Have you ever thought of getting an energy audit for your home?
You should.
Home energy audits are beneficial for homeowners in many ways and are an integral part of the home maintenance process. It's important to stay on top of home energy costs, and an audit is one way to do that.
In this article we've highlighted six reasons why you should conduct a home energy audit.
1. Energy Usage
An energy audit will help you understand how much energy your home is using, including which equipment and systems (such as heating and cooling) are using the most energy. This knowledge will help you make home improvements to increase energy efficiency and reduce overall energy costs down the line.
2. Unknown Issues
Energy audits can uncover hidden problems that could be making your home less energy efficient (which leads to a higher utility bill) and making you less comfortable in your home.
An energy audit will help you understand how much energy your home is using, including which equipment and systems (such as heating and cooling) are using the most energy. These problems can be expensive to fix, and home energy audits might be able to find these issues before you do.
Hidden problems can include un-insulated walls, leaky air ducts, drafty windows, etc.
3. Health and Safety
Energy audits can uncover potential hazards that can dangerously affect the health and safety of you and your family.
Health hazards can include air quality degradation, reveal areas prone to mold growth, furnace fuel leaks, and more. Safety hazards can include improper electrical wiring, areas prone to combustion, improper ventilation, and more.
4. Opportunities
A completed energy audit comes with a report that provides 2 lists: 1) where your home is performing well and 2) where potential improvements can be made. Audits offer homeowners the chance to learn more about their home's systems and allows for greater control over operating costs!
Homeowners are then able to make smart decisions when it comes time for home improvements because they will have all of the necessary information about their homes.
5. Savings and Comfort
When you act on audit recommendations, you will not only have more control over your home environment by increasing the comfort of your home, but you will also save on your utility bill. Average savings can be around 10-30% when acting on audit recommendations.
Increasing your home comfort can include moderating the temperature, eliminating drafts, and improving air quality.
6. Customized Report
A completed energy audit comes with a customized report documenting your home's energy performance and best action steps to make your home more energy efficient. In the home energy audit, a home performance specialist will walk through your home to identify problems and provide the most efficient solutions and approximate costs of those solutions.
Home energy audits are a beneficial step to take as a homeowner or homeowner-to-be. A home energy audit can provide insight into home deficiencies, allowing homeowners to take action before it's too late.
Staying on top of these deficiencies can help you feel comfortable in your home, protect your health and safety, and overall save you money in the long run.
If you're looking to get an audit done on your home, many energy providers and companies provide them for free or for a low fee. If you live in New York state, NYSERDA offers several options for a no-cost report, which we have highlighted in a previous blog.
