If you have not heard of one before, a home energy audit is used to assess how much energy is consumed by a home. It is useful in detecting problems that may be causing a home to be less efficient and therefore use up more energy. If this idea is new to you, it may be a little confusing as to how an energy audit can actually benefit you and your home. Below, we have listed six great reasons to get an energy audit so that you might be able to see its benefits.
Reduce your energy bill.
A certified energy auditor will, by the end of the audit, be able to tell you about the problem areas in your home that are costing you money on your utility bills. Following an auditor’s advice and making repairs or upgrades will help you to seal your home’s envelope, saving money on your energy bills in the long run.
Prioritize repairs and upgrades.
In the audit report, your auditor will have listed which repairs or upgrades will get you the best bang for your buck. Perhaps upgrading your lightbulbs to more efficient LEDs will save you the most money with the least amount of effort. Or perhaps your home is in deep need of added insulation in order to keep the home’s envelope sealed. Knowing what will help and what to do first is the first step to becoming more energy efficient.
Uncover potential health hazards.
Your energy auditor will be able to detect issues such as mold and mildew that could affect your health. In many cases, the causes of issues such as mold can be remediated through efficiency measures, such as sealing off the basement and insulating the space with spray foam. Understanding how and why mold and other contaminants are affecting your home is important for your health and safety.
Improve comfort.
If the rooms in your home are drafty, or are too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer, it is needless to say that you are probably a bit uncomfortable in your home. With an energy audit, you will know how to make efficiency upgrades to your home that will help to keep warm air indoors during the winter, as well as the cool air indoors during the summer. This can greatly affect the overall comfort of your home.
Increase the resale value of your home.
Making energy efficiency upgrades increases the desirability of your home—as well as its selling price. For every $1 saved on your energy bills, your home’s value increases by $25. Homebuyers are not only interested in a cozy and comfortable home; it has also become increasingly popular to have energy efficient appliances and other features that reduce the home’s impact on the environment.
Help the environment.
The more energy efficient your home is, the less greenhouse gases it is contributing to the environment. While your improvements are benefiting the environment, they are also saving you money, killing two birds with one stone.
NeighborWorks’ HEAT Squad provides low-cost energy audits that can help you improve the efficiency of your home. We also provide Energy Loans to help you fund energy improvement projects, such as air sealing and insulation. If you are interested in receiving an energy audit on your home, visit www.heatsquad.org or call (802) 438-2303 to schedule your audit.
