Home Energy Audits

What?

Decent Energy is now offering comprehensive home energy audits in eastern Kansas and western Missouri. Our energy audits are geared towards developing specific recommendations for improving home energy efficiency together with some alternatives for adding renewable energy solutions.  We are now participating in the local Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program.

Why?

The energy audit is the foundation for any solid planning on managing home energy use. Energy audits provided through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program emphasize a comprehensive, whole-house approach to energy efficiency improvement. A home energy audit can help homeowners develop a specific plan to cost effectively reduce a home's energy use.  At Decent Energy we believe that a better understanding of home energy use is the key foundation for making decisions on weatherization, system changes and adding in renewable resources.

What Is Involved?

During an energy audit Decent Energy uses state of the art equipment to identify energy-wasting problem areas including heating/cooling equipment, insulation, air leakage, as well as windows, lighting and appliances.

During our full day visit we:

- discuss homeowner comfort issues;

- conduct a visual inspection;

- obtain measurements necessary for calculations underlying our work;

- assess combustion safety zone issues; and

- conduct an air leakage analysis with a "blower-door" tool.

Prior to our audit visit we conduct a preliminary analysis of a homeowner's utility bills.

Commonly Recommended Measures

Some of the measures commonly recommended in the course of a home energy audit include:

- sealing air leaks and adding insulation;

- improving heating and cooling systems;

- sealing ductwork; and

- upgrading lighting and appliances.

While Decent Energy does not provide weatherization related services we can recommend appropriately licensed, certified and insured contractors for inclusion in a homeowner's list of bidders.

Report

Our report includes a write up of our on site work as well as the results of our follow up analysis. The focus of the report is a priority list of those improvements which we expect will produce the greatest savings for homeowners. We combine the written explanation of our findings together with photographs from the audit that highlight key issues.

Participation In Home Performance With ENERGY STAR®

Decent Energy is a member the "Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®" program which is locally sponsored by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources with the assistance of the Kansas City Metropolitan Energy Center.   "Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®" is nationally sponsored by the U.S. EPA and the U.S. DOE. "ENERGY STAR®" and "Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®" are registered marks associated with those programs.

Home Performance With ENERGY STAR® Rebates

In connection with our participation in the local Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program, those Missouri residential ratepayers that are customers of Kansas City Power & Light/Missouri Gas Energy can receive up to $1200 in rebates if they implement one or more of the major improvements that we recommend in the course of the audit. For more information on the rebates that may be available, please consult our Energy Audit- FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

Tax Incentives