How will you benefit from a Home Energy Audit?
In Northwest Florida, the winter season can get cold. While the other parts of the state can be summer all year, we are able to see a changing of the seasons and sometimes temperatures in the thirties or below. With AC in the summer and heating in the winter, sometimes we need to assess how much energy we are using. Energy.gov suggests you do a home energy audit once a year if your home is not considered energy efficient. The audit aims to determine if your house uses and conserves energy efficiently throughout the year. We have put together a quick Q&A about home energy audits and their benefits.
What is a home energy audit?
This type of assessment can be either professionally done or a DIY effort. The home energy audit can help you determine how much energy your home is using, if there is a loss of energy, the source of any problem areas, and which areas and fixes you should prioritize to make your home more efficient and comfortable.
A home energy audit provides great information to the homeowner who is looking to make energy-saving home improvements. This should be your first step when converting energy sources for your home as well. If you are looking to change to energy alternatives such as solar, or wind, this audit will give you a better understanding of how your home uses and loses energy throughout its life.
What types of audits are there?
There are both professional and do-it-yourself audits.
A professional energy audit will thoroughly examine your home’s energy usage as well as a year’s worth of power bills. There will be a room-by-room examination and a professional will do specialty tests. The tests include a blower door test and infrared imaging.
A blower door test locates air leakage using a special fan that will depressurize your house. This test is performed before and after sealing any leaks that your home may have.
Infrared imaging will look at the heating and cooling elements of a home. This test also determines air leaks but also shows you what areas of your home are too hot or too cool. This information will help you balance your energy in the home to keep everything consistent.
Going DIY will help you pinpoint problem areas that will help you address them. While a professional may come with equipment, there are many checklists to follow that can help you do your own examination. Energy.gov has resources available to DIY energy auditors here.
What are some benefits of a home energy audit?
By having an audit done, you can save money by identifying and fixing up problem areas in the home. Your electricity bill can go down anywhere from 5 to 30 percent with a more efficient home. Who doesn’t like having extra cash?
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Views expressed here do not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is for general guidance of matter only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Discussion of insurance policy language is descriptive only. Every policy has different policy language. Coverage afforded under any insurance policy issued is subject to individual policy terms and conditions. Please refer to your policy for the actual language.
