An Energy Audit Is Easy

Perhaps you've heard about home energy audits, but you aren't quite sure what they entail. The word "audit" can be frightening to some people, but rest assured that a home energy audit won't get you in trouble with the IRS. On the contrary, a home energy audit can save you a significant amount of money on your energy bills each month, while helping the environment.

A home energy audit can be as simple as walking around your house with a pad and paper and noting which areas are drafty, and where you're using energy unnecessarily. But for the most benefit, you need to call in a professional.

A certified home energy auditor has been trained to examine your home and your energy usage patterns, and to find areas of excess energy use, inefficient energy use and energy waste. Home energy auditors are trained to use special equipment to test the air sealing of the building envelope and your ventilation system to find leaks, and to determine the effectiveness of the insulation in your walls.

A home energy auditor is trained to uncover areas where improvements can be made in order to save energy, knows the types of improvements that can address each problem area, and can suggest various ways to address the issues to stay within your budget.

A home energy audit includes a detailed, written report which outlines how much energy your home uses, where there is energy loss and how much, and specific recommendations to address the problem areas in order to improve your home's energy efficiency. Recommendations may involve your home's heating, cooling and ventilation systems, ways to make your home more air tight, use of energy efficient appliances, and ways to save water and electricity.

While a home energy audit isn't free, it often pays for itself within the first year from the energy savings that result. Many of the home improvements that are recommended in a home energy audit don't have to cost much money. In fact, some of the most inexpensive improvements may yield the most savings. And of course, you don't have to make all the improvements at once. Your home energy auditor can help you prioritize the improvements to get the most benefit while spreading the related expenses over time.

Schedule a home energy audit now with one of our certified, professional auditors.