A periodic home energy audit is a simple effective tool to help you achieve improved energy efficiency while cutting your bills. Energy audits can reveal a lot of things you probably didn’t know about your home, especially with technology evolving so drastically, an energy audit is becoming more and more essential in helping you make smarter decisions for the future. If you haven’t had an energy audit performed on your house, now’s the perfect time to consider having it done.
There are 2 ways you can do this. We've created a DIY tool to do it yourself in which you can access the tool here or you can get a professional audit completed for you. In both cases, here's why:
1. Boost energy efficiency in the home
Energy audits are designed to find ways to reduce your energy usage or to improve energy efficiency in your home, the audit process will also lead you to or help you make a clear plan for improvements. An expert electrician can help you identify energy drains that non-specialists aren’t aware of, such as:
Air leaks and insulation
For example, an energy audit can help you locate air leaks, which come through gaps in your flooring, ceiling, or walls. Your energy audit could also include a check of heat loss through poor insulation. In older homes especially, the level of insulation might be inadequate.
Heating, cooling, and electronics
Your energy audit would also include checks of your heating and cooling equipment. This includes your hot-water system as well as your thermostat and air conditioning. When functioning poorly, these items can use up more energy than normal, and your energy audit can tell you if you need to clean them, change filters, or replace older equipment as well as introducing you to newer types of equipment, better suited to your local climate or individual circumstances, based on the audit results.
Similarly, you can also have your appliances and electronics tested during your audit to find out how much electricity they’re using.
2. Lower your power bills instantly – and for the long term
A professional energy audit isn’t only about energy efficiency; it’s also about saving you money right away and for the long term. Armed with your electrician’s advice, you can take small measures or make major improvements, and start saving money on your power bills.
A reputable energy-efficiency expert can also give you advice on government and product-related rebates available. If you’re eligible for these, you can save even more money by taking advantage of discounts, special deals and offers, and other incentives.
3. Improve awareness of energy leaks
Your energy audit will tell you how to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and you can apply this awareness to your day-to-day living. For example, if you’ve worked out you’re wasting energy on central heating, you can switch to in-room heating so you’re paying for heating only in the spaces you occupy.
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4. Reduce your environmental impact
Some of your energy probably comes from coal or natural gas (fossil fuels), so by saving on energy, you’re lowering your bills as well as helping out the environment. With a comprehensive energy audit – which might take less than an hour or two to complete – you’ll be able to make changes that reduce your carbon emissions and lower the amount of pollution released into the atmosphere. If alternative power sources are identified for your home, you could massively improve this outcome.
5. Add value to your home
Adding energy-efficient features or equipment to your home can boost its value if you eventually sell the property or lease it. Additions such as a solar hot water system, extra insulation, and energy-efficient temperature control could raise your property’s value by making it more appealing to prospective buyers/renters. Even if you don’t plan on selling in the near future, these upgrades could eventually pay for themselves when you do sell your property.
6. Enhance comfort levels
By having your ventilation system and heat leaks checked, for example, you could work out why you could never properly warm your house in winter. Upgrading and maintaining your heating and cooling system can improve air quality in the home. If you need extra insulation, an investment of additional roof and wall insulation could make your home more soundproof and tranquil.
So the benefits of energy audits aren’t limited to energy efficiency. The energy-saving plan your auditor suggests can improve comfort, health, and enjoyment in the home.
7. Identify the changes with the biggest impact
Your home energy audit could isolate common energy problems in your home, quickly but it might not be easy to work out where to start, especially if you’re on a budget. However, your expert electrician can tell you where are the energy biggest drains, so you can prioritise improvements and work your way through your home and within your budget.
Basic upgrades or simple quick fixes you could do right away or to low cost might include changing settings on appliances, upgrading kitchen appliances to energy-rated models, or changing your shower head to use less hot water. Major upgrades could be installing a solar energy system or changing the insulation in your walls. With your energy auditor’s professional advice, you’ll have a better idea of where to begin.
Having a professional home energy audit helps you save on electricity and energy at home, but it could make your home more comfortable and increase its resale value. With the right information and a plan for improvements, you can make your home more efficient and live-able while reducing your environmental footprint.
Ecosmart Electricians are a premium and honest electrician service dedicated to providing you with an unforgettable, five-star experience. To find out more about how our expert electricians can help you with energy efficiency in the home, contact us today for a professional energy Audit.
Prefer to do it yourself?
Check out our ultimate guide to a DIY home energy audit.