A Home Energy Audit Could Save Huge Amounts Of Money

Carrying out a home energy audit is something that every single homeowner should do once a year, as it will hugely impact on the amount of money that they spend on heating bills every year. There are a number of tasks that the homeowner should carry out in this home energy audit, which at first may seem inconsequential to the overall heating efficiency. When all of the below methods are utilized in conjunction with each other though, the effects on anyone\’s heating bills will be remarkable.

The first step that any homeowner should take when completing a home energy audit is to measure the amount of insulation that they have in their attic, as this is the place where most of the heat from the home escapes. The recommended amount of insulation for any home should be the equivalent to R-30, which is about 11 inches of fiberglass. Should the homeowner find that the insulation is not satisfactory, then this should be the first item on their list for improvement.

Another huge reason for heating bills to be large is the effect that gaps between windows and doors can cause. These are often very small but should there be a number of them then they combine to create a huge amount of heat loss. To find these gaps, the best idea is to use a lit match, as the homeowner will be able to hold it in front of the windows and watch to see if the smoke moves.

Another area that causes the heating system to have to work harder is when there are gaps or cracks in any pipework that come from it. These allow the heating to escape before it reaches its destination, therefore meaning that the heating system has to work harder and for longer. By closing these gaps up, the heating system will be able to get the maximum amount of effect for its efforts.

There are a number of reasons why heating bills can be high when a homeowner conducts a home energy audit outside their home as well. The primary reason for this is the lining on the window frames being damaged, therefore leading to heat being able to escape. To fix this, the owner simply has to cover these areas with tape or some other similar product.

Also outside, the holes where pipes come in to the home should be examined to ensure that there are no gaps around them, as this can allow heat to escape. If there are gaps then the homeowner should seek to rectify this by filling them with foam or another airtight sealant.

Before completing the home energy audit, the homeowner should also take a look at their own personal lifestyle, as it is this that can cause a lot of heat loss. Many people leave windows and doors open for long periods of time, which obviously gives the heat a huge gap through which it can escape. If the homeowner thinks about the effect that their actions will have on the heat in their home before doing something, they will find that they save a lot of money on heating bills.

If any of the problems detailed above are found in a home energy audit, the homeowner should look to resolve them immediately. Not doing this will mean that they are paying over the odds to keep their home at a comfortable temperature.

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