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 Professional Energy Audit Sometimes it pays to have a professional perform an energy audit, such as when you're purchasing an existing home. When a home is rated by a home energy auditor as being energy efficient, some mortgage companies will allow you to use the money saved on monthly energy bills to make a larger monthly mortgage payment, thereby qualifying you for a more expensive home. A professional energy audit is also called for when you're trying to find out about more complex energy issues in your home. For instance, are the walls insulated? If so, are they fully insulated? Professional auditors can do a “thermographic inspection” using a special camera to check the heat signature of a wall to see where there are energy losses. An example would be where insulation is missing or inadequate. In addition to doing a complete visual inspection, professional auditors may also do a “blower door test.” In this test, the auditor mounts a high-powered fan that is tightly sealed to an outer door frame. When turned on, it puts your house under a negative pressure equal to a 20 mph wind on all sides of your home. The auditor then checks for air leaks in the home by spraying chemical smoke around suspect areas. Once the audit is complete, the auditor will offer recommendations to make the home more energy efficient. Learn about FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages Learn more about blower door tests Learn more about professional energy audits
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