What is this BPI thing?
Your house is a system.
You understand that your car is made up of interacting components and systems - when one component fails, it affects the performance of the entire vehicle. Do you know that the same goes for your house?
High energy bills, uneven temperatures from room-to-room, drafts, moisture, mold, mildew, poor indoor air quality, ice dams, pest infestations, seemingly uncontrollable humidity levels and even premature deterioration of building materials can all be the result of a breakdown in the relationship between the systems in your house - the building envelope (shell), heating and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment and you, the occupants.
If one system has a problem, it impacts the other systems' ability to function properly. Treating the obvious symptom without knowing the real culprit behind it can actually make the problem worse or create new problems. The process of elimination approach just causes frustration as you try solution after solution - investing more time, money and energy - without resolution.
Properly diagnosing and fixing the root cause requires a house-as-a-system approach based on building science.
That's exactly what A.J. Michaels does. We assess your whole home and we are uniquely qualified unlike others because we have the expertise and licensees to do all the work required to make your home more energy efficient.
Here's how it works.
Most projects start with an interview with you, the homeowner, to find out what symptoms you've noticed and what, if anything, you've tried to fix those symptoms. An evaluation of your energy bills provides clues to areas that need improvement.
Next, our BPI certified professional will conduct a thorough walk-through - both indoors and out. The technician will use an infrared camera to get a visual on temperature differences in different areas, conduct a blower door test to depressurize the house and assess air leakage levels through the building envelope, and test for leakage in the duct work of forced-air HVAC systems. We will also perform other function and safety tests on HVAC equipment, including carbon monoxide levels and combustion appliance back-draft testing.
At the end of the comprehensive whole-home assessment, A.J. Michaels will provide you with a scientific, objective view of the situation. They'll be able to help you prioritize repairs in order — from must-do to nice-to-do — so you can solve the biggest problems without making smaller problems worse.
Once the improvement work is completed, a second whole-home assessment follows with all of the same steps as the first. This makes sure that all the corrections work, and the desired performance levels have been achieved. The project is only considered complete when you agree that the job has been done right.
Once the follow up test or Test-Out has been completed we will help facilitate the application process for all applicable home performance rebates available through the EmPOWER program. All rebates are paid after the completion of the work, usually within two-three weeks of submitting paperwork.
In Baltimore call 410.435.5400, in Annapolis call 410.573.5858 or fill out the form on the right to schedule a home energy audit.
