Have you resigned yourself to paying more in utility costs and just adjusting the thermostat to keep your home as comfortable as you can? High utility bills and comfort levels weren’t an issue before, so what’s happened? For that, you’ll need a professional home energy audit to find out. Many homeowners don’t even realize their homes are wasting energy through doors and windows that are working inefficiently, or small cracks in the walls.

When a professional comes into your home to do an energy audit, they’ll walk through each room of your home and conduct energy assessments. Some assessments include a blower door test or a thermographic scan. Making the energy upgrades identified in your audit could save you up to 5 to 30%. Other benefits include:

– Lower Energy Bills
– Improved Comfort
– Improved Air Quality
– Better Understanding of Energy Usage

If you think your home is already at peak energy efficiency, you should still have periodic audits that may find issues that you may not be aware of. Finding small issues, like a poorly insulated window, could be part of hidden problems that add up to make your home less energy efficient.
Any issues that are found during an energy audit will help you prioritize your repairs, so you’ll know what needs fixed now, and what can wait a bit longer if finances are an issue.
An energy audit will help stabilize temperatures in your home, making it more comfortable. It will also improve air quality by finding areas that have drafts so you can eliminate them.

How To Prepare For An Energy Audit

Before your energy audit appointment there are some things you’ll need to do to prepare:

– Make a list of existing problems you’re aware of
– Have a summary of your annual energy bill
– Let the auditor know the average thermostat setting for each season
– Tell them how many people live in the home
– Let them know if all rooms are in use, or if some are closed off during certain seasons.

Is An Energy Audit Worth The Cost?

When you’re scheduling your regular home maintenance tasks, an energy audit should be on the list. When you think about the cost, keep in mind that an energy audit is an excellent return on investment. By keeping on top of any energy efficiency issues, you’ll save money in the long run, reduce your carbon footprint, and keep your home at an ideal comfort level.