Having an energy efficient home is more than just installing energy efficient appliances. While that certainly helps keep your energy costs down, it’s only a small part of the overall picture. Only an evaluation of an entire house will give you a clear picture of where you are losing the most energy, and what you can do to reduce your energy loss.
The most energy consumption in an average home goes toward heating and cooling. This does not include water heating, which actually consumes the second largest amount of energy. Complete home energy audits not only look at these larger factors, but also examine energy consumption and loss from a variety of sources.
A checklist of a home energy audit includes, but is not limited to:
Heating and cooling system: This accounts for a large amount of home energy use and can be a major source of energy loss. If your unit is more than 15 years old, you should consider replacing your system with a newer, energy-efficient unit. A new unit will reduce your energy consumption, especially if your existing equipment is in poor working condition.
Insulation: Many homeowners believe they have enough insulation. In fact, a lack of insulation in the ceilings and walls can be a major cause of energy loss. Assessing R-value throughout the home is essential.
Sealing: Simply checking around windows is not enough for your energy audit. A proper energy audit will not only check around windows, but will also check for air leakage in your attic, foundation, and around vents. Gaps around pipes, electrical outlets, foundation seals and mail slots are also checked. Caulking and weather stripping should also be checked to make sure that it is in good condition and does not have gaps or cracks.
Lighting: This accounts for about 10% of a home’s electric costs. A proper home energy audit will address the lighting in your home. There may be 100-watt (or larger) bulbs installed where 60 or 75 watts would do. New lighting technologies can reduce energy consumption by 50 to 75%. Installing energy efficient light bulbs will save you energy and money every month.
Appliances: This includes an assessment of the appliances you already have and how you are using them. Your home energy auditor will be able to provide ideas to save money in using your existing appliances or recommending newer, more efficient appliances.
Adding a room addition or making a major modification to your home? If so, a fresh evaluation should be performed every time you make a change to your house. Modifications may interfere with the efficiency, some more than others. It is difficult to determine what the effects will be without another evaluation. If possible, an audit should be performed before you start. You may find that your project can improve the overall efficiency with some modifications.
Making your home more energy efficient involves an up-front cost, but the long-term savings will more than pay for the upgrades and make your home a more comfortable place to live!
Call our customer service team at 866-491-2768 to arrange for a FREE home efficiency inspection!
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Tags: Energy Efficiency, home energy audits
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