Sencon

Performance Packages

Improving your home’s energy efficiency, improving comfort and reducing your utility bills doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact, SENCON makes it easy. We have designed four Total Home Performance packages with the homeowner’s specific needs and price range in mind. No matter what package you choose indoor air quality, overall comfort and energy efficiency will be maximized.

Weatherization

Did you know that the heating bill for the average unweatherized house in the United States is 25 to 40 percent higher than one that is weatherized? Taking the step to weatherize your home is a can’t-lose decision. Weatherization not only saves on expensive energy in the home, it also improves safety and comfort by eliminating drafts. Once leaks in your house are identified, our certified technicians will seal them up and insulate the home, saving you both energy and money, increasing your comfort and making your home safer by improving its air quality.

Air Sealing

Air sealing of your home is generally the most effective and cheapest measure you can take to save energy and increase home comfort. Air sealing is simply the sealing of the “envelope” of your home, which includes the outer walls, ceiling, floor, windows and doors. Air infiltration or “leakage” is the unintended exchange of outside air through cracks and other openings. This unintended exchange of air causes heat loss in the winter and cooling loss in the summer. Many air leaks are obvious to the homeowner. Noticeable gaps around doors and windows or drafts around vents and outlets should be addressed. However, there are often less obvious air leaks in attics, crawl spaces, and walls that SENCON can help you pinpoint and correct for an immediately noticeable difference in the comfort your home provides, as well as in the cost of your utility bills.

Duct Sealing

In homes with forced-air heating and cooling systems, duct systems are used to distribute the conditioned air throughout the house. If your home’s duct work was not installed or sealed properly, you could be losing a significant amount of conditioned air to unnecessary areas like attics, walls and crawlspaces. An improperly sealed duct is like a leaky garden hose sending water to areas where you do not want it.

Insulation

Insulation is different from air sealing, but the two go hand-in-hand in that having one without the other may not significantly improve your homes energy efficiency or your comfort level. Having sufficient insulation with a leaky home or having a very tight home with little insulation will readily allow temperatures to fluctuate as air inside more easily exchanges with air outdoors. This, in turn, will require excessive amounts of energy to maintain a warm home in the winter and a cool home in the summer. There are many different forms of insulation available on the market today. When properly installed, they all can deliver increased comfort levels and reduced energy bills. Insulation performance is measured by its ability to resist heat flow (R-value). Different total R-values are recommended for attics, basements, crawl spaces and walls. These recommendations also vary with geographic location. The efficiency of insulation is increased if air flow through and around the material is minimized, so it is important to perform air sealing prior to installing additional insulation.

Rebates

With today’s interest and push for greener, more efficient homes that use less energy and deliver minimal impacts on the environment, federal, state and governments, as well as many local utility companies, have incentives or programs in place to help share the cost of improving your home.

The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Energy (dsireusa.org) offers an easy-to-navigate, comprehensive listing of state, local, utility and federal incentives and policies. Another key resource is the United States government’s ENERGYSTAR site at energystar.gov, particularly the “Partner Resources” section on tax incentives.

Energy Efficient Mortgages

An Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a mortgage that credits a home’s energy efficiency in the mortgage itself. EEMs give borrowers the opportunity to finance cost-effective, energy-saving measures as part of a single mortgage and stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans thereby allowing borrowers to qualify for a larger loan amount and a better, more energy-efficient home.

To get an EEM, a borrower typically has to have a home energy rater conduct a home energy rating before financing is approved. This rating verifies for the lender that the home is energy-efficient.

Additional Homeowner Services

You’re interested in doing your part to improve the planet and want to consume less energy. You probably also like the idea of saving money on your utility bills. But you’re not sure where to begin. Let SENCON help.

In addition to conducting home performance assessments (energy audits), trainings to homeowners as part of our Eco Ed Learning Series and our many other improvement services to increase the efficiency of your home, SENCON offers a full range of consulting services for homeowners as well as builders including design charrette facilitation, environmental services and green certification.

Let SENCON cut through the clutter and put you and your family on the path to a better, more sustainable lifestyle.