' which includes 3 CFL light bulbs, some outlet insulation, some weatherstripping, a low flow shower head, and two low flow sink aerators (one for kitchen and one for a bathroom sink). 
Not bad loot...

The most interesting advice I got was:

1)  Install some ridge vents in my attic (mine is currently mechanically ventilated).  In his experience the mechanical ventilation benefit in the attic does not offset the energy usage.

2) When I have a choice of encapsulating my crawl space vs the siding on my house, he suggested doing the siding first.  The installation of the house wrap (mine has none) will significantly reduce air infiltration and will make the house more energy efficient.  Not to mention the new siding will make the house look good.

3)  He mentioned monitoring my crawl space as I'm doing using a weather monitor and if the humidity doesn't move above 60%, then there's really no reason to encapsulate my crawl space.

4)  Finally, he suggested taking a break.   I've gone above and beyond what most folks have done and its time to sit back and relax for a bit...or knock some of the other stuff off the 'honey do' list.  I guess this suggestion is good for my wallet...

PS.  I did go to my hot water heater and turn down the thermostat.  It was set at its factor default of 120F.  I reduced it to what I think is 110F.  I'm not sure because it's a simple thermostat without tick marks.  So, I guessed.  Either way, right now I can't tell a difference in the hot water temperature....and it should save me some energy...