Budgets are tight, but are your windows and doors? We all want to spend less on home energy, but a lot of money might literally be going right out the window due to inefficiency.
You can become a more informed consumer by learning to do a home energy audit yourself. Become an expert in energy efficiency and keep more of your money in your bank account, where it belongs.
We believe anyone can be a do-it-yourself warrior to accomplish certain maintenance and intervention tasks around the home. Put together a toolbox that includes a flashlight, eye protection, dust mask, screwdriver, measuring tape and ladder to do the job right. Once you’re safe and well-equipped, walk through your house making a list of leaks: windows, doors, fixtures and outlets are typical culprits. Even new homes can prove to be inefficient, so don’t be complacent even if your house was recently and supposedly, soundly, built.
RELATED READ: Investigate your Homes’ Energy Efficiency To Make Changes that Impact your Checking Account
Check your insulation levels in attics, walls and flooring. Have you looked at the age of your furnace or air conditioner? Time passes quickly and an old furnace or air conditioning unit may be the source of energy inefficiency. At about 10 years, we notice a decrease in energy efficiency. Have one of our Home Comfort Experts do a precision tune-up on your equipment and we’ll give you all the options.
RELATED READ: Top 5 Reasons for an Early Furnace Tune-Up
Another way to reduce your spend on energy is to upgrade your appliances. There are a few easy fixes that will prove to have small but significant savings, such as swapping out old bulbs for LED lights. Try a low-flow shower head to minimize hot-water use. Even simply turning down the thermostat can have a real impact on your monthly bills, no matter how you heat your home. Repair, replace and repeat, when necessary.
You have the power to fix the places where energy escapes. There are many good resources to help. However, in certain circumstances it is smarter to call a professional. That’s where we step in. We can do a more in-depth audit to discover problem areas and create solutions. We can talk about updating old systems, installing humidifiers (which can really help you save on heating bills), and upgrading to a tankless water heater.
Look closely at your heating and cooling bills. What are you spending? Is there a conspicuous hole where your hard-earned cash is leaking out? Can you allocate a little more of your home repair budget to regular professional maintenance or investing in energy-efficient materials and appliances? Do you expect to stay in your home for years to come, or are you going to be looking to sell soon? There are many factors to consider. But starting to investigate the way your home is working is a great step toward saving energy and money.
Let us know where you are in your home improvement journey. Are you a DIY expert or a new homeowner looking to learn from ground up? Call Home Comfort Experts to start saving today.