Priority Energy, Energy Audit, IL

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Priority Energy’s energy audits evaluate much more than energy use. Our audits help to create a healthy, comfortable, and more durable home by identifying and preventing serious problems. We measure a home’s air tightness, ventilation, humidity, and moisture levels, in addition to identifying ways your home can be made more energy efficient. Our energy auditors will look at your home with your goals in mind, while also checking common indoor air quality, comfort, and structural trouble spots.

Why Should You Have a Home Energy Audit?
An energy audit can be performed at any time of year and at any point during home ownership.

  • You want a healthier home, right? The repairs you make to improve energy efficiency also make your indoor air quality better; for example sealing air leaks also reduces the infiltration of allergy triggers.
  • If you are experiencing uncomfortable humidity, high utility bills, or uneven room temperatures our energy auditor can find the root cause and outline a solution.
  • Remodeling? Have an energy audit performed so you can utilize your renovation dollars wisely and make comfort and efficiency improvements at the same time.
  • Need to replace your furnace or central air conditioner? An energy auditor can recommend the best high efficiency HVAC system for your unique home. Manual J/D/S calculations also available.
  • Want to lower your impact on the environment? Start with an energy audit to see your current energy use, set improvement goals and see your projected energy savings.
  • Considering solar? We can calculate the energy savings and ROI of adding solar panels.

Purchasing a New Home?
Ideally, our Energy Auditors recommend an energy audit before you purchase a new home. This is based, unfortunately, upon the troubling situations they see at homes on a daily basis. While a home inspector confirms the appliances and the HVAC systems are in working order, an energy auditor will ensure the components are set up PROPERLY, are operating CORRECTLY for your specific mechanicals, and set them for optimum EFFICIENCY.  Improvement recommendations, especially if they are health-related, such as an over or under-sized HVAC system or a lack of ventilation, can then be addressed and negotiated. Avoid making a long-term mistake and get educated before you buy.

Selling a Home?
Let potential buyers know you've had a home energy audit. Show them your professional audit report and the subsequent upgrades you've made. You'll have the competitve advantage over other similar homes on the market and could sell at a higher price. An energy efficient home is a healthier, more comfortable home and a money-wise investment.

Why Choose Priority Energy?

Our specialists have solved problems other contractors have been unable to resolve. At Priority Energy, we utilize our years of building science knowledge to evaluate your home. We are dedicated to improving the health, performance and environmental impact of structures while also educating our clients.  All of our energy auditors are BPI and RESNET certified and have had years of training and field experience.  Your home's performance is dependent on the proper functioning of all of it's unique systems; from the building shell, to the heating and cooling system, to the ductwork. If there is a flaw in one component it will upset the health, comfort and durability of the entire structure.  We have helped thousands of home and building owners in the Chicago area optimize their home's performance for today's needs and beyond. Give us a call today!

Commercial energy audits also available. Click here.


What Does a Home Energy Audit Include?


The Comprehensive Energy Audit 

Priority Energy's energy auditor will begin by understanding your goals for the audit; ie. reduce utility costs and energy consumption, improve energy efficiency, increase year-round comfort, improve indoor air quality and home health, diagnose high humidity issues, solve recurring ice dam problems, reduce your carbon footprint, etc. 

We begin with a short interview so we can get to know you and your household (because no two homes are occupied and used in the exact same way.) A history of the home, such as renovations, HVAC equipment, roof, siding or insulation is very helpful to know as changes in these components can have a big impact on performance.  

The audit inspection will include:

    1. A visual inspection of the home’s exterior envelope. We look for points of air leakage, moisture or water damage, drainage or gutter problems, and any signs or symptoms of a compromised "shell".  
    2. A blower door test (to simulate worst case air leakage scenario) combined with an infrared analysis will show us air leakage points, insulation deficiencies, hot and cold spots and duct leaks. 
    3. A room by room inspection during depressurization with the IR camera.
    4. A comprehensive review of your HVAC equipment to include static pressure testing, fan flow rates, and temperature rise. We make sure your is properly set up for safety and efficiency. Ventilation is also evaluated for healthy indoor air quality.
    5. A duct leakage test to evaluate the condition of the home's ductwork and to assess if there is heating or cooling loss due to leaks or breaks in the system. 
    6. A combustion safety testing to check for health and safety of the indoor air quality.
    7. A review of a year's heating and cooling use (see note about utility bill analysis).
    8. A detailed final report of the home's energy efficiency performance which will include explanations of each item above.  Priority Energy's audits outline improvement recommendations based on a homeowner's goals; ie reducing energy costs or better comfort. The report will show projected energy savings and costs and explain the benefits associated with each item. Photos and infrared images are included for clarity and reference.

 

What can you tell from our Utility Bills?

It is surprising how much we can learn simply by applying some math to your utility use statements. By separating your utility bills into two categories and using some simple math, we can learn a lot about you and how your home uses energy.  The base load is your hot water, washer/dryer, refrigerator, etc. and the seasonal load is your heating and cooling.  We can even compare how efficiently your HVAC system is operating by comparing your seasonal usage to the seasonal usage of other homeowners in your area.

What is an Infrared Analysis?

Infrared imaging allows us to see air leaks that can't otherwise be seen. around doors and windows, like the dark spots shown in this IR photo. 
The IR cameras help us identify missing insulation throughout the home, any moisture issues, hot and/or cold spots (like faulty wiring), and overall construction details. 

Considering new windows?  Our energy auditors will also analyze your windows to understand the efficiency of their insulation and UV coatings.  This will help to determine the necessity and potential value associated with any window replacements.

What is a Blower Door Test?

The amount of air leakage in the home's building envelope or outer shell is determined by performing a blower door test.
A blower door is essentially a high powered fan that is put in an outer doorway to pull air OUT of the house.  This creates the “worst case” air infiltration condition which allows us to identify air leaks and measure the amount of air your home is letting in and letting out. From here, we can quantify the savings associated with bringing the home in line with nationally accepted air leakage standards. This is measured at a rate of ACH50, or cfm50 per hundred square feet of building envelope.  

What is a Duct Leakage Test?

Priority Energy also performs a detailed analysis of your home’s ductwork to determine if this important internal component is properly balanced and leak free. Air ducts play an important role in the overall comfort of each room in your home and have a major impact on the efficiency of your HVAC system. In addition, a heating and cooling system that is too large or too small can create indoor air quality problems, humidity issues and structural damage.

Why do you test the Mechanical System? And what is a Combustion Safety Test?

The only products of complete combustion are carbon dioxide and water.  If an appliance such as a furnace or water heater is running inefficiently, it will produce inordinate and sometimes dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide and oxygen.

The temperature of the exhaust gas tells us a lot about the efficiency of the HVAC system. If it is too hot, it is wasting energy; if it is too cold, it is probably producing acidic condensation in your vents and chimney, which can cause big problems.  

Priority Energy Auditors use the latest flue-gas analyzers to test the gas and temperature emissions of your combustion appliances.  In this way, we can determine if an equipment tune-up or complete replacement is needed, as well as the associated savings.

Balanced airflow coming in and out of your furnace is essential to achieving optimum furnace efficiency and durability. During the duct test mentioned above, we will check that your system is set up properly and that increased pressure is not being put on your vents.

The Improvement Analysis and Reporting

Comprehensive Energy Audits include a written, detailed report of test results, IR images and a summary of our findings. The report will identify comfort, health and energy efficiency improvements that will bring you the most benefits and their related costs.  It will also tell you where and how you can save the most money. Our customers tell us they use their audit report for years after their energy audit was performed. 

"You did an energy audit for us 10 years ago; can you help us get started on the next stage of the recommended improvements?" asked V.K., a client from Highland Park. Sure we can! Let's review your audit report!

Schedule your energy audit today! Comfort and health should be a year-round concern! 

Call Today 800-737-2299.

  • Thank you again and you will be the first person I call if I need additional part or service from your company.
    Anonymous
  • I just wanted to send this message to all you and say GREAT JOB!  We had a rough inspection today and passed for the Woodward Ave. house. The inspector told us "if every house I inspected looked like this one I would be out a job".

    Anonymous Builder
  • We were so impressed with the amount of information the Priority Energy technicians gave us during our ENERGY AUDIT.  If you are buying a house, I would strongly recommend having them do an energy audit on it, in addition to your usual home inspection.

    P.I.
  • Thanks for a super intelligent and deep seminar expertly handled by a staff which was a pleasure to be around. Lunch was superbly and subtly handled.

    A.S. Architect
  • I wanted to thank you for all of your extra time and energy during our BPI training over the last few weeks. You really helped put things in perspective. You are an awesome crew and your facility is a valuable resource for students and the community

    BPI Student, L.E.
  • There is much less dust in the house and the monthly gas and electric charges have been reduced by 10 to 15%.....I'm sure I will see greater savings over a twelve month period......thanks again.

    Aeroseal Client, R.N.
  • Just completed my BPI Field exam for my Quality Control Inspector (QCI) certification renewal at Priority Energy.
    Such a convenient and well-set-up training and test center with caring and knowledgeable staff and proctors! Thanks folks!

     

    P.R., Ottawa, IL
  • It's been cold here for the past few days and I really feel the difference in heating since the building was Aerosealed! My apartment is so much warmer now. Thank you Priority Energy!

     

    Miruna; Tenant at Country Manor Apartments, Peru, IL
  • Anytime I can be a reference for all the great work on my (new) house, please let me know.  Priority Energy is outstanding at what they do!

    Executive at Medline Industries, IL
  • I have a two story home built in the mid seventies. Lots of temperature fluctuation between the floors. The Aeroseal process dramatically increased the air flow to the second floor. Good experience. The company was very informative, answered a lot of questions.

    Vince from Oakbrook, IL
  • "It's been cold here for the past few days and I really feel the difference in heating since the Aeroseal, my apartment is so much warmer now. Thank you!"  

    MP from Peru, IL
  • Thank You so much for the super-fast turn around of our Manual J, D and S reprt for the Village of Glen Ellyn. Our original Manual J kept getting kicked back to us for corrections but your calculations/report got approved instantly-no questions asked and no more permit delays!

    Kim, Glen Ellyn, IL
  • Thank you. Truly. I appreciate you taking the time to clarify things for me and then going above and beyond to ensure that my CEUs are handled for our current RESNET cycle. You’ve always been kind to me and this is another shining example of that.

    Craig, HERS Rater, Batavia, IL
  • (Aeroseal) is a GREAT Product! Really made our townhouse more comfortable!

    Gordon; Chicago, IL
  • We are having less ice on roof since the Aeroseal duct sealing! Thanks!

    Bill; Downers Grove, IL
  • Duct sealing (with Aeroseal) was the smartest thing I ever did! Our home is sooooo much more comfortable! We were so very pleased with Priority Energy and their technicians!

    Richard; Lake Forest, IL
  • On to the Radon issue - Excellent results with Aeroseal!  From 5 + to a .4.  Before sealing like we discussed, I had warm air coming out of the sump basket with the furnace running. Even with the furnace running, it is still pulling air in now.

    Bill; Belvidere, IL
  • Pat was awesome and super helpful! We are experiencing weak air flow in the duct system of our 1950''s home and Pat gave us great recommendations to fix the problem when we do our remodel.

    David; Arlington Heights, IL
  • Already the house seems more balanced (since Aeroseal duct sealing yesterday) .. far end of house is getting more warm air flow!

    Bryan, November 2019, Chicago, IL
  • Priority Energy did a great job with an Aeroseal project for my home. The rooms are more comfortable and even throughout the house, including the far registers which never used to get significant airflow. Very honest and trustworthy

    Bryan, December 2019, Chicago, IL
  • I hired Priority to seal the ducts and air seal my home.  I have been very pleased with

    the results.  The personnel from this company are professional and quite competent.  I have literally saved

    Nelson, Lake Forest
  • Priority Energy did a great job with an Aeroseal project for my home. The rooms are more comfortable and even throughout the house, including the far registers which never used to get significant airflow.

    B. L., Chicago, IL Feb. 2020
  • Used Priority Energy to help insulate (Aeroseal) a property we purchased and could not have been happier.
    R. M., Lake Bluff, IL April 2020
  • Very knowledgeable and professional (Aeroseal) staff. I definitely highly recommend and would use again in the future for other services!

    D.F., Chicago, IL Feb. 2020
  • Employees were all very helpful and professional! Came out in a timely manner (to do our Duct Test). Would highly recommend this company!

    J. R. New Lenox, IL April 2020
  • I had Priority Energy analyze my older home for indoor air quality and comfort because I was having difficulty maintaining temperatures. They came out and discussed our options. We ended up sealing our ducts and installing a whole-house dehumidifier.

    D. L, Lake Zurich, IL Feb. 2019
  • Priority Energy did an aeroseal for our home. We have had issues with air flow in our kitchen (cold in the winter) and one bedroom upstairs (hot in the summer). After they were complete, there is such a stronger air flow from the vents, that it really makes a difference.

    J.J. Chicago, IL - November 2020
  • Excellent Service and Company to work with - highly recommended and professional!

    T. B. Chicago, IL - July 2020
  • Before we sealed our ductwork the rooms farthest from the furnace were always hotter or colder than the rest of the house. We felt an improvement in air flow to the kids rooms right away. 98% duct leak reduction!

    S. H. Glenview, IL - October 2020
  • The Energy Audit you did on last home was so helpful; we referred to it for years when we made home improvements. I'd like to have you do an audit on my new home now. B. A.

    B. A. Lake Forest Homeowner
  • "We were impressed with how well your technicians answered our questions and how quickly and neatly they performed our Aeroseal service. Our rooms are much warmer now that the duct leaks have been sealed! You have a great team."

    D.F. Palatine, IL
  • "You have a great Aeroseal team. We were impressed with how well they answered our questions and how quickly and neatly they performed our service. Our rooms are much warmer now that the duct leaks have been sealed!"  

    D.F., Homeowner in Palatine, IL
  • "We enjoyed meeting Dave, our Energy Auditor.  He was interesting, knowledgeable, and professional.  We appreciated all his time and effort." 

    S.B., Homeowner in Prospect Heights, IL
  • Priority Energy is an A+ company! I've been having issues with my house staying warm in the winter so I called them up and they came out right away. Kurt was so helpful and professional! He explained everything that was going on in my house and gave me  peace of mind.

    M.I., Homeowner in Norridge, IL
  • "The employees that showed up were friendly and took care to make sure they kept the house clean while performing the aeroseal job. They explained the procedure thoroughly, I would recommend this company A+."

    T.B., Elgin, IL
  • Excellent service and quality! (excerpt)

    R.N., Inverness, IL
  • "I had Priority energy clean and then aeroseal my supply ducts; what a great experience! Great communication, great technicians, and great overall customer service!

    M.G., Downers Grove, IL
  • The Duct Leakage assessment we had yesterday was extremely informative! I'm glad we had you come to our home.

    D.K. Homeowner, Chicago, IL
  • Anthony was brilliant and answered all my questions. Really appreciate his expertise on our energy audit!
    January 2023

    S.K., Chicago, IL
  • David was very professional, thorough, and easy to work with. He provided us with a clear, detailed report with helpful suggestions as to how to improve our home.

    C.S. Chicago, IL
  • I highly trust and recommend this company for their prompt response, punctuality, and honesty in the performance of their service.

    C. H. Chicago, IL

Latest News

A series of commercial energy audits performed by Priority Energy uncovered opportunities for a storage company to save over $180,000 on their heating and cooling costs.
A newer home with comfort and structural issues
Comfort complaints from owners of recently built or new-er homes have skyrocketed over the last few years.