At Green Stone Energy, we place a great deal of focus on educating our customers as much as possible on the finer points of energy efficiency and home performance contracting. Here are a handful of the most common questions we receive.

  1. What is home performance?
    Home performance refers to how well a home or building operates as a whole, taking into account all its interrelated systems like HVAC, appliances, occupants, climate and more. Through a combination of analyses, design and troubleshooting, building science experts can typically improve home performance through a combination of home upgrades such as insulation, air sealing and new HVAC equipment. For more information on air sealing, please read our blog post https://www.greenstoneenergyllc.com/blog/4-reasons-why-you-need-air-seal-your-home-summers

  2. What is a Home Energy Audit?
    A home energy audit is a thorough examination of how well your home is currently performing. Energy audits are performed by home performance contractors via visual walkthroughs and the use of state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.

  3. What kind of tools do you use in an energy audit?
    While a number of different tools can be used to complete an energy audit, the two most common are a blower door test and an infographic camera, both of which can help to isolate leaks and areas where energy loss is prominent.

  4. What kind of training does your team have to do this work?
    Our team is certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BPI-certified contractors follow strict guidelines and are taught how to perform thorough energy audits from start to finish. Our knowledge and expertise is second to none in Southeastern PA.

  5. Do you offer rebates or incentives for this work?
    Yes we do! We’re proud to partner with Energize Delaware, which offers a great variety of rebates on energy efficient home upgrades. We’ll work with you to help you get a significant discount on a home energy audit. For comprehensive details on what incentives are available for which upgrades, please get in touch with our team.

  6. What is indoor air quality?
    Indoor air quality refers to the cleanliness of the air that is circulated and delivered to conditioned spaces throughout the home. Also referred to as “IAQ,” indoor air quality can be affected by a number of different factors, including household contaminants, tiny cracks and gaps in the home and more.

  7. How long is the return on investment?
    While the return on investment or ROI of an energy audit can depend heavily upon the type of work performed as a result of the findings, many people find that the energy savings they enjoy once the work has been completed is enough to supersede the upfront costs.

  8. Will this work help lower utility bills in the summer as well as the winter?
    Yes. Contrary to popular belief, insulation, air sealing and other measures taken to prevent energy loss are just as effective during the summer months of the year as they are when it’s cold outside. In the end, the goal is to keep conditioned air from escaping, and the procedure for doing so is the same no matter what time of year it is.  

  9. Should air sealing be done prior to attic insulation?
    While insulation and air sealing can both be effective when utilized individually, they combine to create one of the most effective barriers against unwanted air loss for to PA homeowners. The two services work synergistically with one another to improve home comfort and lower energy bills.

  10. Will air sealing help lower utility bills and increase comfort?
    Yes. In combination with insulation and whatever other home performance upgrades our building science experts recommend, air sealing will play a major role in increasing indoor comfort, improving air quality and reducing your monthly energy bills. This service is designed to prevent conditioned (heated or cooled) air from leaking out of your home.

  11. My room is cold - can you help?
    If you often feel the chill in your home or commercial property, chances are your home or office is under-insulated. Green Stone Energy can definitely help you solve your indoor comfort challenges through a variety of methods. The first step is to schedule a free energy assessment. 

  12. Should I be concerned about Drafts?
    Fluctuating indoor temperatures – Having inconsistent room temperatures throughout the house is a sign of poor insulation.
    Poorly insulated properties are exposed to water damage due to burst pipes.
    High energy bills – Warm air escaping via damaged or under-insulated homes and businesses increase your energy consumption.
    Cold walls, ceilings, and floors - Drywall and paneling inside the house feel damp and cold to touch.

  13. Can anything be done about a cold room over the garage?
    Many single-family homes have a bedroom over the garage and in most cases, this room is colder than the rest of the house in the winter. This is one of our most common projects and after our work is done, our customers experience an immediate change - a room that was once chilly throughout the winter months has been transformed into a space that is just as comfortable as the rest of their home. In some cases, there is also a bathroom over the garage and this can be even more problematic. Every year, when the temperature dip down to sub-freezing, these homes run the risk of water damage from frozen pipes. 

  14. Attic - does it have enough insulation?
    If the top floor of your home gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter, there's a very good chance you attic needs more insulation. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends attics have somewhere between R-38 and R-49 insulation in attics which equates to 12" to 15" of fiberglass insulation. If you'd like us to evaluate your home or business, we'd be happy to schedule a free energy assessment. For more information, please read out blog post on the topic of having enough insulation in your home.  https://www.greenstoneenergyllc.com/blog/do-i-have-enough-insulation

  15. Does Green Stone Energy offer air sealing?
    Yes, we do, and here are the top three benefits.
    1. Improved Home Comfort
    2. Better Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
    3. Lower Energy Bills
    Give us a call and we'll schedule a time to come out to your home or commercial building to assess your property.

  16. Why is duct sealing important?
    Improves the Efficiency of Your HVAC System
    Reduces Energy Bills
    Improves Indoor Air Quality
    Maintains Comfortable Temperature at Home
    Protects the Environment
    For more information, read our blog https://www.greenstoneenergyllc.com/blog/why-sealing-your-ductwork-impor...

  17. Adding insulation - different options for easy and difficult to access places
    Fiberglass Insulation - This is the most common type of insulation and comes in batts and rolls. One common use for this is in unfinished basements to insulate foundation walls.
    Cellulose Insulation - This type of insulation is typically great to blow into walls and attics. It's denser than fiberglass and by comparison, less depth of material is needed to achieve the same or better insulation results.
    Spray Foam Insulation - A great option for difficult to access areas of your property. In some cases, spray foam is not only the best option, it's the only option.
    We will help you decide which type of insulation is best suited for your house or office - our expert team will be happy to help! For more information on blown-in cellulose insulation and other types of insulation commonly used in Pennsylvania, please visit our blog post  https://www.greenstoneenergyllc.com/blog/fiberglass-vs-cellulose-vs-spray-foam-insulation

  18. Knee walls - can they be insulated
    Many people don't think of the heat and air conditioning that is lost in the upper level of a home because knee walls are not insulated. Depending on the home, there are different methods to accomplish this type of project. In many cases, we can achieve a great result with a combination of spray foam fiberglass and rigid insulation.

  19. What is your service area?
    Being located in West Chester, PA gives us easy access to the entire Delaware Valley.  We cover the following counties in PA (Chester, Delaware, Berks, Bucks, Montgomery, and Philadelphia).  Our experience and dedication to providing outstanding service as an residential and commercial insulation contractor sometimes attracts customers outside of our typical service area. If you are outside of our area and are curious to know if we are still able to help you, don't hesitate to call us at 610-696-2658.

Have a question about something we haven’t covered? Contact us today to learn more!

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Testimonials

  • Thank you Dutch and Christian from Green Stone Energy LLC for a job well done. Our family will be feeling much warmer this winter. No more heating the outside.

    Lisa, Alex & Thorsten, Audubon, PA,

  • A really good weatherization Company. Would highly recommend.

    Nancy S.,

  • The work that Green Stone Energy completed at my home was awesome! The crew arrived as scheduled and completed their work in the most timely manner. They were very neat and made sure to clean up after themselves. I couldn't believe that the owner of the company even came to check on the progress... Read More

    Nancy M., West Chester, PA,

  • They arrived when they said they would. spread drop cloths where they would be walking. The owner stopped by to check on the progress. All went well. It took about 8 hours from start to finish. My initial observations are showing a positive improvement in the houses ability to hold temperature... Read More

    John S., Norristown,

  • We contacted Green Stone Energy after a PECO energy audit showed a lack of insulation in our attic. Everyone was very professional, friendly, prompt and did a quality job for us.

    Monica H., West Chester,

  • Estimate was done after a complete examination of my concerns.

    Susan M.,

  • We called in Green Stone Energy after a Peco audit recommendation and had two quotes. One was a bit more involved but also 80% more $$. They answered my many questions and upon recognizing at the start of the project they had forgot to include two small areas in their quote, they included the... Read More

    Jan L., ,Newtown Square

  • Very satisfied with all the work. The installers were very professional, efficient, polite, on time,and kept everything covered and clean.

    Mary K.,

  • I can't thank Dutch Schwertner and his team enough for their thorough evaluation and installation of energy efficiency at my Salon. Andrew and Ryan arrived as scheduled with a smile. Their preparation and communication skills really impressed me . I was so pleased with all the care they took to... Read More

    Susan S.,

  • Extremely pleased with everything we received from Green Stone Energy. Everything, from a prompt and fair proposal to timely service appointment. Did not try to oversell us and even recommended not having certain things done as it would not improve the comfort of our home. The work was done... Read More

    Gary M.,

  • Everything went perfectly. Wonderful staff to work with at all levels. Highest level of professionalism and workmanship. The night that the work was done, warm air was streaming into our third floor bathroom, for the first time ever. We were amazed at how much energy we must have been wasting... Read More

    April & John S.,

  • Mark came and conducted a thorough inspection. A well detailed estimate was provided. On the first date of the 2-day installation Mark came on site to review the intended job. Both installers were pleasant and more than competent. They cleaned up well each day. They installed ceiling and... Read More

    Marilyn C.,

  • Our experience with Green Stone Energy was outstanding. The first visit involved identifying the energy-saving opportunities that our home presented. We discussed those opportunities and I learned why and how the required work would be done. The second visit involved doing the actual work, which... Read More

    Angelo A. ,

  • An estimator came over to review the findings of a PECO energy audit. Dutch went over the recommendations with me, and got me a proposal a few days later. The team doing the work showed up on time and were very professional. They placed drop cloths before working inside the house and vacuumed... Read More

    Michael K.,

  • "We had an initial call with Green Stone (GS) and agreed to get an estimate. We did the same with several other contractors. The GS representative "Dutch" came to our home and was very knowledgeable of the PECO results and provided a detailed list of energy saving measures we could possibly... Read More

    Mike K. ,

  • I wanted to thank you for your help with my insulation job. In particular, I wanted to give a shout out to Greg who was on every aspect of the job. He was detail oriented, knowledgeable, conscientious, and a pleasure to work with.

    Anna Massi,