Want to save money? Everyone does, right? One way to do that is to increase your home’s energy efficiency, reducing your monthly bills for water, electricity, and natural gas.
Evaluation of a home’s energy efficiency of a home is outside the scope of a typical home inspection. However, a home inspector does look for deficiencies that can reduce a home’s energy efficiency. These deficiencies include such things as inadequate attic insulation, damaged or missing sealant around windows and doors, dirty air filters, and non-performing heating and cooling equipment.
Nearly every home has opportunities for increased energy efficiency. Reducing energy usage can save you money by lowering your utility bills; in addition, it reduces the demand for energy sources and can increase the level of comfort in your home.
The energy use of a home can be reduced in many ways. Some of these changes are relatively easy and inexpensive, others are more complex. Some options include the following: adding insulation, sealing around windows and doors, replacing old windows, installing more efficient appliances, installing programmable thermostats, sealing and insulating air ducts.
The U.S. Department of Energy has free tools that offer advice and information about reducing energy usage in your home. A downloadable Energy Saver Guide is available here.
The online Home Energy Saver is a free tool that allows the homeowner to input details about their home and receive advice and cost benefit information about various energy-reducing strategies. The Home Energy Saver tool is available here.
It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, effort, or cost to make a few changes that reduce your home’s energy usage. Take a look around your home, what can you do to save energy and reduce your monthly utility bills?
