Residential Energy Audit: Is It Worthwhile?

With increasing prices, energy efficiency is on the top of every homeowner’s mind.

home-energy-auditApart from flaring energy bills, there are several other problems that can be a result of poor energy efficiency, and homeowners might not even realize it. If we breakdown a domestic energy bill, the largest contribution is made by the home HVAC system. So, any effort to improve energy efficiency and bring down the energy bill should start with the HVAC system. A good way to discover where and how your home is wasting energy is by way of an energy audit.

A Home Performance Energy Audit

A home performance energy audit can be described as a comprehensive approach to identifying the main sources in your home that are making it energy inefficient, uncomfortable, and unhealthy. In other words, an energy audit helps in identifying the primary components that are adversely affecting the performance, comfort, and energy efficiency of your home. You need the services of HVAC experts to conduct an energy audit in your home. An energy audit is advisable for homes that are experiencing any of the following:

  • High energy bills
  • Heating & cooling systems run constantly to maintain comfort level
  • Drafty rooms
  • Moisture on the windows
  • Significant temperature differences between rooms
  • Inability to maintain consistent temperature
  • Excessive dust
  • Cold floors in winters
  • Dry indoor air in winters
  • Peeling exterior paint

These are tell-tale signs that your home might be using energy inefficiently, and an energy audit might be necessary to identify problem areas. After conducting the audit, the HVAC company may also recommend solutions to the problem. An energy audit will help identify the most effective upgrades and home improvements that will offer several benefits.

Increased Energy Efficiency and Lower Energy Bills

An energy audit is conducted using specialized skills and tools, and can help identify cost effective measures to bring down the energy consumption in your home, and in turn, the energy bill.

Increased Home Value

Energy efficient homes are much easier to sell and fetch higher prices in the market. It is believed that a reduction of $1 in annual energy bills increases the home value by $20.

Better Comfort

Air leakage does not only increase energy consumption, but can also make your home environment unhealthy and uncomfortable. By sealing all leakages your home will become a lot more comfortable.

Protect the Environment

It helps decrease your carbon footprint.

Better Indoor Air Quality

By sealing all leakages, you can keep dust and other contaminants out and improve the indoor air quality considerably.

Identify Hidden Problems

There might be some hidden problems in your home such as inadequate ventilation, which come to the fore during an energy audit.

A home energy audit is certainly a wise investment, as it pays for itself quickly in terms of lower energy bills, better home value, and improved comfort. Schedule an appointment with Engineered Solutions at (314) 394-0802 to conduct an energy audit of your home, and identify home improvements that will improve energy efficiency and add value to your home.

Photo credit: Steven Tom via Flickr