You may not have even heard of an energy audit. But surely you've heard that the price of a barrel of oil has reached $111 dollars give or take a dollar or two. And of course you know that the polar ice caps are melting, and that the US alone accounts for 25% of all of the worlds energy use. So what is an energy audit and how can it help you?
An energy auditor or rater will come into your home to professionally evaluate the efficiency of the energy used to operate your home. One thing he/she will look at are the ways that energy is lost in your home through air leaks. Air leaks come from obvious things like windows and doors but you may be surprised at some of the other places that air leaks into and out of your home. Here are a few: recessed lights, poorly sealed furnace and a/c ducts, the dryer vent, electrical outlets. An energy auditor will determine what home sealing needs to be done in your home. An energy auditor will help you to decide what the most cost effective measures you can take to improve your home's energy efficiency. It may not be necessary to replace big ticket items like windows, furnaces, or air conditioners. The auditor will determine whether you have sufficient insulation and if not, suggest where and how you should improve insulation. The auditor will also check the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems, water heating, and lighting and appliances.
Some of the tools and techniques that an energy auditor uses are blower door tests, thermography, software modeling, visual inspections, design inspections and pressure diagnostics. An energy audit provides information to help you assess the energy use, economic and environmental impact of your home in its current state, thus giving you the knowledge and tools you need to make useful, cost effective decisions.
If you would like a referral for an energy audit please visit my website at www.gayleflemingismyrealtor.com and email me with your request. I will respond promptly. There are links to other eco-friendly information there as well. If you're thinking of buying or selling now or in the future, it would be my pleasure to serve you.
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