When you need to do a home energy audit, the first step is to determine if your home is inadequately heated or cooled. When you look at your home, you can tell if it is adequately heated or cooled with the use of a space heater or radiator Cap. Determining how well your house cools and heating depends on which rooms are occupied and how well they are insulated.
In order to do an adequate audit, you will need to measure: Annual household electricity and natural gas usage; insulation measures such as air duct sealing; verified leaks; and any faults in your heating system. These tasks will take about a week of work, so plan ahead.
This article will discuss how to do an energy audit for a house. There are many ways to do an audit, so we will not go into much detail here.
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Update your windows
If you have a window that gets a lot of sunlight, it is worth checking the windows for damage. Take your time to examine them for any break or cracked glass, damaged seals, or missing hardware.
Using a handheld scanner or the palm of your hand, check the width and depth of the windows. If there is any discernable damage to the window casing, please call our office at (602) 486-7900 to arrange for an inspection.
If you find anything wrong with your windows, our contractor can come out and fix them right away! This includes checking if they are double-pane or if they are non-split. If they are single-pane, then our contractor can put up new single-pane windows.
Running an energy audit does not indicate that you are using poor quality energy inefficient equipment or habits in your home, it just gives you an opportunity to evaluate what works and what doesn’t. By taking the time to review your heating and cooling system, you will learn how much money and resources you have available.
Insulate old windows
Insulating old windows can be cost-effective way to manage hot and cool temperatures in your home. While most people do not recommend using paper thermal blankets to seal up a window, these are the only available option at this point in time.
By working with the paper layer and evaluating it for possible shrinkage, you can create a fairly tight fit. And since these are usually limited in widths and lengths, you may have some room for error in sizing.
As the window is being installed, the user can check the water temperatureensation by watching how much water comes out of the window. If it seems to be working well, then go ahead and add another one. If needed, change out more windows to achieve your desired insulation.
Consider replacing old windows
If you have old windows, consider replacing them with new vinyl or wood windows. These will help improve your energy efficiency and reduce your cooling and heating bills.
Old vinyl or wood windows can also be a health risk. Use the right window sealant to prevent air from pouring in during cold weather storms.
Newer vinyl or wood windows have a higher R-value than old ones, which helps maintain heat in your home during winter storms. Considering the savings on your heating and cooling bills in the long run is a good way to do a home energy audit.
Consider having some french doors or a porch solar panel installed if you have little power usage such as small appliances or wind turbines installed on your property. These will help save money on electricity costs as the sun keeps up with little power use.
Upgrade your doors
When you are looking to upgrade your door system, there are a few things that you need to consider. These include: finding or adopting a new home, changing door systems, upgrading hardware, and replacing glass/veil/panes.
Using polycarbonate or similar materials is very cost effective in designing new doors. If you are currently using wood or steel hinges and doors, you may be able to replace them with similarly durable plastic ones.
In regards to opening and closing the doors, if you have any kind of energy efficient automatic cooling or heating systems, they may require replacement with digital controls that can be programmed by yourself.
Lastly, if you have newer double-paned or vinyl windows that let in plenty of sunlight, they may be upgrading to high-quality wooden ones.
Seal cracks and holes
If you notice any cracks or visible openings in your home, do not ignore them- they could prove dangerous in the future. These areas could be damaged by freezing, heat polarity, or other heating methods.
Studies have shown that homes with major energy waste are also less stable and require more labor to maintain, repair, and upgrade. This may be a indicator that you should do a home energy audit.
Going through your home audit with sealants, floor coverings, and other current household materials can help save you money in the long run. By being aware of what your home is made of and spending the money to correct it, you will keep your savings safe.
Replace lighting fixtures with more energy-efficient models
While replacing old fixtures with more efficient models sonly cost a little bit of money, it can save you a lot of money in the long run! Old lighting fixtures are typically powered by hard-to-replace AAA batteries, which are not the best source of energy.
By buying new fixtures that use compact batteries, you are helping the household save money in energy bills. You also protect your family from potential electric shock and theft risks.
You can also find discounts and coupons for lighting fixture and appliance sale events. When you see your neighbors buying lights for their house at half off, buy yourself too! These sales occur often and last through the winter months, so this is not a painful process that will stop you from improving your home’s energy efficiency.
Vital statistics: A home audit using standardized equipment requires at least 20 minutes to complete per person.
Switch to LED bulbs
If you are already using hard lighting sources such as fluorescents, electric lights are the way to go. If you are currently using CFL or heated flashlight bulbs, it is time to switch to LED.
The best way to do an energy audit is by doing it in several locations. So, while checking your home in the mornings and evenings, also check the school buildings, group home facilities, nursing homes, and other institutional structures.
Then, during the winter and summer seasons when lights need to be on for long periods of time, try installing LED globes in your home. These will save you a lot of money on electricity over the years!
And lastly, when checking cooling and heating operations at colder times of the year, try looking into window units or sash displays to determine if they need replaced.
Tune your heating system
Most homes have a heat pump or furnace, but if you are looking at large homes, small details may help save money over time.
If you are considering a new heater or switching out a model, check to see if you can save money by switching out the model with a thermal mass filter. You will likely find savings with this model as it is more popular than the energy star filtered models.
To determine your insulation needs, create an attic space map and see if there is an adequate thickness of walls and ceilings. If there is not, then look for ways to improve your insulation such as using half inch polyethylene film instead of one inch thick cardboard barriers.
Look for places where the roof could need repairs to add more insulation such as water leaks or wind damage.