Energy Audits: Should You Get One?

An energy audit is an evaluation of your home that investigates current energy utilization and afterward recognizes energy productivity estimates that you can direct to make your home more effective. IAG is the energy audits expert.  An energy audit can evaluate where your house is losing the most energy, and afterward proposes enhancements to make to assist with saving energy - and decrease your service bills.

Professional energy audits can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours to complete, depending on the size of your home. These professional auditors use a variety of tools to establish problem areas within your property and come up with a list of suggested measures and actions that you can take in order to make your home more efficient.

Here’s what a typical energy audit might look like in your home:

1. An energy auditor will take a look at your building from the outside. They’ll examine a variety of components, including windows, walls, and eaves, to see if they can spot any major issues causing leaks into or out of your home.
2. The auditor will check out the attic (if you have one) to take a look at a few things. Most importantly, they will inspect your insulation to make sure it’s correctly installed and applied evenly between your walls. They’ll also evaluate the holes where electrical lines run to see if they’re properly sealed, or could be a source of leakage.
3. The auditor will examine your furnace and water heater. If either is on the older end, it is likely a candidate for an upgrade. They’ll also likely take a look at the filter in the furnace to ensure that it doesn’t require replacement. They’ll also check connections in the ducts in your basement to try and locate any possible leaks where you may be losing heat and energy.
4. Most professional audits will include a blower door test. This is a device that allows them to locate air leaks in the home. During a blower door test, all the windows and doors are closed, and they’ll use a blower door machine to depressurize the home. At that point, the auditor uses an infrared camera to see where cold air may be leaking into your home.
5. Finally, audits usually include an inspection of the lighting in your home. If you’re using standard incandescent light bulbs, you can easily reduce your electricity costs by switching over to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).

These are some of the more common steps taken in an energy audit. However, depending on the scope and the tools in your energy auditor’s arsenal, there may be some additional steps taken (such as thermographic inspections).

The recommendations that your energy auditor makes for your home depends on the scope of the audit. Some lightweight suggestions may be switching to more efficient lighting, sealing air leaks from doors or adding weather stripping. Some larger suggestions might include more insulation, or replacing windows that are causing drafts in your home.

How much does an energy audit cost, and how much can you save?

What you pay for a professional energy audit can depend on the company and the size of your property (some companies offer fixed rates, while others will charge more for a larger home). That being said, do your research – some utility companies, nonprofits or governmental organizations specific to your local area may offer free energy audits.

Even as a paid service, the upfront cost for an energy audit audit and for the following energy efficiency measures taken will be worth it when you’re saving on your electricity bills later on. By making energy efficiency upgrades in your home, you can save five to 30 percent on your energy bills.

How to conduct your own mini home energy audit ?

While having a professional do your energy audit is the best way to identify the problem areas in your home, there are a few energy savings tips that can help you make energy efficiency improvements on your own.

• If you notice an especially drafty area of your home, inspect the area for leaks. Leaks are especially common at junctures between walls and ceilings, at doors, by windows, and at electrical outlets. If you locate a leak, you can seal it using weatherstripping or caulk.
• Take a look at the insulation in your attic, as well as possible sources of leaks around your heating and cooling equipment.
• Simply switch out your lighting for more efficient options (LEDs, CFLs, or energy-saving incandescents) is a quick way to cut your electric bill.
• If you’re considering replacing any of your appliances, keep an eye out for energy efficient options that consume less electricity than their standard counterparts.

Here are some more case studies which will help you better perform the energy audits and help you to figure out whether to have an energy audit or not.