What is a home energy audit?
An energy audit is a way of evaluating a home’s energy performance. It pinpoints where energy is being used, and where it is being wasted. This report can help you increase your energy efficiencies by showing where you can improve your home, and how you can lower your utility bills.
The basic audits may just report on what the rater sees visually. The more extensive audits actually uses specialized tools to measure performance, such as a blower door test, duct leakage tests, infrared camera scans, and more. These tests can take 4 hours to do.
Why should I do a home energy audit?
The main reasons to do a home energy audit are to help you find ways to reduce energy consumption, make your home more comfortable, and save on your utility bills. If the home rating professional can pinpoint where you need more insulation, where air is leaking out, or where ducts are leaking, you can correct those issues leading to saved energy, and more comfort.
Where can you get a home energy audit?
There are a couple of well-recognized energy ratings for homes. I’m sure you’ve heard of LEED. But there is an Energy Star rating for homes as well. Also the HERS rating is very popular. Each one of these has links to people that can perform an energy audit. Also XCel Energy has a program to provide for energy audits as well, although this audit is more basic than the Energy Star or HERS rating.