The temperatures outside are plummeting. It's winter in Wisconsin and the cozy comfort of our homes becomes our refuge after hours of shoveling and ice scraping. What we're forced to endure in the Midwest could be considered criminal in other parts of the country, but the real crime Wisconsinites face is not adequately preparing their homes for the seasons.
Kent Borden has been an energy audit consultant for Five Star Energy Corp. for close to three years and he's seen homes at just about every level of efficiency. Interestingly, it's not that most people aren't willing to work to limit energy loss, it's that they don't fully understand its source.
Wisconsinites often misinterpret old windows as the major culprit. Borden says not necessarily. While windows are a very visible part of the home, Borden says our notion that they are leaking like sieves is largely thanks to window manufacturers who like to portray that message.
"I don't want to completely refute what they're saying; windows certainly can be a factor."
But, he says, a homeowner planning to drop $10,000 to $15,000 on new windows will never see the payback in energy savings.
So if the windows aren't the biggest energy loss offenders, what are?
"I cannot stress enough the importance of stopping air leakage," Borden says. "People often think they need to insulate their attics, and while we do recommend that, insulation does nothing to stop air flow. You need to physically plug all the holes in your home."
For these "holes," he recommends caulk or foam sealant, which are good for both large and small spaces. Some of the biggest targets for escaping energy, he says, are usually simple things that most homeowners don't think about, such as insulating or weather-stripping the door or hatchway to the attic and recessed lighting.
"Can lights (recessed lighting) are very popular in new construction homes and in remodels. But installing them is essentially punching a hole into your attic. Unless you're performing due diligence and sealing them up tightly, they are opportunities for air to escape. We're not saying not to use them at all, we're just saying pay attention to the fine details if you don't want to increase air leakage from your home."
During a home energy audit, Borden and his boss Tom Bawolek use various techniques to determine leakage. Their primary tool is a blower door, an expandable tarp with a fan used to depressurize the home. The air then flowing out through the fan tells them their leakage level. With the fan on, they walk around the house scanning with infrared cameras to uncover areas of greater concern.
Once all the data is collected, they compile a comprehensive report of recommendations for the homeowner to ensure a more air-tight living space. If Borden and Bawolek work together, the whole process might take two to three hours. If a consultant works alone it might take up to four.
Five Star Energy Corp. charges a flat $350 fee for its services, but thanks to its partnership with Focus on Energy, an organization that works with eligible Wisconsin residents and businesses to install cost effective energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, customers could make that money back, and then some.
Once the homeowner has hired a contractor or done the work himself, Five Star performs a follow up test. The retest measures the effectiveness of the work done and based on those results, the homeowner receives certain rewards.
For example, a reduction in air sealing by 400 cfm (cubic feet per minute) earns a $75 reward. Successful attic or crawl space insulation could garner a couple hundred back. Reducing and maintaining air leakage qualifies a homeowner for a bonus of up to $350. All monetary rewards and bonuses are supplied via the Focus on Energy fund.
Cash back for a job well done is nice, but Borden claims the biggest reward a homeowner will receive is increased comfort and, indeed, a cozy shelter from the harsh winter.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
