Laura Paprocki on Home Energy Audits

Is your home leaky?

Heat loss in winter, cool loss in summer, if your home hasn't been inspected lately, chances are good you are losing energy and money at a rate that might surprise you.

A home can never be too tight, says Laura Paprocki, a Madison-based independent civil and environmental engineer. Through her company, Trinity Environmental, she performs Home Performance audits with Energy Star as a consultant for Wisconsin's Focus on Energy.

Established residences are Laura's side of the business. Trinity also performs audits on new construction for builders looking for Energy Star certification.

Home energy advice from Laura

Home energy and homeowners were chief among the topics Laura shared recently with Simple Living Madison.

SLM: How did you get started as an energy consultant?

Laura: I was always interested in science in school and had science-based jobs since college but this job is the first to allow me to combine my science background with something I'm passionate about, helping people. I love taking people through this process because it's so valuable for homeowners.

SLM: Combining all your passions into a career sounds like a dream job.

Laura: You might not think that when you're crawling around on your stomach in the attic looking at old insulation...but I do love what I do!

Leakage testing exposes hidden costs

SLM: What exactly do you do?

Laura: A Home Performance Audit involves four areas of testing:

• House leakage testing is the most exciting part and the most valuable service I can provide as a consultant. I do a "blower door test" combined with an infrared camera reading to see how much energy is leaking from a house and where.
  
  You'd be surprised how much of heat loss is due to air moving in and out of the house. And, it's often not just about adding insulation. Windows, doors, other areas of the house can leak.
  
  
• Insulation checks are another part of what I do. People don't know that you need different types of insulation in different parts of your house to get the most efficiency.
  
  
• Ventilation and moisture checks are very important, too. If you make a house tight, you still need to have a way for bad air and moisture to escape. I check bath and kitchen fans to make sure they are taking the air from inside the home and pushing it outside.
  
  A house is like the human body. Like you, houses need a good set of lungs to push air in and out. And keep in mind, just because a fan is making noise, does not mean it's working properly. You want to make sure you get cooking oil, indoor air pollution, moisture out.
  
  
• The furnace and hot water systems are next. Are they're efficient? Properly ventilated? What is the carbon monoxide level? I check for efficiency and safety. Ventilation is key especially in cold climates. After all, we're shut up in our homes for six months out of the year.
  

Energy savings offer return on investment

SLM: What happens after you do the evaluation?

Laura: I give the homeowner a report, actually a series of reports about each of the four areas. This isn't information most owners have so it's very valuable when buying a house.

SLM: With the economy the way it is, what about costs?

Laura: I base the information in the reports on return on investment so homeowners can see how much they might save and set their own priorities. I work with them to help them prioritize, and we talk about the things they can do themselves.

Focus on Energy offers cash back rewards for taking care of these problems. I return to the home to check how well the home is performing. It's great to see that increased performance!

For more on the Home Energy Audit, check out Madison Gas and Electric's energy saving tips for homeowners or go to Laura's Paprocki's website (note: she is currently changing the name of her company).

Photo of Madison houses by Cimexus from Flickr Creative Commons.