FAQs

The Quick Home Energy Checkup, or "QHEC", is an energy efficiency education and improvement program fully funded by EmPower Maryland through a surcharge which appears on Maryland residents' electric bills. Depending on where in Maryland you live, this would be a surcharge on your Pepco, BGE, or Potomac Edison bill. Appointments are about 30 - 40 minutes long, and includes (1) education on how to lower power bills and increase comfort, and (2) installation of energy efficient LED light bulbs to replace up to 14 incandescent or certain types of halogen light bulbs, water saving devices, power strips, and pipe insulation for the first couple of feet of the hot water pipes on your water heater.

During a Comprehensive Home Energy Audit, our Energy Auditor evaluates your home's thermal envelope and energy usage, conducting a thorough visual inspection as well as a Blower Door Test. We also assess the efficiency of your HVAC ductwork, equipment, appliances, and lighting. Through an Energy Audit, we will inspect crawlspaces and attics for air leaks, low insulation levels, and health and safety concerns that could lead to issues like rot, mold, or high maintenance costs. Various tests are performed, including a Blower Door Test to measure air leakage, infrared camera inspection, and Combustion Safety Testing for oil and gas equipment. Our Energy Auditor educates you on potential improvements before leaving, explaining what areas can be enhanced, the requirements for improvement, and the resulting benefits. After the Energy Audit, you'll receive a detailed report outlining our recommendations, along with Rebate information from your electric utility provider (Pepco, BGE, or Potomac Edison). Because Atlas is an approved contractor within the Home Performance with Energy Star Program, completing this Energy Audit with us qualifies you for Rebates on insulation, air sealing, duct sealing via Aeroseal, HVAC upgrades, and indoor air quality improvements! Further information and a short video can be found by visiting the Home Energy Audit page of our website.

Energy Audits typically take around 2-3 hours for an average sized home. 

There are 4 main things to do prior to Atlas’ arrival:

• Please allow our Energy Auditor technician to park as close as possible to your house, so we can easily bring in their Blower Door equipment and ladder if needed.
• Please make sure that any attic, basement, and crawl space access points are cleared and easily accessible. 
• If you have a wood burning fireplace, please be sure to clean out the ashes from the bottom of the fireplace prior to our arrival, as the Blower Door test will bring ashes into the living room if it is not cleared out ahead of time. 
• Please have your most recent Utility bills (electric, natural gas) on hand for the Energy Auditor to assess. The most recent bill will have a graph that shows your usage from the past year (sometimes two). If you have oil or propane, please have your usage information from the past year available to share with the Auditor. Please note that we are primarily looking at the usage and not the price, but the price is important information as well.

A Test Out is a 45 minute - 1.5 hour long appointment that takes place after we’ve completed your contracting work, if you are receiving a Rebate from your Utility company. It’s a chance for us to re-run some of the same tests we did during your Energy Audit, now that we’ve made energy saving improvements to it. We will re-test your bathroom fans, your combustion equipment if applicable, and re-run the Blower Door Test. If there’s a Utility Rebate associated with your improvement work, we also fill out your associated paperwork at this appointment, and have you sign a couple documents that we can then submit to the Utility company on your behalf. 

The appointment takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half,  but on average it takes about one hour. 

There are 3 main things to do prior to Atlas’ arrival:

• Please allow our technician to park as close to your house as possible, so they can easily bring in their Blower Door equipment and ladder if need be.

• Please make sure the work areas and your HVAC equipment are accessible if you haven’t already, as we’ll want to take a look at the work we completed.

• Most importantly, if you have a wood burning fireplace, please be sure to clean out the ashes from the bottom of the fireplace prior to our arrival, as the Blower Door test will bring ashes into the living room if it’s not cleaned out ahead of time.

Yes! Our HVAC Department is extremely knowledgeable and eager to help. We’d be happy to schedule a $99 Service Call with one of our skilled HVAC technicians to diagnose your HVAC issues.

Atlas offers multiple HVAC Service plans to choose from according to your budget, renewing in either April or October in order to maintain an optimal maintenance schedule. This approach ensures uninterrupted maintenance year-round, providing proactive care for your HVAC system. By subscribing, you’ll enjoy peace of mind knowing that your system is receiving expert attention precisely when it’s needed. 

A Basic HVAC Service plan includes two Basic HVAC Tune Ups for the year, one for spring time and one for the fall. You’ll also receive Priority scheduling throughout the year, as well as technical support, should you need it. 

With a Premium HVAC Service Plan, you’ll receive two Premium Tune Ups per year, as well as a Spring Outdoor Coil Cleaning (typically $99 on it’s own) and Condensate Drain Flush every year. Our Premium plan also includes discounts on all HVAC parts and labor, HVAC Upgrades, and a discounted Emergency Service Call fee. Please see the Maintenance and Upgrades section of our HVAC Services on our website for more detailed information!

To keep your HVAC system(s) running smoothly, safely, and optimally, it is recommended that each system has a Tune Up twice a year. The best times to have a Tune up are in the spring before the cooling season is underway, and in the fall before the heating season. We have two different Tune Up options, a Basic Tune Up and a Premium Tune Up.  For more details on what is included, click here.

Our office is open and available to take HVAC emergency service requests from 7:30 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday.

Yes, there are very likely Rebates available to you! Depending on the type of improvement work you choose, and your Electric Utility company (Pepco, BGE, or Potomac Edison), homeowners can receive up to $10,000 in rebates. Atlas conducts a Comprehensive Home Energy Audit to provide you with this information and handles all communication with your Utility company to simplify the process. We also guarantee the rebate amount on your signed Proposal, giving you peace of mind about your potential savings.

All you need to do is settle your final balance, allow our team to complete a Test Out appointment in your home, and sign a few documents. We've got the rebate filing covered, and we'll handle all the back-and-forth with your Utility company. From there, you can expect your rebate check to arrive in the mail, about 8-10 weeks after your Test Out.

Yes! Once your efficiency improvement work has been completed and your final balance has been paid, you’ll receive a link to your Atlas Documents and Contracting Photos, where you’ll find a “Sales Receipt with Labor Removed” that you can use while filing your taxes, along with Form 5695. For further questions related to the tax credits available to you, please consult with your tax professional. 

We have two financing options available, and each option has a 3, 5, or 10 year loan term option. Each option also has no penalty for paying off the loan early. For other details, please also see the Financing Options section of the Services tab on our website.

1. CEA (Clean Energy Advantage) uses the Clean Energy Credit Union which offers 24 months at 0% interest for the first 24 months of the loan. Interest rates are as low as 8.99% for the remainder of the loan. For more information, click here. 

2. NEIF (National Energy Improvement Fund). NEIF has interest rates as low as 12.99%. For more information, click here. 

NEIF usually has a turn around of 24-48 hours for full approval. CEA requires more information and input from the customer and their Utility Rebate program, so turn around is typically around 2 weeks, if all of the information has been returned in a timely manner. Delay in providing information or extenuating financial circumstances of the individual can delay the approval process as much as 3-4 weeks longer. 

Most customers opt to use the ACH option to auto-draft from your account. If you choose the ACH option, you pay 0% interest over the first 24 months. You can find the date of the auto drafts on your loan documents. If you opt out of the ACH option, you can make your payment by logging into your account on the CECU website. If you opt out of the ACH option, you pay 2% interest for the first 24 months. If you have any questions, concerns, or need assistance, you can call the Clean Energy Credit Union (CECU) customer service number, which is 720-479-7900.

We have a 1 year warranty on all of our contracting labor and a limited lifetime warranty on our bathroom fan routings. The only exception to the 1 year labor warranty is on Thermostats installed by Atlas, as these have a labor warranty of 30 days, and an equipment warranty of 1 year, from the date of the installation. If it’s been over 1 year from the contracting work completion, or over 30 days since the Thermostat installation, there is a $99 Service Call fee to have us visit your home to assess the situation. 

We warranty the vent we install in your roof up until your next roof replacement or for as long as you live in your home whichever comes first. We guarantee it will not leak water into your Attic. Our warranty does not cover issues arising from vents in your roof that we did not install or any other issues elsewhere on your roof. If, for some reason, there’s an issue with a vent that we installed on your roof, we will come out and fix it. We guarantee you’ll be happy with our work and we stand behind all of our installations.

Yes! We are licensed, insured, and bonded in the state of Maryland. Our MHIC license number is 128591.

Yes, Atlas has been NADCA certified since 2017. For confirmation, please visit this link to NADCA’s website, where you will find Atlas Home Energy Solutions in the list of NADCA Professionals.

Yes, definitely! We are licensed, insured, bonded, and all of our technicians are background checked and drug tested. We have been in business for 15 years, and have great online reviews. Additionally, as participants in the Maryland Home Energy Rebate programs, we are required to carry crime insurance and our installations are quality controlled by Electric Utility staff. Also our team members who are working in your home will call you at the beginning and end of their job, so you can be sure when our team is coming and going from your home. 

Aeroseal is a duct sealing technology provided by Atlas that improves the efficiency of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. It works by introducing a sealant into your ductwork, which then eliminates leaks and gaps in the ducts, from the inside! Any leak smaller than ⅝ of an inch are sealed sealed through this process. Rarely, larger leaks are found that must be repaired manually during the Aeroseal process. This entire Aeroseal service helps to enhance indoor comfort, reduce energy waste, and improve air quality by preventing dust, allergens, and pollutants from entering the duct system.

Spray Foam insulation stands out for several reasons, making it a popular and effective choice in various applications. The main advantage Spray Foam has over older insulation materials is that it provides an air barrier as well as a thermal barrier. These properties create a tight seal, eliminating drafts and air leaks to enhance energy efficiency and indoor comfort. Spray Foam also has a higher insulation value (R-Value) per inch that surpasses that of fiberglass or cellulose, ensuring superior thermal resistance for better temperature control year-round. Spray Foam can also be installed directly to walls, roofs, attics or crawlspaces in a much more efficient manner than other insulation materials, saving you on installation costs and yielding a longer lasting product. Closed Cell Spray Foam is impervious to water, which allows it to be used in damp or humid environments such as basements and crawl spaces where it can reduce humidity and moisture issues.

Especially after a home is sealed and insulated, ventilating your home is important for several reasons:

• Indoor Air Quality: Ventilation helps to remove indoor air pollutants including volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), allergens, and other contaminants that can accumulate indoors. Without proper ventilation, these pollutants can build up to unhealthy levels.

• Moisture Control: Ventilation helps to control indoor humidity levels by removing excess moisture from the air. High humidity levels can lead to mold and mildew growth, rotting of wood materials, and other moisture-related issues. Proper ventilation helps to prevent these problems by allowing moist air to escape and fresh, dry air to enter the living space. 

• Condensation Prevention: Condensation can occur on windows, walls, and other surfaces if indoor humidity levels are too high. Proper ventilation helps to reduce indoor humidity, minimizing the risk of condensation and the associated problems such as mold growth and water damage. 

Aprilaire Fresh Air Ventilation Kits are designed to use your current HVAC system to bring fresh, clean, outdoor air into your home through a specific intake location. Once the outside air is drawn into your home, it is heated or cooled by your HVAC system and then distributed throughout the living space using your existing ductwork. The fresh air is evenly distributed to various rooms to ensure proper ventilation throughout the house. These systems are superior to the more commonly found exhaust only ventilation systems because (1) the fresh air comes from a specific known location and (2) the air is conditioned and evenly distributed around the home. 

If you are seeing mold, mildew, any dampness, condensation, water stains, or efflorescence on your foundation walls, drywall, or ductwork, that is usually a good indication that you have a humidity problem in your home. While many of our Energy Audit recommendations can help improve humidity levels in a home, it's important to keep in mind that a home is made up of many parts, all of which impact comfort and humidity. There will always be some environmental factors that may be beyond Atlas' control, or even beyond what we can assess during an Energy Audit. If you have a concern about this, we've created a self-assessment checklist for homeowners to use to identify where their humidity issue may stem from. Please download that checklist by clicking here! Additionally, if you have active mold in your home, we'd be more than happy to refer you to one of our trusted mold remediation specialists. Contact us today to get started!