Home Energy Audits

Like most homeowners, you probably pay too much for electricity and heat. This is partially the result of rising energy prices, but the impact on your bank account is also likely caused in part by inefficient home construction and design.

There are many steps you can take to improve the energy efficiency of your home. Before you settle on a particular upgrade, however, the best place to start is a professional home energy audit.

What is a Home Energy Audit? 

A home energy audit is a professional assessment of how well your house performs according to current standards for home energy efficiency. The vast majority of older houses will fall short of today’s best practices, enabling the auditor to make targeted recommendations for improvements.

Home energy auditors are specially trained to apply the principles of building sciences and home performance to assess the energy efficiency of your house. The typical home energy audit generally consists of the following steps:

• Inspecting the foundation and exterior walls of your home for air leaks

• Checking the seal on openings and edges, including windows, doors, air vents, light fixtures, electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures, baseboards, fireplaces, etc.

• Room-specific inspection of areas prone to energy loss, including:

  • The attic

  • The basement

  • The crawl space

• Performing a blower door test – thermal imaging of the home when it is depressurized can determine the severity of air leakage

The home energy auditor will also review your utility bills for the past year to gain a thorough understanding of your energy consumption. Once all of the steps of the audit are complete, the auditor will employ specialized software to analyze the energy performance of your home. This custom report will provide you with the information you need to make decisions about your home energy improvement options.

Why Should I Get an Energy Audit?

Knowledge is power. This is the main benefit of a home energy audit: knowledge of your home’s efficiency and what you can do to improve.

After a home energy audit, you will basically have a road map for how to reduce your home energy usage. The next steps are up to you based on the issues you want to address, your budget, and your goals. Once any and all upgrades are complete, you can enjoy benefits such as:

• Lower energy bills: Applying the insights from the energy audit can save you money in the long run.

• Greater comfort inside your home: Upgrading insulation inside your home can eliminate drafts, cold spots, and other issues stemming from air leaks.

• Better air quality: Sealing air leaks can stop contaminants such as allergens, mold and mildew, and animal waste from entering the air in your home, enabling you and your family to breathe easier.

• Reduced environmental impact: Residential homes account for more than one-fifth of total energy use in the United States. Efficient homes use less fossil fuels. As a result, investing in home energy upgrades is good for the planet as a whole.

• Improved home value: Energy efficiency is a major concern among home buyers, especially in environmentally conscious places like Denver and other areas of Colorado. If you decide to sell your house, you can ask for more – and probably get it – by following the recommendations from the home energy audit.

Energy efficiency upgrades are an investment in your home. Think of the home energy audit as part of that investment. When you use the results of the home energy audit as a guide, the return on investment will become apparent as you enjoy spending less on power in a comfortable, more sustainable home.