Have you ever performed a double take when you took a look at your last energy bill? While high energy bills can be the consequence of severe weather conditions, consistently high bills can often signify an inefficient HVAC system or your home is using too much energy through other means, like drafty windows or insufficient insulation.

One of the simplest ways to figure out whether your home is wasting energy is by calling a home service specialist to perform a home energy audit, also known as a home energy assessment. Keep reading to find out more about home energy audits, including what they are and their advantages.

What Is a Home Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a custom inspection of how much energy your home uses up and whether – and where – your home may be losing or wasting energy. An inspector will go through past energy bills while completing an energy audit to find out where energy is being used and how much.

The ultimate goal of an energy audit is to help homeowners save money on their energy bills by identifying energy-efficient updates, which might include swapping out your current HVAC system, installing new insulation, closing up leaks, or replacing old windows.

Over the course of the energy assessment, the auditor also completes an inspection of the outside and inside of your home. The auditor completes a blower door test on doorways, windows and fireplaces to figure out if there are air leaks in your home. They’ll also inspect your home’s HVAC system, as well as the ductwork, the water heater, and the insulation in your attic. Exhaustive assessments could also include inspecting your current lighting system.

Benefits of a Home Energy Audit

It can be tough for the ordinary homeowner to be sure how efficient their home is versus other similar homes in their area. However, many energy companies often offer information about where your home stands when compared with similar homes and whether it’s more efficient, about average, or inefficient compared to your neighbors’ homes. This can be a useful starting point to figure out if you need an energy audit completed.

Some of the benefits of a home energy audit include:

Learning How Efficient Your Home Is

It’s beneficial to learn more about how efficient your home is and where you’re using the most energy. For example, if your ducts are leaking air, it will lead to a sizable increase in your energy bills and excessive wear and tear on your HVAC system as it has to run longer to completely heat or cool your home.

Making Energy-Efficient Improvements

An energy audit can reveal where you need to make energy-efficient changes to cut back on energy and decrease utility bills. This can include replacing old weatherstripping or buying a new energy-efficient furnace.

Improving Health and Safety

Enabling air to slip into your home via doors and windows, or as a result of a lack of insulation can cause unwanted moisture to build up, which could negatively influence your home’s humidity levels or lead to mold. This can exacerbate health issues, particularly for people who have asthma or allergies.

Raising Your Home’s Retail Value

Energy-efficient homes are sought after by homebuyers. You can sell your home much faster or for more money by showing potential buyers that it’s energy efficient.

How to Perform an Energy Audit of Your Home

Although completing an energy audit on your own will not be as detailed as calling a professional, it’ll give you a general sense of how energy efficient your home is. If you don’t find any issues during the DIY test, then you potentially don’t need to call in a professional. Use this step-by-step checklist:

  • Examine your HVAC system. Broken ducts can lose as much as 20% of conditioned air, resulting in steeper energy bills and greater strain on HVAC equipment. If you find leaks, use duct tape to close them. If your HVAC equipment is old and wearing down, upgrading to a new system can save you a considerable amount on your energy bills. In some cases, it can be better to hire a reputable HVAC company to inspect your system.
  • Watch for signs of air leaks. Air leaks on average can increase the energy bills by 10 to 20%. Inside, look for air leaks in areas where there could be a draft, including along the edge of flooring and near baseboards and electrical outlets. Outside, you can inspect for air leaks along the home’s foundation, siding and mortar. Plug, caulk or seal any air leaks to save money.
  • Examine insulation. If your home is older, it could mean your insulation is too. If you can see the joists, you likely need more insulation.
  • Check ventilation. Ensure that all of your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans are working properly, and check for evidence of rot or moisture.

Contact Durable Service for a Professional Energy Audit

If you are interested in professional help finding out how energy efficient your heating and cooling equipment is, call the HVAC professionals at Durable Service today. We’ve proudly served the residents of Holdrege with quality home services for years. Contact us today to request an appointment.