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You are here: Home / Curtis Van Carter / Have you ever thought of doing a home energy audit and all the savings you may be missing by not doing so?

Have you ever thought of doing a home energy audit and all the savings you may be missing by not doing so?

December 13, 2011 by Curtis Van Carter Leave a Comment

 

 

With a home’s energy bills continuing to rise and with no end to this in sight, maybe now is the time to consider a do it yourself energy audit. Of course you could hire a professional and may need to but there are quite a few things you can do prior to doing so.

To start you may want to consider where to look?

All the home systems and appliances that contribute to energy costs. Here’s  the breakdown of a typical home’s energy usage that Energy Star references:

  • Heating (29%)
  • Cooling (17%)
  • Water heating (14%)
  • Appliances (13%)
  • Lighting (12%)
  • Computers and electronics (4%)
  • Other (11%)

Self audits can solve many of the energy loses with easy fixes!

While the pros use special equipment to focus on hard-to-research aspects of  a home’s building envelope and indoor air circulation, DIY audits can teach  you—based on the questions they ask—to identify and address the numerous small  ways in which your home wastes energy.

Since lighting, electronics, and appliances collectively account for nearly  30% of the average home’s energy costs, you can make an impact on your bills by  replacing old appliances with energy-efficient replacements and simple  fixes—plugging appliances into power strips versus wall outlets, making sure  refrigerator doors are properly sealed and don’t leak air, and opting for a  programmable thermostat.

Here is how to spot many of the issues a homeowner can easily correct.

1. Check your home’s exterior envelope—the windows, doors,  walls, and roof exposed to outdoor air. Hold a candle or stick of incense near  windows, doors, electrical outlets, range hoods, plumbing and ceiling fixtures,  attic hatches, and ceiling fans in bathrooms. When smoke blows, you’ve got a  draft from a source that may need caulking, sealant, weather stripping, or  insulation.

2. Check insulation R-value or thickness. Where insulation  is exposed (in an attic, unfinished basement, or around ducts, water heaters,  and appliances), use a ruler to measure, recommends the DOE. Compare your  results against those suggested for your region via an insulation calculator.

Although examining in-wall insulation is difficult, you can remove electrical  outlet covers, turn off electricity, and probe inside the wall, the DOE notes in  its DIY audit guide. However, only a professional’s thermographic scan can  reveal if insulation coverage is consistent within a wall. Insulation can settle  or may not be uniformly installed.

3. Look for stains on insulation. These often indicate air  leaks from a hole behind the insulation, such as a duct hole or crack in an  exterior wall.

4. Inspect exposed ducts. They may not work efficiently if  they’re dirty, have small holes, or if they pass through unfinished portions of  the home and aren’t insulated. Look for obvious holes and whether intersections  of duct pipe are joined correctly. Since ducts are typically made out of thin  metal that easily conducts heat, uninsulated or poorly insulated ducts in  unconditioned spaces can lose 10% to 30% of the energy used to heat and cool  your home, says DOE. From HouseLogic, see link below.

Here are a few links to websites for more info:

Do it Yourself

House Logic

DIY Network

Thank you for reading this post. If I can ever be of help in finding you the perfect property here in the Napa Valley, please email me at Curtis@NapaValleyAddress.com.

Your Broker Extraordinaire, selling Napa Valley Real Estate from its heart, Yountville.

My website & blog: www.NapaValleyAddress.com

 

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Curtis Van Carter, has been one of Napa Valley Real Estate's most knowledgeable and experienced agents. He has been characterized by his clients for his honesty and knowledge to make a home sale or purchase as smooth as possible. If you are interested in selling or listing a home please call or EMAIL Curtis here.

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