Habitat Home Energy Specialist

Serving Seattle & the Greater Puget Sound Area

Conservation and efficiency inspire us. At Habitat, it's not about putting on another sweater or turning down the thermostat. It's about improving your home's infrastructure and mechanical systems so that you can be comfortable, save money and reduce your ecological footprint. An Image

Building science offers effective and proven ways for people to upgrade both new and old homes. Many different products (such as windows, on demand water heaters, solar panels and many more) promise to improve home performance. What makes the most sense for your home?

Every home is unique. An inspection provides you with the smartest, cost-effective strategies for improving your home's performance. Our trained technicians take a holistic view of your home's systems. We have the know-how and diagnostic tools to "see" behind your home's walls or inside its mechanical systems and assess their performance. We also look for opportunities to improve air quality, comfort and home safety.

Comprehensive Evaluation -- The Benefits of Our Service

Billing Analysis: Determines where the greatest savings are in your home.
Whole-house Energy Inspection: Locates opportunities to improve your home's ability to hold it's heat inside.
Health & Safety Inspection: Identifies ways to improve indoor air quality.
Full Report: Explains suggested actions. Includes relevant government tax credit incentives and utility cash rebate programs.
Infrared Camera Scan: Visually illustrates the surfaces in your home that conduct the most heat
Blower Door Test: Determines exactly how leaky the house is. If the house is too tight, we can recommend the appropriate amount of ventilation to maintain healthy air in your home. If leaky, we can recommend the appropriate air sealing work needed to reduce utility bills. Air sealing consistently gives one of the highest returns on investment for average home retrofits.

Pressure Diagnostics: Pinpoints the locations of air leakage
Buffer Space Inspection: Inspections of crawl spaces, attics and knee walls clarify how your house performs. We'll carefully examine these spaces for potential thermal barrier and indoor air quality improvements.
Follow Up Inspections: Air sealing and adding insulation are common home upgrades. If you have this kind of work donw, Habitat will inspect your home afterward to ensure the work was done right.

Heater Evaluation

Improvements to forced air furnaces and other types of heaters often provide significant cost savings and healthy home improvement potential.

Oil or Gas Combustion Testing: Measure efficiency and condition of heater.
Draft Testing: Measures how well the furnace drafts to ensure safe operation.
Gas Leak Testing: Check for natural gas or propane leaks.
Pressure Pan Testing: Maps location and magnitude of duct air leakage.
Static Pressure Testing: Determines whether your duct system is sized appropriately
Visual Inspetion: Inspect furnace, flue, and ductwork to ensure system is designed properly to ensure maximum efficiency and safety.
Room Pressure Testing: Measures how a forced air system effects the pressures in different rooms.
Heat Pump Diagnostics: Analyze heat pump to make sure it's performing as efficient as possible

Why Choose Habitat?

Many energy inspectors work for companies who also sell home performance products. While these auditors may be experts on their particular product, they might miss the bigger picture of how your home performs. We are certified by the Building Performance Institute as Building Analyst Professionals. We analyze your home as a whole system. As an independent consultant, Habitat has no financial interest in the products we suggest. We are dedicated to the environmental benefits of reducing home energy use, maximizing quality and comfort in your home, and we guarantee your satisfaction with our services.

Habitat Home Energy Specialist Rates

	<1,000 sq. ft.	<1,500 sq. ft.	<2,000 sq. ft.	<2,500 sq. ft.	<3,000 sq. ft.	<3,500 sq. ft.	<4,500 sq. ft.	>4,500 sq. ft.
Comprehensive Assessment	$345	$385	$425	$470	$515	$565	$625	$685

Heater Evaluation

$95/ gas, propane or oil forced air furnace

$95/ heat pump

$45/ gas water heater, ductless gas or propane furnace

$75/ electric forced air furnace

Rates effective January 15, 2010. Travel fees may apply for homes located more than 20 miles outside of Seattle.

Customer Testimony:

"...he gave us good advice...which saved a great deal more energy. He probably saved us a fortune with that advice. He was professional and really involved in the work that he was doing. He did a lot of work for the price. He was very responsive and detailed." (Read more on Angie's List)