Take Charge Challenge: Energy audits now available here

As part of the Take Charge Challenge, an energy efficiency competition among 16 Kansas cities, home energy audits are available to Fort Scott residents.

The audits are meant to show people how they can reduce energy bills by caulking, improving insulation and weather-stripping doors and windows, among other things. Diana Mitchell, a member of the Youth Activities Team, which has taken over the challenge, found an auditor for Fort Scott -- Erik Henson of AKA Energy Efficient Home Services in Independence, Mo.

The winner of the challenge gets $100,000 to put toward an energy efficiency or renewable energy community project. Points are accumulated through changing bulbs from the traditional to the compact fluorescent type, community education and outreach, and whole-house efficiency, which energy audits can help achieve. The competition runs through September.

Mitchell's goal is to have 40 audits a month conducted.

"I was given a list of auditors who might consider coming to Fort Scott. The first call I made was to Erik," Mitchell said. She asked him if he wanted to be part of the team that was going to win the $100,000 and he joined up.

What hooked him was the amount of interest Mitchell already had in the program when she called him.

Henson has been here almost every day since then.

Audits take two to two and a half hours, followed by two to two and a half hours of computer work. He then submits his findings to the state for approval.

Without that state approval, Mitchell said, Fort Scott wouldn't get credit.

Henson said caulking windows, weather-stripping doors and windows and other small things can keep air from infiltrating a home. How much a homeowner saves depends on how much caulking and air sealing is done, he said.

The three main things he looks at are stopping the infiltration of air, increasing insulation and evaluating a home's heating and cooling systems.

Typically by going through this process, a homeowner can save 30-50 percent on utility bills.

Henson said the audits are normally valued at $600, but people here can get them for $100 out of pocket.

"Even if they don't follow the suggestions, they're still getting a wealth of information about how their home works," he said.

To sign up for an audit, call Mitchell at 224-3633 or email her at diana@theeyecenters.com.