A home remodel is a huge (and exciting!) step for any homeowner. There are often months or even years of planning, saving, and researching that happens before the remodel gets started. Each detail is meticulously planned to ensure the end result is exactly what the homeowner envisioned.
One step that is sometimes overlooked in the planning, however, is getting an assessment of the home’s current energy efficiency. If there are issues in the home’s energy use, it makes sense to address them while the remodel takes place.
In today’s blog post, RVI will explain why getting a home energy assessment done before a home remodel is a smart choice and a step that shouldn’t be overlooked. Keep reading to learn why you should get an assessment on your home before that first wall is opened up!
What is a Home Energy Assessment?
The way your home uses energy is a key part of how efficient and “healthy” it is. A home needs to be well insulated, air sealed, and properly ventilated in order use energy efficiently and prevent issues including moisture problems or ice dams.
Some insulation or ventilation problems aren’t as apparent as mold or ice dams, though. Perhaps your home’s issues manifest as higher heating and cooling costs or poor indoor air quality.
In order to find and remedy these potential issues, RVI conducts home energy assessments for new builds and existing homes alike. The goal of an energy assessment is to determine if there are heating, cooling, or ventilation problems or inefficiencies in a home and to make recommendations for correcting these issues. Assessments look at the home’s current insulation, HVAC systems, and ventilation. They can identify problems including old equipment, air leaks, mold or moisture issues, insufficient insulation, and more.
These assessments mean that homeowners are addressing the real issues without spending money on “fixes” that their home may not need. Assessments can also help ensure that a home is properly sealed and insulated, helping the occupants save money on heating and cooling costs year round.
Why Assess Before a Remodel?
In general, RVI performs these assessments prior to undertaking any work on a new or existing home, as they are a wonderful diagnostic tool to ensure the owner gets the most out of their time and money. Talk to your remodeling contractor about you scheduling an assessment.
Frequently, homeowners call us for issues with moisture or ice damming and ask that we perform an assessment. However, it’s just as important to have an assessment done before a home remodel starts, too.
An easily overlooked step, a pre-remodel assessment can ensure that any recommendations for increasing home efficiency are addressed during the remodel, while the walls are already open and fixes are more readily made. Doing the assessment before the remodel can also ensure that the contractor’s plan for the home has energy efficiency, ventilation, and air quality in mind.
This means you come out of the remodel with an efficient, well ventilated, and overall healthier home!
Call RVI to Schedule a Pre-Remodel Home Energy Assessment Today
Whether your remodel is just around the corner or a ways off, get in touch with Rhinelander, Wisconsin’s RVI now and we’ll work with your remodeling contractor to get an assessment done. Our insulation, air-sealing, and ventilation experts will visit your home and perform a thorough energy assessment, providing you with a plan and peace of mind before the remodel starts!
