Published: 1:58 PM, 11/05/2009

Last updated: 12:52 PM, 11/17/2009

By: staff reports

Local residents can receive deeply discounted home energy audits through the E-Conserve program, administered through the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Agency and Building Performance Engineering. E-Conserve educates homeowners about the importance of energy efficiency in the home and subsidizes home energy audits. Audits equip homeowners with knowledge on the safest and most cost-effective measures they can take to increase the energy efficiency of their homes and lower their monthly utility bills.

On Tuesday, November 17 at 6:00 p.m. at the Agricultural Conference Center, 252 Poplar Grove Rd., the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Agency will host a free educational workshop, presented by Building Performance Engineering. Attendees will learn about practices they can apply in the home to lower their winter heating bills and save energy. If their home is 2000 square feet or less and older than 5 years, homeowners are eligible to sign up for a home energy audit at a subsidized price of $100, normally a $350 service.

A home energy audit consists of an analysis of the home's energy consumption by a certified professional. The auditor identifies measures that can be taken in the home to decrease its energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and increase comfort throughout the home. Appropriate measures vary in every home. They can include-but are not limited to-additional insulation, air sealing of the structure, and replacement of mechanical equipment. Some measures identified in the audit can be completed by the homeowner, while others require licensed professionals. The auditor will also identify potential dangers in the home, such as carbon monoxide entering the home due to backdrafting of furnaces and other combustion devices. The auditor will provide a summary report including the cost effectiveness and payback of different measures.

Homeowners must attend the November 17 E-Conserve workshop to receive the subsidized energy audit. Interested parties can contact Margie Mansure at the Watauga County Cooperative Extension Agency at (828) 264-3612 or John Kidda at Building Performance Engineering.