FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(F.A.Q.)
DYO® Kit
WEBSITE: specific to operation and
content.
DYO® Kit
PRODUCTS: specific to operation and content.
General
F.A.Q.
For topics relating to home
energy problems and improvements, we recommend
you visit www.HighEnergyBills.com (another
division of Hathmore Technologies, LLC). There
you will also find helpful information and
a variety of energy-saving products that can
help reduce your energy bills.
DYO® Kit WEBSITE
- I decided to buy
a Kit, but when I clicked the "Buy
Now" button, I was sent to a different
website.
When you choose to purchase
a product from the DYO® Kits website, you
are automatically directed to that item in
the www.HighEnergyBills.com on-line
store (another division of Hathmore Technologies,
LLC). We have made this arrangement to facilitate
your shopping experience in addition to providing
access to other energy saving information and
products.
- I experienced a
technical problem with the DYO® Kits
website, who do I report it to and how?
If you have any technical
problems with the DYO® Kits website, please
email contact@dyokits.com.
Please include the name of the page where the
problem occurred, a detailed description of
your experience, and your contact information
(specifically where you can be reached during
normal business hours) including phone and
email address.
- How do I unsubscribe
to emails and/or the newsletter from
DYO® Kits?
To unsubscribe from email
and/or newsletter mailings, simply email us
at contact@dyokits.com with
that request or log-in and change your preferences.
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DYO® Kit PRODUCTS
DYO® Kits Basic Energy
Audit Kit
- What do I receive
if I purchase a Basic Energy Audit
Kit?
Our kits include the components
necessary to perform the primary operation
or intent of the kit. The DYO® Basic Energy
Audit kit has the following items: the forms
needed for input of information required by
the audit, the instructional expertise of a
leading Energy Rating company to provide guidance
for completing the forms, REScheck™ software
and the tools needed to complete the audit
(including a clipboard, a 10 foot tape measure,
a ruler, a screwdriver, a calculator, a pencil,
and a carpenter's apron).
- What about additional
items that I might want to have to
complete the audit, such as a longer
tape measure?
Some additional items that
you might want for completing the basic energy
audit can be purchased through www.HighEnergyBills.com,
while others may be available at your local
hardware store or via the Internet.
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- What will I learn
from the Basic Energy Audit?
You can learn a number of
things from conducting your own energy audit.
For example, if you audit an existing residence
or small commercial building you can determine
if it meets some of the various energy codes
required around the USA, such as the International
Energy Conservation Code or the Model Energy
Code. If you are interested in building a new
home, apartment building or other residential
or small commercial building, you can find
out if it will meet the primary energy codes
that are often required to obtain permits to
build in many local jurisdictions around the
USA. Plus, you can use the free software included
with the kit to run basic scenarios to determine
what items may be needed to bring your new
or existing building up to code. We also include
suggestions on ways to make your residential
or small commercial building more energy efficient.
And, at the very least, you will learn what
to ask and understand the answers when working
with an energy rater.
- Where can I purchase
a kit?
We offer the DYO® Basic
Energy Audit kit for purchase from the Products
page.
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- I know my energy
bills are too high and I want to do
something about them. Will this basic
energy audit kit help me reduce my
bills?
The kit will help you conduct
a basic energy audit that will be helpful in
determining ways to reduce your energy bills.
However, it requires action to actually reduce
energy bills such as installing energy efficient
equipment or making some lifestyle changes
(such as lowering your thermostat at night).
If you have high energy bills you can go to
our sister website, www.HighEnergyBills.com,
to get information and/or purchase products
that are intended to help you reduce your energy
bills.
REScheck™ is a free
software program paid for by the US Government
that can quickly calculate whether a residence
meets the current codes by inputting some standard
construction and equipment entries. REScheck™ was
formally called MECcheck, because it was originally
design to calculate whether residences met
the various versions of the Model Energy Code.
When the International Energy Conservation
Code was introduced, then the software was
updated and renamed REScheck™ because
it now evaluated for both MEC and IECC compliance.
REScheck™ can
be downloaded for free from this website: www.energycodes.gov.
There is a compact disk
included with the DYO® Basic Energy Audit
kit that has instructions and PowerPoint® presentations
on how to use this software. Plus, you can
refer to the www.energycodes.gov website
for additional information. We also suggest
that you refer to this website once in a while
to see if the government has updated the REScheck™ software.
If so, we recommend that you download the latest
version.
- I've finished
my Basic Energ Audit and need personalized
help specific to my situation. Who
do I contact?
If you need personalized
help regarding questions that are specific
to your building, climate or situation, we
will offer guidance to help you locate a local
energy professional or certified energy rater
who can provide the needed service. You can
view a national listing of residential home
energy raters online through the National Residential
Energy Services Network or RESNET at www.natresnet.org.
You can also find information regarding energy
efficiency, including the EPA Energy Star(R)
program by going to www.energystar.gov.
Questions can be submitted by using their "Contact
Us Form".
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- I need help using
the REScheck™ Software beyond
what is provided in my Basic Energy
Audit Kit. Who do I contact?
If you have questions about
energy codes or about the REScheck™ software
that is included with the DYO® Basic Energy
Audit, you can get information by going to www.energycodes.gov.
On the upper right-hand corner is a box that
says "Need Help? Ask an Energy Codes Expert".
By clicking on this wording, you will get the
Help Desk Online Form where you can pose you
questions about software tools and energy code
assistance. NOTE: There may be a newer version
of the REScheck™ software available than
the one provided with your Basic Energy Audit
Kit.
- I have a commercial
building (or equipment) that is not
covered in the Basic Energy Audit Kit.
Where I can get more information about
it?
If you have questions regarding
commercial buildings or commercial energy equipment
you can find information on the FAQ section
at www.EnergyVortex.com/faq (EnergyVortex.com
is affiliated with the Association of Energy
Engineers) You can also utilize the "Ask
the Experts" feature to pose your question. Please
note: EnergyVortex.com will not answer residential
questions, only commercial.
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- I've completed
my Basic Energy Audit Kit and find
there are complex home improvements
that I want to make. How can I coordinate
them?
For more complex projects
that might require collaboration or a design
team approach, such as adding solar heating
systems or building/renovating a structure
to meet certain environmental or health standards,
you might want to visit www.designcharrette.com (another
division of Hathmore Technologies, LLC). A
design charrette, as defined in the architectural
and construction world, is a design meeting
or collaboration prior to the construction
of a project that involves a selected team.
For example, the conventional approach to constructing
a new building is to hire an architect or purchase
a set of plans, hand the final plans to a general
contractor or home builder to build and then
hope that the project turns out okay. An enlightened
approach is to have all the key people involved
early in the design process, such as the architect,
engineer, heating/cooling contractor, master
plumber and landscaper, so that everyone has
input into the design. This team approach allows
many issues to get examined and potential problems
are often rectified in the design, rather than
on the jobsite. In other words, proper planning
and preparation prior to construction can circumvent
problems later.
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General F.A.Q.
DYO® kits are designed
for the “do-it-yourself” person
to accomplish a specific project using easy
to understand, easy to use instruction and
tools.
- How can I obtain
a DYO® kit?
You can purchase a DYO® kit
from the Products page.
- My question is
not answered in this F.A.Q., what do
I do now?
If your question (specific
to the operation and content of this DYO® website
or a specific Kit) is not included in this
F.A.Q., please use the email address found
on the About Us page to send us your question
and we will respond to you directly in addition
to adding to the F.A.Q. Questions are addressed
in the order in which they are received.
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