The Ryan family lives in a 200-year-old former schoolhouse in East Montpelier. Their home has all the charm that the family expected to find in this piece of Vermont history, but with many issues typical of older homes; cold drafts, ice dams on the roof and high energy bills. Fortunately, the Ryans took steps to solve these problems. As a result, they have made their home more comfortable and durable and expect to reduce their annual energy costs by nearly 40%. It all began when the Ryans read about Home Performance with ENERGY
STAR® in their electric utility's newsletter. This service connects certified local contractors with homeowners to identify ways to improve a home's comfort, durability and energy efficiency. The Ryans called their nearest service provider, Home Performance Partners in Barre, to schedule an assessment.Their contractor who was certified by the Building Performance Institute, came to the Ryan's home and conducted a series of diagnostic tests on the home's heating system and the building's tightness. Home Performance with ENERGY STAR promotes a whole house approach to building performance so Home Performance Partners also looked for opportunities to improve lighting, appliance, and window efficiency.

• The house was ineffectively insulated
• Heat was escaping into the attic
• The heating system was performing poorly
• These conditions contributed to the high fuel bills, ice dams, and comfort issues. Home Performance Partners recommended:
• Extensive air sealing to limit the flow of air from the home's heated space to the attic and then to the outdoors
• Sprayed foam insulation to seal some areas and blown cellulose to insulate hidden wall cavities and attic areas
• Servicing the oil burner and sealing the furnace ductwork

With the help of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Financing, the Ryans were able to hire Home Performance Partners to do the work.  Are you considering hiring a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractor? Check out Efficiency Vermont's tips for hiring a contractor.
The Ryans now enjoy lower energy bills in a more comfortable, durable, healthy and energy efficient home. Find a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractor to improve your home's energy efficiency.