Frequently Asked Questions:

Q:         What is your typical home visit like?

Q:         Do you offer additional services for homeowners who want to reach super-efficiency?

Q:        What do you have to offer beyond what a homeowner can just find on the internet?

Q:        Do you work with homeowners who are do-it-yourselfers?

Q:        Are your services appropriate for a small home on a tight budget?

Q:        Do you sell insulation services?

Q:        What products do you sell?

Q:        If you are so green, why are you driving that gas guzzler?

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: What is your typical home visit like?

A: Our typical home energy audit takes about 4-5 hours. 

Preparations: Before the visit, the homeowner obtains energy and water use utility data. 

Home Energy Audit: The home visit begins with an interview to identify the homeowners' concerns and usage patterns, and a review of the energy and water use data.  Then we perform a home energy and water use audit.  This includes visual inspection of certain appliances and the building envelope, measurement of water temperature and flow rates, and use of a blower door to evaluate the extent and location of air leaks in the building.

  Based upon the audit findings, Emerson Environmental prepares customized recommendations for equipment upgrades or installation and suggestions for changes to the family’s habits or procedures. 

Initial Equipment Installation: If recommended equipment is available in stock, such as compact fluorescent light bulbs, low-flow showerheads, and hot water pipe insulation, it may be offered for the homeowner’s purchase and Emerson Environmental’s installation.

Contractors: We frequently provide referrals to contractors for installation of weatherization, insulation, duct sealing, landscape irrigation controls, and other equipment upgrades.  If the homeowner wishes, Emerson Environmental can be involved on a on-going basis as an energy consultant, obtaining bids for additional work to be done and/or providing consultation with the homeowner and their contractors on energy and water use issues.

Q:        Do you offer additional services for homeowners who want to reach super-efficiency?

A:        In addition to our standard audit and our project consulting services, we offer a Standby and Operational Loads Analysis.  This analysis is cost-effective for homeowners seeking to reduce their electrical loads in order to cover a larger portion of their electrical use with a smaller photovoltaic system.  The Loads Analysis takes about three hours, utilizing a Kill-a-Watt device and The Energy Detective or Blue Line PowerCost Monitor to obtain and analyze detailed data about passive and active electrical loads throughout the house.

 Q:        What do you have to offer beyond what a homeowner can just find on the internet?

A:         Our focus is on moving items from the homeowner’s “to do” list to the “done” list.  In addition to identifying efficiency maintenance and upgrade opportunities, we help the homeowner accomplish these tasks.  We utilize tools homeowners would not have at their disposal, such as a Kill-a-Watt device and a blower door; bring commonly-utilized supplies to the home with us; have list of items that can be ordered for installation in the near future; can offer referrals to contractors for upgrade installations; and, if the homeowner wishes, we can serve as an energy efficiency consultant for the upgrade installation projects.  You already have a long “to do” list – our goal is to help you get it done.

 Q:        Do you work with homeowners who are do-it-yourselfers?

A:         Yes.  We understand that there is a broad spectrum of interest among homeowners in performing or managing their home's maintenance and upgrades.

Some homeowners only need assistance identifying which maintenance and upgrades would be most cost-effective for their own homes, and then they want to take care of making these improvements themselves.  We are happy to work with do-it-yourselfers to help them identify the areas in which their efforts can pay off most effectively.

Other homeowners have busy schedules and little interest in performing or even managing home maintenance or upgrades themselves.  For those homeowners, we offer referrals to contractors, and can act as energy efficiency consultant for the installation or upgrade project.

 Q:        Are your services appropriate for a small home on a tight budget?

A:         Absolutely.  We focus on the maintenance and upgrades that would be most cost-effective, maximizing the energy and water savings opportunities available on your budget. 

 Q:        Do you sell insulation services?

A:         No, we do not sell insulation services, but we do know companies that we can refer you to for insulation or other upgrades.

 Q:        What products do you sell?

A:         We generally bring with us to the home and offer for sale, if appropriate for that home, items such as fluorescent bulbs, low-flow showerheads, water heater blankets, insulation for hot water pipes, weather stripping, and timers.  We may also have in stock home safety products, such as carbon monoxide alarms.

 Q:        If you are so green, why are you driving that gas guzzler?

A:         We can’t fit all our supplies in the back of our hybrid or our bicycle trailer.  Our dream is to someday have an electric (or hybrid plug-in) vehicle large enough for our supplies, re-roof our house, and install a solar array to power our vehicle.