Looking for ways to make your house as sustainable as possible and save you those precious green bills during the cold and hot seasons? You should consider getting an energy audit!
Energy audits also called energy assessments are becoming more popular with home builders, homeowners and even renters. Homeowners and renters can help reduce their utility bills by understanding how their home is functioning when it comes to energy consumption and loss. But that’s not the only reason to get an energy audit on your home or apartment. An energy audit could impact many more of your investment decisions.
Here are 5 reasons to get an energy audit:
Your home is being marketed as “green” But is it really green? Sometimes homes are marketed as “energy efficient” without much proof of their level of energy efficiency.
You have hot and cold spots in the home. Why is that happening? You might be surprised to learn about the source and remedies for fixing the temperature issues.
You want to save money on utility bills. By understanding where energy is being lost, you can address it head on with sometimes very simple and cost effective fixes.
You’re thinking about adding solar energy. Why get solar energy if your home is just going to leak all that investment right out the door or windows, attic or elsewhere?
You’re considering home improvements. Thinking of replacing those windows because you think that they’re the culprit for heating and cooling losses? You may want to check in case there are other leaky areas where an investment might help resolve your issues.
This short (under 5 minute) and fun video, 5 Signs You May Need An Energy Audit shows a real life energy audit and tips on each of these 5 scenarios.
What is an Energy Audit/Assessment?
An energy assessment is similar to a home inspection, but focuses entirely on the elements which affect both the energy consumption and losses in a home.
Places that the assessor will look to understand your energy consumption include a review of your heating and air conditioning systems as well as your water heating system. Lighting is also often reviewed as an area where you may be unnecessarily consuming too much energy.
Next, the assessor will want to help determine where you might be losing energy. While most people think that their hot and cold air is lost through older windows and doors, an energy assessment may surprise you. Your ducts may be leaking precious hot and cold air before even reaching the rooms.
If you have recessed ceiling lights, this can lead to a loss of cooled and heated air through the holes in those fixtures. And think about how many of those fixtures are throughout your ceilings!
Another possible problem areas is your attic pull down stairs. It may be the culprit for why the temperature is always different in that space than other parts of the house. There is often a lot of gaps where air leaks around the stair cut out in the ceiling.
Energy assessments use a few unique tools. Using thermal cameras assessors detect where hot or cold air is seeping out—it could be those windows or doors or it could be through a lack of insulation in the walls or openings to the outside. Another tool they use is the blower door test helps to identify the homes air changes per hour (ACH) or how “airtight” the home is. So while the thermal imaging camera may show the location of the leaks, the blower door test can help determine how much leakage is actually occurring.
While homeowners interested in learning how they can reduce their utility bills, by understanding how their home is functioning when it comes to energy usage and losses. But that’s not the only reason to get an energy audit on your home or apartment. An energy audit could impact many more of your investment decisions
If you’re looking to connect to an energy auditor near you, Realty Sage can help with that. Contact Realty Sage at [email protected] with your request for an energy auditor and the location of your home or apartment. And we’ll connect with up to 3 local professionals who can provide with more information and quotes.
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