PHP ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Home Performance Informer

Why do I need to know about Home Performance?
Do either of these issues apply to your home?

Highlights
Identifying the need for Home Performance

Owning the impact of Inefficiency in our homes Benefits of the EnergyWorks program Taking the First step toward improving Home Performance

Drafty or cold rooms, High heating costs, Unknown smells or signs of mold or mildew?

If you answered Yes to any of these questions, then home performance is a message that you need to hear. What is home performance? Home performance is the process of analyzing your home to measure and understanding the way that its elements are performing and relating to one another as a system. This is the result of an energy audit. A certified professional conducts the audit after discussing your familys goals for the home and any issues that are uncovered during a simple conversation. The testing and measure-

Inside this issue:

ment data gathered is utilized to form a model of your home to determined the reasonable goal expense to operate your home. Also, several unsafe conditions are tested for. You are then provided with a report outlining the steps to take and their estimated savings and benefits. Most families save between 25 40% on their total utility costs when they implement the audit recommendations. That encompasses water, gas or oil, and electric! The impact of an inefficient home is far reaching. Your physical and financial health are directly tied to your home. Poor air quality, harmful particulates, and deadly gases are discovered. Moisture issues are investigated. The burden of high operating costs force some families to choose between heating their homes or meeting other essential needs. Worst case scenarios involve familys choosing between meeting other essential needs and using their heat or lights. This is a great time to take action to eliminate inefficiency in our homes. The EnergyWorks program subsidizes the cost of an energy audit to $150. Learn more on page 2.

Case Study: Jackson Home Solar Panels

EnergyWorks Program The DoE

MISSION STATEMENT
Energy Deregulation 3 OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE AND ADVISE NOT ONLY PROPERTY OWNERS BUT ALSO EVERY PROFESSION IN THE BUILDING, RENOVATION, IMPROVEMENT, AND REMEDIATION FIELDS OF THE IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY MESSAGE TO THEIR PROPERTIES AND BUSINESSES.

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Home Performance Informer

Uncle Sam wants YOU to become more Energy Efficient!

If you reside in Philadelphia, or Bucks, Chester, Delaware or Montgomery counties, the EnergyWorks program is here to help you to create a more comfortable, durable, safe, and efficient home. The Energy Coordinating Agency oversees the program and guarantees that you receive the professional service that you deserve. Its network of independent home performance professionals are ready to serve you. The main incentives are the available 1% financing, subsidized audit cost of $150, and guaranteed quality assurance. If you decide to utilize a program contractor, no funds will be released until you are fully satisfied. The process to enroll in the program and schedule an energy audit is very simple. Simply fill-in some basic information about your home, and an Energy Coordinating Agency representative will contact you. Please tell the representative that PHP Energy Solutions is your preferred auditing firm!

Case Study: Jackson Family Home

The unknown has never sat well with me I had no idea of what I was getting myself into with this house...
Robin Jackson is a single mother with two school-age children. Although she has a good income, she knows that her budget is vital to allowing her to both own and run a home and keep her children enrolled in private school. So, when she was told by her realtor about PHP Energy Solutions services, she did not hesitate to call. The unknown has never sat well with me. My money is how I get things done, and keeping as much of it as I can is critical. I had no idea of what I was getting myself into with this house. If you can assure me of what it will cost me to live here, I will buy this house. With this familys future on the line, PHP stepped in. The home was found have significant heat loss issues, an inefficient heater, a horribly installed addition, and useless insulation. We estimated her gas bill to be $465 per month. This would bust her budget for sure. Ms. Jackson presented our findings to the seller, who listened, and negotiated a modest price reduction. That offset some of the cost, and Ms. Jackson used the EnergyWorks program to finance the rest of her work at 1% interest. Now, her heating costs are estimated at $209, and the bill for the repairs is $95 per month. The bottom line change to her budget was a positive $156 per month. Now, she is living in a comfortable and efficient home, and will be able to keep her children in private school. Did you know 87% of home buyers feel that home heating and cooling costs are important information to have. - National Association of Realtors 2011 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

Solar Panels are Great, BUT...

If you cannot manage to stop overdrawing your bank account, what is the better solution? Is it to make more money OR eliminate the behaviors that cause you to overdraw? OF COURSE, the answer is to change your behaviors. So it stands to reason that it is impractical to spend $15,000 on a solar panel installation to save $20 per month. When you could do the free and easy things like unplugging items that are not in use, using more efficient appliances and lighting, and turning off lights when you leave the room. If you have electric heat, you need to program and control the settings. The appeal of using a renewable energy source is very alluring, and highly conscientious, I agree. But, do not rush to get them without first having an energy audit performed. The reason for the audit is to establish a baseline for electrical usage. Then we can calculate the effectiveness of the panels in lowering your costs. Going for the low hanging fruit first, then looking at EnergyStar rated appliances, and eliminating all of the wasteful behaviors is often MORE beneficial than a new set of solar panels. PHP Energy Solutions will help you to sort things out.

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The DoE
The image to the right is taken from the EnergyStar.gov website. It represents the air flow/ heat loss dynamic that our homes go through- year round. Although, we generally see more activity in the home performance arena during the heating season, cooling season suffers the same loss of conditioned air. Conditioned simply means that you paid money to create this good-feeling air. Now, look at it flying out through your roof, walls, and any hole it can find. This is not my message alone the Department of Energy is also encouraging you to be more energy efficient.

Electric Deregulation AND Energy Efficiency

Did you know that approximately twenty states in the U.S.A. have initiated electricity and/or gas deregulation? What that means to consumers is that they can now find some savings by choosing an a supply company other that the incumbent utility. This savings averages about 12% off of just one component of the bill the per unit rate. The tariffs and surcharges are NOT discounted. So much more needs to be done and can be done to help these families to save more money. What this means to energy efficiency professional is a great opportunity to turn that 12% savings into a more robust 32 45% savings. How? By performing an energy audit and utility bill costs analysis. The energy audit ALSO saves on their water costs and heating costs not just their electric rate. If you have switched to an alternative company please call PHP Energy Solutions to learn about saving more money on ALL of your energy costs.

So much more needs to be done and can be done to help these families to save more money.

Comfort, Efficiency, Savings PHP ENERGY SOLUTIONS

RESIDENTIAL ENERGY AUDITORS

PHP Energy Solutions motto is Comfort, Efficiency, Savings. In that order, the journey is completed for our customers. When we eliminate comfort issues and increase efficiency, savings are realized. We strive to make a difference by educating our customers about their homes, their habits, and the interaction between them all to make a difference. Along with our participation in the EnergyWorks program, we are always looking to partner with other businesses and agencies to professionally deliver information and service to their clients. Please feel free to contact us by phone or e-mail.

1 W. Baltimore Av. Lansdowne, PA 19050

Phone: 267-765-9221 E-mail: info@phpenergysolutions.com www.phpenergysolutions.com