Are users finding that certain rooms in the home are colder in the winter or hotter in the summer than the rest of the home? Are users wondering how to reduce the home energy bill? Now that the family is spending more time at home, are users looking for ways to improve the comfort of the home?
If the answer to any of these questions is yes, investing in the energy efficiency of the home would be an excellent investment. These types of investments can provide extensive cost savings every year for as long as the user lives in the house and makes the home more comfortable.
Cosmetic home improvements
Cosmetic home improvements such as new paint, flooring, cabinet upgrades, and fixture replacements are usually easy to identify and therefore easy to know when they should be fixed and upgraded.
Energy efficiency issues, however, are often hidden within the walls, attics, or crawl spaces and basements with no useful, visual clues to let users know what should be corrected.
attic insulation
The best way to answer that question is to start with a home energy audit performed by a building energy expert
In addition to the 'hidden' nature of these issues, it’s also harder to know which energy-efficient home improvements would make the biggest impact on the home’s energy consumption and comfort.
One of the best ways to save energy is by checking if the home has sufficient attic insulation. If users have less than the recommended amount of insulation for the area of the country, adding blown-in attic insulation is usually the best place to start.
The main question to ask oneself is, would the cost of this energy efficiency upgrade, such as air sealing or improved insulation, lead to significant energy efficiency? The best way to answer that question is to start with a home energy audit performed by a building energy expert.
How To Find the Best Ways To Save Home Energy
Just like the car, the home is a complex, integrated system that includes the furnace, central air conditioner, ductwork, air sealing, ventilation, and many more. And just like a certified auto technician, a certified building energy expert has the knowledge and tools to troubleshoot the performance of these systems in the home. They will determine where improvements can be made that will provide the best return on the investment for reducing the energy bill and improving comfort.
With a Blower Door Test and a Thermal Camera, the building energy expert can identify areas that lack sufficient insulation. These tools can also provide a picture of where the heated (or cooled) air is escaping the home and how large the leak is.
How To Get The Work Done
The home energy audit report provided by the expert can be used to prioritize energy efficiency improvements in the home. Some upgrades may be done on the own and some should be done by a trained professional.
These projects could be scheduled based on the budget, and amount of projected savings, and/or coordinated with other events such as cosmetic remodeling projects.
Track The Home Energy Efficiency Results
Be sure to record and track the energy consumption before making any changes, throughout the project
Be sure to record and track the energy consumption before making any changes, throughout the project, and upon completion of the various home energy efficiency improvements. It might take some time to see noticeable results due to typical variations in weather.
Rest assured, correcting airflow leakage, and under-insulated areas, or guaranteeing the HVAC ducting system is performing optimally will help make a home feel more comfortable in every season.
How To Reduce the Energy Bill
In the end, the goal is to make sure the user and the family feel more comfortable at home. This means using less energy to maintain consistent temperatures and keep out unwanted noise from outside and in between rooms, all while making a positive impact on the environment.
Seek out a reputable building energy expert who can use the Blower Door Test and an infrared camera to help identify exactly which home energy efficiency improvements will have the biggest impact on the home’s comfort.