According to this year’s Annual Energy Outlook, the demand for electricity in the U.S. is projected to increase over the next several years. With so many households reliant on electricity for their everyday needs, homeowners and renters alike will benefit from a home energy audit.
This will help them assess their energy needs and curb their annual energy consumption.
Conducting an audit, whether on your own or by hiring a professional. For that allows you to measure the current efficiency of your home. It will also detect any unseen problems that cause energy loss and higher utility bills. Here are some reasons you should add a home energy audit to your to-do list this summer.
Improve Energy Efficiency
One of the biggest motivators for getting a home energy audit is to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Leaking windows or poorly insulated walls are just a few unseen contributions to costly utility bills. To reduce energy loss, replace existing windows and exterior doors with eco-friendly options that offer energy star ratings. Look for options that provide a good seal. This will keep cold air out in the winter months and during the summer ones.
Having the proper amount of insulation in your walls and attic space is an easy way to improve your home’s efficiency while reducing energy emissions. If you have an older home, you likely have fiberglass insulation. Fiberglass, which causes health issues, is an outdated option and should be upgraded. Try switching to insulation like cellulose or Thermacork that offers more eco-friendly features.
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Nearly half of our carbon footprint is due to our electricity usage. Switching from incandescent lights to LED lighting is an easy eco-friendly upgrade you can make to be more efficient while reducing your household emissions. In addition, swapping older appliances for energy-efficient ones helps curb consumption while also saving money on your annual energy bills.
Upgrading to a Smart Home lets you take your sustainability up a notch by automating and maintaining your energy use with technology. Purchasing a smart thermostat allows you to monitor and control the temperature of your home from anywhere in the world. A smart thermostat offers lots of helpful features such as HVAC alerts for system issues and maintenance, programmable temperature settings, and the ability to sync and control your temperature based on your schedule or weather conditions. Integrating Smart technology into your quest for energy efficiency offers the best in maintenance and savings for your home’s future.
Increase Safety
Assessing the health and safety of your home is a great reason to get a home energy audit. If you hire a professional, they will go through your energy audit using different tools and tests. They will check your current HVAC and electrical system for fires and other potential hazards like fuel leaks. If your audit shows that there’s room for improvement, consider the costs of replacing these systems against your current inefficiencies and needs to decide on the next steps.
Add Value To Your Home
Whether you’re planning to sell in the future or hoping to move, increasing the energy efficiency of your home will increase your home’s market value. Adding sustainable energy systems like solar panels or passive water heaters are hot ticket items in today’s real estate market. They bring a huge return on your investment when it comes time to sell.
When looking for a new home, you can search home listings online that will showcase if a home is energy efficient. Do so by looking for things such as newer windows, and Energy Star ratings. If a house is energy efficient, they will most likely showcase this because it can intrigue a potential buyer. When scoping out new homes, ask a realtor if a home energy audit has been conducted within the last few years. If not, try to get an audit before purchasing a home. This way you know what to expect moving forward and can negotiate with the seller.
Help Your Budget
Once you’ve conducted your home energy audit, you’ll have a roadmap to help you decide which upgrades to consider. Depending on the upgrades you choose, you could easily save up to 40% on your energy bills. And don’t forget to take advantage of the many rebates and incentives that are available in your state. Conducting an energy audit on your home helps you identify the kinds of upgrades you need for improved energy efficiency while having the ability to budget in long-term investments and other home improvement projects.
