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ALL ABOUT ENERGY AUDITS (VIDEO) AND ENERGY SAVING TIPS

By Maryann Giacobbe

Real Estate Sales Representative with Houlihan Lawrence

September 17, 2013 06:18 AM

Topic Summary: No matter what climate you are in, it may be wise to hire a professional energy auditor to come in and show you some hi-tech technology that tells you where you can save money on energy consumption. Next up, a collection of tips on saving energy around the home.

Consider Having An Energy Audit done on your home.

A professional energy audit gives you a thorough picture of where your home is losing energy and what you can do to save money.

You can save 5%-30% on your energy bill by making upgrades following a home energy assessment.
You may be eligible for state, local, or utility incentives to assist with your home energy audit. Visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency to find out.

There are details on this page to learn more about the audit service. You can also conduct a less comprehensive one yourself. Click on the video above to see what an energy auditor does.

Winter Time Energy Tips- For warm and cold locations!

Heating

Install a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the temperature at night and whenever the house is unoccupied. Lowering your thermostat by 10 degrees at night can reduce your heating bill by 10% - 20%.

Make sure your programmable thermostat is:

Installed properly.
Programmed appropriately ? a thermostat only saves energy when it is programmed properly.
Not located in an unheated space, a poorly-sealed or seldom-used room, or in direct sunlight near a heat source. The thermostat should be able to sense the average temperature in your home. If it is not in the right place, contact a heating and air conditioning professional about having it moved.

    If you have a forced air furnace, inspect your filters at the beginning of the heating season and monthly during the season. Clean or replace filters if there is significant dust build up.

    Get a humidifier to add moisture to the air. The air inside your home can be very dry. Moister air feels warmer, so a humidifier can help you feel comfortable even though your thermostat is set at a lower temperature.

    Install foam insulation gaskets behind electric outlets and switch plate covers.

Windows and doors

    Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible. That includes overhead doors on attached garages.

    Install do-it-yourself plastic-film storm windows. Find them at a local hardware store.

    Seal off unused rooms (as long as the room is less than 100 square feet and isn't the room where the thermostat is located). Close the floor or wall registers, return air vents, and keep the doors closed.

    Open south-facing window curtains, drapes, and blinds during the day. Close window coverings at night to keep the heat in.

    Weatherstrip and caulk windows. Check window frames for cracks and fill them with caulk that contains silicon. Putty-like "rope caulk" can help seal large cracks and save you up to 5% on your energy bill.

    Check all exterior doors for air leaks and weatherstrip and caulk as needed. A one-eighth-inch gap around a door is equivalent to a 6-inch-square hole in the side of your house and causes a lot of energy loss. You can check doors two ways:

Have someone stand on the other side of the door and shine a flashlight around the door's perimeter. If you can see light through the cracks, your door needs sealing.
Hold a piece of paper between the door and the frame and shut the door. If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, you should weatherstrip around the door.

Water heater

    Make sure the water heater is set no higher than 125 degrees.

    Drain off a bucket of hot water from your water heater annually to remove sediment that will interfere with the heater's long-term use.

    Install a water heater blanket if your water heater is older than 5 years.

    Insulate the pipes around the water heater with inexpensive, easy-to-install pipe insulation. This is particularly helpful if the water heater is in an unheated space.

Fireplace

    Never use a traditional fireplace for supplemental heating. A fireplace sucks heated air out of your home to fuel the fire and exhausts it through the chimney causing your furnace to turn on and replace that warm air.

    Close the fireplace damper and seal the opening shut when not in use.

More ways to save on your winter utility bill

    Get your furnace inspected and tuned up by a heating professional.

    Have your home properly insulated and weatherized.

Measure your attic insulation. If you have less than 7 inches of insulation or if it is less than R-38 (the current requirement for new homes), consider upgrading your insulation with spray-foam or batt insulation.
Look for places where air may be leaking through the insulation ? you will be able to tell because there will be dirty spots or holes in the existing insulation. Seal the holes by stapling a piece of plastic sheeting over them and caulking around the edges of the plastic.
Additional insulation can be blown into walls. There are even options for insulating flat roofs, crawl spaces, and floors.

Replace any broken window panes and repair any large holes in attics, crawlspaces, or basements.

Seal exposed ductwork. Ductwork sealing can help your system run more efficiently and also ensures that heated or cooled air gets to where you want it to go. Instead of duct tape, use mastic (available at hardware stores) to seal ductwork. Mastic provides a better seal and lasts longer.
Replace older or loose fireplace dampers. Have a sheet-metal insert installed, which will prevent some heat loss and help reflect heat from the fireplace back into the room.
Consider converting your traditional fireplace into a more efficient pellet or wood-burning stove. Determine your payback time before investing.