Ever done a double take when you checked your last energy bill? While high energy bills can be the consequence of extreme weather conditions, persistently high bills can quickly signify an inefficient HVAC system or your home is wasting energy by other means, like drafty windows or insufficient insulation.

An easy way to determine whether your home is using too much energy is by getting a home service professional to carry out a home energy audit, also referred to as a home energy assessment. Keep reading to learn all about home energy audits, including what they are and their key elements.

What Is a Home Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a thorough inspection of how much energy your home consumes and whether – and where – your home could be losing or wasting energy. An inspector will take a look at previous energy bills during an energy audit to find out where energy is being used and how much.

The overall goal of an energy audit is to help homeowners save money on their energy bills by identifying energy-efficient improvements, which can include exchanging your current HVAC system, installing new insulation, sealing up leaks, or replacing drafty windows.

While completing the energy assessment, the auditor also completes an inspection of the outside and inside of your home. The auditor will perform a blower door test on doorways, windows and fireplaces to determine if there are air leaks in your home. They’ll also check your home’s HVAC system, which also includes the ductwork, the water heater, and the insulation in your attic. Exhaustive assessments may also include reviewing your current lighting system.

Benefits of a Home Energy Audit

It can be hard for the average homeowner to be sure how efficient their home is compared to other similar homes in their neighborhood. However, lots of energy companies often provide information about where your home is ranked when compared with similar homes and whether it’s more efficient, about average, or inefficient in contrast with your neighbors’ homes. This is a useful starting point to figure out if you need an energy audit completed.

A few of the benefits of a home energy audit include:

Learning How Efficient Your Home Is

It’s good to know how efficient your home is and where you’re consuming the most energy. For example, if your ducts are leaking air, it could result in a sizable increase in your energy bills and additional wear and tear on your HVAC system since it has to stay on longer to fully heat or cool your home.

Making Energy-Efficient Updates

An energy audit should reveal where you need to make energy-efficient changes to conserve energy and decrease utility bills. This can include replacing old weatherstripping or getting a new energy-efficient furnace.

Enhancing Health and Safety

Permitting air to leak into your home through doors and windows, or due to a lack of insulation can cause extra moisture to appear, which may negatively impact your home’s humidity levels or lead to mold. This can cause health issues, particularly for people dealing with asthma or allergies.

Raising Your Home’s Retail Value

Energy-efficient homes are preferred by homebuyers. You can sell your home sooner or for more money by telling possible buyers that it’s energy efficient.

How to Complete an Energy Audit of Your Home

Although performing an energy audit on your own may not be as comprehensive as calling a professional, it’ll give you a broad sense of how energy efficient your home is. If you don’t discover any issues during the DIY test, then you potentially don’t need to call in a professional. Use this step-by-step checklist:

  • Examine your HVAC system. Broken ducts can lose as much as 20% of conditioned air, resulting in steeper energy bills and increased wear and tear on HVAC equipment. If you notice leaks, use duct tape to plug them. If your HVAC equipment is old and inefficient, upgrading to a new system can save you a substantial amount on your energy bills. In some cases, it can be better to hire a reputable HVAC company to inspect your system.
  • Check for air leaks. Air leaks on average can increase the energy bills by 10 to 20%. Inside, look for air leaks in areas where there is a draft, like along the edge of flooring and along baseboards and electrical outlets. Outside, you can inspect for air leaks along the home’s foundation, siding and mortar. Plug, caulk or seal any air leaks to save money.
  • Inspect insulation. If your home is older, it could mean your insulation is too. If you can see the joists, you likely need more insulation.
  • Check ventilation. Make sure that all of your kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans are spinning properly, and look for evidence of rot or moisture.

Contact May's Heating & Air for a Professional Energy Audit

If you are interested in professional help figuring out how energy efficient your heating and cooling equipment is, contact the HVAC pros at May's Heating & Air today. We’ve proudly serviced the residents of with quality home services for many years. Contact us today to request an appointment.