Insulation is like a practical pair of shoes. Not sexy but oh so comforting.

The price of solar electric panels, or photovoltaics (PV), is really low. Depending on the source I've seen price guidelines that range from $1.75 to $3.75 per watt installed. That's actually a huge range and part of the reason is that most installers quote costs AFTER incentives (Rebates, tax credits, local tax allowances, etc.) which vary widely by location. But, PV is still a good deal. So why wouldn't it be the first thing you do?

Well, for one thing I work mostly with conservation measures, so it's less work for me. A better reason might be very simple. Conservation, air sealing and insulation, will make you more comfortable, PV panels won't.

Aha! I saw your head turn. You like to be comfortable, right? I can do it for you and save you money. Those PV panel can save money but they won't make you feel all warm and secure on a cold winters night. Let's have a little chat about the least sexy part of this, air sealing.

Air sealing involves some really dirty work, see least sexy above. You climb into attics, move insulation raising all sorts of dust (you are wearing a really good dust mask aren't you) and seal every large, medium and small hole you can find. The temperature in the attic is probably between very hot and hotter-than-people-are-able-to-survive-at. All the sweating you are doing will make the dust you are raising stick to your skin. The good part is that when you come out of the attic you will feel chilly. Even if it's 95F and humid.

After the attic you can do the crawl space and/or basement which will be cooler, but could be nasty in a different way. All in all this is pretty unglamorous. But if you have eliminated most of the big drafts in your house you will be more comfortable (no cold air blowing over your skin) and saving money. The more holes you fill the more you save.

Insulation comes after air sealing. Almost always. Sometimes insulation is air sealing, but only if it is rigid and not fluffy. Depending on your choice of insulation you will be dealing with materials that are either itchy, dusty, or both. Unless it is rigid, then it will cost a lot more. And you will be back in the attic and crawlspace. YIPPEE!

So how will insulation make you more comfy? It will warm up the surfaces near you. OK, that's not the same as warming up you, but really it's better. Just a bit of physics, that's all. Heat behaves very consistently, it goes to cold. That is, a warm thing will give up heat to a cold thing. Since you're typically warmer than the walls and ceilings, or you should be, you will be giving up heat to them. The warmer they are the less heat they will take from you. That make you more comfortable. Simple right? Just not very sexy.

That's OK. Now that you're nice and comfy you can sit around and plan how you're going to get that PV system installed.

Questions or comments, or if you want to complain that I really dumbed down the physics just use the comment box below.

The energy auditor has seen houses messier than yours. Let her look under the sink :-)

It's a common problem. I get to a house, we start going through the building and then I reach for the cabinet door. I always say "may I?" but usually the answer is a question; "Do you have to? It's such a mess."

Let's go to the pictures:

The first image is what I am interested in. This particular image was taken before I started the blower door. There is a lot of cold air coming in and that's a very, very important thing to find.

This is the visible image taken simultaneously with the IR above. Some people might see a slightly messy storage cabinet; I see a place where air is leaking and a place that needs to be checked for water leaks as well. This one is is probably slightly neater than average, but I don't know or care. Really.

When an energy auditor comes to your house take heart. We have all seen some really messy (and dirty) houses. As long as I can get to the places I need to and see what I need to see your house is fine. If you don't have time to make your house look like a magazine layout don't worry. I don't talk about my customers housekeeping and my conversations with other auditors have never been about messy houses.

That eliminates that as an excuse, but there are things you can and should do to prepare for an audit.

• Make way to attic hatches. Often these are, inexplicably, in closets. Please at least remove enough stuff so I can get to it.
• If you have a duct system I need to get to all the supply and return registers. If you feel warm or cool air on your feet when sitting on the couch there might be a register under it.
•  I need to be able to close all windows, exterior doors and skylights.
• If you have a wood, pellet or coal stove or boiler/furnace it need to be out and fully cooled when I arrive. Otherwise I will not be able to do the pressure testing that is so critical to evaluating your house. If these are your only source of heat we should reschedule to a warmer time of year.
• Please be home at the time of the appointment. I will be on time because I want to have the opportunity to meet you and discuss what I'm seeing with you. If you want your contractor to be present too I'm comfortable with that. If you are using another auditor please check with them on this.

That's about it. When we are talking on the phone prior to your audit I will ask some questions to find out if any other preparation will be needed.

Your house doesn't need a complete spring cleaning to schedule an audit. I think I can do enough good for your house(and you) that a little embarrassment is a small price to pay. But don't be embarrassed. Just call, I'll like you and I promise the state of the house won't make a difference.

Comments or questions? put them in the box below.