Improving your home’s energy efficiency begins with accurately appraising its condition in the here and now. While a comprehensive evaluation is a job for a professional energy auditor, a do-it-yourself home energy audit can point you in the general direction of issues that need closer examination. This process is something that most homeowners can do, and after you finish, you’ll have a clearer idea of how to prioritize repairs and where investments can produce the greatest benefit in energy savings.
Begin the home energy audit by tracking down any drafts in your home. You can save as much as 25 percent a year on your utility bills by eliminating drafts. Look around windows and doors for light leaking in from the outside. Check the stability of windows in their tracks, and examine the weatherstripping around doors. Air conditioners mounted in windows or walls are another common source of air leaks, and outside your home, examine the integrity of exterior corners and the joint where brick or siding meets the foundation.
Next, evaluate the quantity and quality of your attic insulation. What was sufficient and efficient when your home was built may be lacking in today’s world of higher energy prices. Check to see if the vapor barrier beneath the insulation is intact, and that insulation has not been damaged by water vapor migrating from the living space. Wall insulation can be sampled by drilling a small hole in some unobtrusive spot in a closet. Insert a probe to verify insulation inside the wall and determine if it has settled inside the cavity.
Additionally, here are a few other home energy-audit tips:
- Have your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) equipment checked annually by an HVAC professional, to ensure that small issues don’t escalate into costly problems.
- Check and change your home’s air filters at least every six to eight weeks.
- Examine the ductwork for evidence of dust streaks—a giveaway to leaky seams—and seal as required.
- Consider replacing your HVAC system if it is more than 15 years old. Most systems last between 10 and 20 years, but the advances in energy efficiency over the last several years could mean dramatic savings for you.
- Check the light bulbs that you’re using. If you’re using a larger wattage size than what’s indicated, you could be losing energy. Additionally, considering switching all bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which are far more energy efficient.
If a do-it-yourself home energy audit reveals trouble spots, the professionals at Marsh Heating & Air Conditioning have the skills to fix any issues you might have. We’ve been advising residential and commercial customers in the Twin Cities for more than 37 years, and can help you, too.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about home energy audits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Marsh Heating and Air Conditioning services Minnesota’s Twin Cities. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!