When you are looking for ways to improve your home's energy efficiency, it is essential to make changes that will be effective without guessing what you should be doing. A home energy audit is an excellent way to determine what you need to update or change to make a difference.

Testing Your Home

When you have a home energy audit done in your home, an inspector will come and test everything that uses electricity in your home to determine what is drawing the most electricity. The inspector will evaluate the HVAC system, the light, the water heater, and even the heating and cooling ducts during the audit.

The inspector will be looking at each system in the home to determine if there are changes that you can make to improve the efficiency and when you should make the changes. A home energy audit report will indicate the results of the tests and can help you determine where you can realize the most significant gains. 

The Checklist

Most home energy audits start with inspecting the amount of insulation in the home. Insulation is typically one of the most significant factors in keeping the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Along with the insulation, the home's windows are checked for overall condition and energy transfer through the glass. 

The HVAC system is checked and the ductwork is inspected to determine if there are leaks that can cause the system to work harder than it needs to. Often insulating the ductwork can improve the HVAC system's efficiency, but if there are leaks in the ducts, those need to be repaired before the insulation is added. 

The water heater is another area that can use a lot more electricity than necessary. The inspector will test it and see how the system is performing as well. Replacing the system with a newer one may be an excellent place to make a significant difference in your energy usage.

Quick Fixes

There are some places that you can save some energy that are easy to change. Replacing lights in your home with LED bulbs or replacing the fixtures with new LED fixtures can reduce the amount of electricity you need. 

Adding some insulation to your attic is another good option to stop some heat or cool air loss from the home. There are many small things you can do to tighten up your home, but with the help of the home energy audit, you can do the simple things right away and work on the more significant points over time.