Peak Performance Home Evaluation

HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR: A WHOLE–HOUSE APPROACH

If you’re considering making improvements to your home to lower energy bills or fix comfort problems, you should learn about Home Performance with ENERGY STAR — a comprehensive, whole house approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home, while helping to protect the environment and fight global warming.

Rather than focus on a single problem, like an old heating or cooling system, not enough insulation in the attic, or leaky windows, Home Performance with ENERGY STAR looks at how improvements throughout your home can work together to give you the best results.

Benefits of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR:

• Utility bill savings of 20% or more
• Fewer drafts and more comfortable rooms
• Work performed by specially trained contractors
• Third–party quality assurance to make sure work gets done right
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions to protect the environment

TYPICAL HOME IMPROVEMENTS — COMMON RECOMMENDATIONS:

Each home’s problems are different, but there are some recommendations that Home Performance contractors frequently make:

• A. Sealing Air Leaks and Adding Insulation. These are critical first steps to improving the energy efficiency of your home.
• B. Improving Heating and Cooling Systems. If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, your contractor may recommend that you replace it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR label.
• C. Sealing Ductwork. Sealing leaks, making sure ducts are straight and properly connected, and insulating where needed, will greatly improve your home’s comfort and energy efficiency.
• D. Replacing Windows. If it’s time to replace your home’s windows, your contractor may recommend ENERGY STAR qualified models specific to your climate.
• E. Upgrading Lighting, Appliances and Water Heating Equipment. Energy used in these areas can account for nearly half your utility bill, so there’s a big opportunity to save by installing ENERGY STAR qualified products.
• F. Installing Renewable Energy Systems. Once energy efficiency improvements have been made to your home, your contractor may recommend additional measures, like installing solar panels or a solar hot water system.

WHAT MAKES HOME PERFORMANCE CONTRACTORS DIFFERENT?

Knowing what energy–efficiency improvements to make in a home and how they can work together requires special expertise. Home Performance contractors are equipped with specialized training and diagnostic tools to determine how your home is performing, and can assist you in achieving your goals, whether it’s improving comfort, cutting energy costs, or protecting the environment.

WHAT IS ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is the government–backed program that helps us all to save money and protect our environment with energy–efficient products and practices. Whether you are looking to replace old appliances, remodel your home, or buy a new house, ENERGY STAR can help.

More than 50 kinds of products, including lighting, appliances, televisions, computers, heating and cooling equipment, and even new homes, can earn the government’s ENERY STAR label. ENERGY STAR also offers best practice solutions, like Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, to make your home more comfortable and reduce your energy costs.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM HOME PERFORMANCE WITH ENERGY STAR

A COMPREHENSIVE HOME ENERGY AUDIT

The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR process starts with an interview with you, the homeowner, to help your contractor understand concerns you have about your home’s energy use and comfort.

After the interview, the contractor will inspect your home to determine where improvements are needed — inspecting your home inside and out, including the heating cooling equipment, duct systems, and even lighting and appliances. Your contractor will also inspect your attic, basement, or crawlspace (if you have them), and run diagnostic tests to check the home’s envelope and duct leakage, or use an infrared camera to find the trouble spots.

Your contractor will also review your utility bills to compare them to similar homes in your area and determine how energy is potentially being wasted in your home.

GETTING THE WORK DONE

After the assessment, your contractor will prepare a detailed work proposal outlining recommended improvements and can also show you how they may qualify for special financing or other incentives, where available. Once you decide which improvements to make, you Home Performance contractor will help you get the job done right.

When work is completed, your contractor will run another set of tests to show the difference the improvements have made. Their work is also spot–checked by independent third–parties, so you can have added confidence that your job will be done correctly.

TYPICAL RESULTS

The comprehensive approach offered by Home Performance with ENERGY STAR will make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Depending on the improvements you choose, you may be able to save 20% more on your annual utility bill. And because you’re using less energy, you’ll also be helping to protect the environment.

Home Energy Audit – SRP Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program

The SRP Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program is providing Phoenix area customers with energy–efficient solutions, designed to lower electricity bills.

Dust off the patio furniture and grab a scoop of ice cream because you can now relax. By enrolling in our program your energy bills will cool down, making even summer months in the Valley feel like a spring afternoon.

For just $99 (a $500 value), SRP’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program evaluates your home and identifies ways you can make it more energy efficient, sometimes for little or no cost.

Program details

A participating Home Performance contractor will assess your energy–efficient barriers, including:

• Insulation effectiveness
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning performance
• Air–duct leakage and restrictions
• Construction integrity issues
• "Hot spots" in the ceilings and other areas
• You’ll also receive an energy–efficient kit that contains:
• Tem compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)
• One low–flow shower head
• One Niagara Energy Saving Smart surge protector
• Where feasible, the above items will be installed during the inspection.

SAVE EVEN MORE

By participating in the Home Performance program, you may be eligible for these additional SRP offers:

• Air–sealing rebate*
• Duct repair rebate
• High–efficiency AC rebate
• Insulation rebate*
• Shade screen discount

*Eligibility is limited to SRP Home Performance with ENERGY STAR participants

Consider energy–efficiency improvements

Following the inspection, the contractor will return to present your Home Performance report and discuss energy–saving opportunities. You can decide which improvements to make (if any).

If you decide to go ahead with the improvements, your contractor can perform the work and ensure you receive available rebates and financing offers that can help offset the costs. Some measures may even qualify for federal tax credits.

Schedule a checkup

The Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractors are certified by the Building Performance Institute to ensure the quality and integrity of the inspection and work performed.

Visit www.azhomeperformance.com to see what other customers are saying about the Home Performance inspection.

To qualify for SRP Home Performance with ENERGY STAR, you must:

• Be a current SRP residential electric customer served by an SRP residential electric price plan.
• Be the homeowner (new construction does not qualify) of a single–family, detached dwelling built to state and local building codes with no walls, floors or ceilings shared with any other dwelling unit.
• Have the assessment performed by an Arizona Home Performance contractor on or before April 30, 2014.

NOTES:

Customers who participate in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program will not receive $75 for air–duct testing.