How Do I Get An Energy Audit Done?

[got wood?]

I had some original windows in my house which leaked so much they were pointless to try to fix and broken anyway, couldn't exactly be shut. I purchased some window plastic and covered them. They were so bad, the plastic (fastened with double-sided tape) couldn't hold the air leakage back and blew off. I ended up using 1" wide double-sided tape which held for most of the winter eventually the tape dried out and let go and the aftermath was the tape stained the trim. So recently I replaced the original windows with high efficiency replacement ones. Replacing windows BTW is usually a poor place to save energy, they cost a lot of money and you get very little improvement. There's a company that offers you the difference in your heating if their replacement windows don't cut your heating bills by 50%, I can't see how replacing windows would ever amount to that much savings I think replacing the windows are more in the ballpark of 5%. I think that company depend most won't notice or won't file the claim. You normally choose to put replacements because the ones there are broken and need to be replaced/repaired anyway or reasons like convenience, or simply because your original ones won't shut and leak so bad you have to put plastic over them and that plastic drives your wife nuts. The plastic/wife reason was my case. As long as you caulk around the trim of your windows you've stopped a major source of air leakage. I'd get yourself one "window" sealing plastic kit and on a cold windy day cover a window to see just how bad it is. The plastic will inflate like a balloon, if it pops the double-sided tape it may be time to replace the window. Some of my original 1962 casement windows didn't leak at all, putting up the plastic it inflated slightly from the pressure difference and didn't budge the whole year no matter how windy or nothing. I replaced those windows simply so they'd match the others and chances are my new ones are more leaky (double-hung are more leaky than casements). But, don't keep the tape on too long else it will stain the trim or the glue of the tape will become a permenant part of the trim. I needed to paint the trim anyway so I scraped what I could off, sanded, and painted and looks good as new.

I agree with you Rhonemas...it's a minimal payback if the windows are recent...I just replaced my original windows in my house (built 1900) so it has made a pretty significant difference compared to the rattly old weight and sash single pane windows. I don't expect a payback in efficiency, but definitely a payback when it comes time to sell this place. As you pointed out, it soft costs will most likely be recouped.

Funny thing is that about 40 minutes ago a fella from MassSaves just finished the combustion test on my house and I'm about to get some blown in cellulose insulation (and by about I mean 4-6 weeks out). Zero insulation in my walls, so this will be a good thing. I'll focus on air leakage with the basement windows and doors and hope to have this place brought into the 1960s by paying a fella to cram shredded newspaper into my walls. It's 50% covered up to $1500 so I qualify for the full $1500. The payback in energy costs will not be until 4-5 years according to their `calculators', but again, it's an investment in the house that I can `sell' to the next owner later on.

And in the end...it's the right thing to do...less fossil fuel, less wood...