Home Energy Audit Will Help Save Energy!

By:




There could be hundreds of small places where your home is losing heating and cooling without your knowledge. When added up, it could significantly increase the time your furnace or air conditioner is running and still your house may not be comfortable. Hence a home energy audit is very important to cost-conscious and energy-conscious home owners. With a home energy audit, a professional can quickly and scientifically identify the areas that are most cost effective for improving the energy efficiency, comfort, and health of the home.

A home performance professional will use a blower door and an infrared camera to identify the areas of greatest leakage. If you want to try it on your own here are a few suggestions for what you can do.

Look for drafts in the areas that are most susceptible, like windows and doors that lead to the outside. A burning incense stick is a great draft locater. The smoke will toss and turn under the slightest breeze, making it ideal for hard-to-find drafts. If the caulk around your windows is beginning to show signs of wear, then it's time to replace it. For doors, check the status of the weather-stripping. Is it cracked or torn in places? Replace weather-stripping and make sure that the door closes snuggly and use the incense stick to re-check.

Check for drafts around electrical outlets and switch plates. With a few dozen outlets and switches scattered throughout your home, there can be some significant heat loss as air is pushed or pulled with temperature and pressure. Differences. This is particularly a problem if the walls aren't insulated properly. Picking up some air sealing gaskets and installing them behind the covers can reduce air flow.

Inspect all of the water faucets and any outlets or pipes you have entering your house. Caulk or use can-sprayfoam to seal any holes or gaps you may find. While you're outside, check the siding and exterior of the windows. Again, apply caulk where needed.

With so many potential areas for heat loss, getting a hand up on winter can be time consuming. With a professional home energy audit, you can rest assured that a professional will seal your house and catch all of the areas that you wont. Your bills will be lower and your home will feel much more comfortable. You can know more at www.advancedhomeenergy.com.

About the Author:
Larry Gordon has over 15 years experience in the home energy industry. His experience includes residential HVAC & home performance systems. In the past, Mr. Gordon has focused on providing turn-key solutions for creating energy efficient homes. He is a strong advocate of providing a home energy audit then undertaking projects that minimize the energy usage, while maintaining comfort levels. You can learn more at www.advancedhomeenergy.com



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Home-Improvement Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.