Arranging an Energy Audit

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Some power companies or local authorities will offer their customers the service of coming to the home and do an inspection by using an energy audit checklist. To check this,  contact your electricity gas or business gas , and/or your local authority to find out. Some companies provide this service free of charge, while others provide the service for a fee, and others do not provide the service at all, as mentioned above. If your local authority does not provide this service for free, or for a small fee, then you can complaint to your local concillor. In the UK, the Government has pledges to reduce carbon emissions by 2010, and local authorities should be helping everyone to do that.

What will happen if an inspection can be arranged? A certified technician will arrive with an energy audit checklist in hand to use to go through your home to identify where there might be issues that are costing you money and wasting power. Some of the items that are listed include checking around electrical outlets to make sure that air is not coming in from outside, making sure that hot water tanks are lagged and wrapped if necessary, and checking heating and cooling ducts to make sure that air is able to flow freely. The technician will also inspect the filling and seals around windows to make sure that they are draught-free. They will also make sure that there is weather stripping applied to the doorways in the appropriate places so that air cannot get through. If a fireplace exists in the home the chimney should be examined. If the fireplace is redundant then a balloon seal can be used to block the chimney and stop warm air escaping up the flue.

Some companies also include an examination of the heating and cooling units within the home. If these are not working properly, they will have to work harder and use more power to produce the amount of heat/cooling you require.

Once the technician has concluded their inspection they will have checked off the energy audit checklist with any problem areas that were found within the home. They should discuss these issues with the home owner and then make suggestions as to how to correct the problems. They should explain why these repairs or restorations need to be done. The home owner can also ask questions at this time about any materials that they may need, or which professional would be the best to contact to do the repairs and restorations.

If a home or business owner wishes to perform the inspection themselves, there are many places on the internet that provide an energy audit checklist. Even electric companies that do not perform the inspections may have information on their website concerning the different types of things that a home owner or business owner should look for when doing their own inspection. DIY audit checklisting is a good way for you to do your part in making your home or your business more energy efficient. This saves you money in the long run, and helps you do your bit for the environment!

DIY Energy Audit

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An energy audit is an assessment of your home’s efficiency. Utility companies and some private companies and individuals offer this service to homeowners for a fee. But it’s not brain surgery or rocket science. You can perform a simple audit on your own. Your main goal is to go through the house and take stock of any issues you see that cause energy waste. Once you complete your audit, you can look over the list and consider your options for fixing the problem areas. Simple. Let’s begin with lights.

Go from room to room, as well as around the outside of the house, and make a note of all your light fixtures. Write down the type of lightbulb each fixture is using, such as fluorescent or incandescent and the wattage. Jot down energy-wasting practices as well, like a light that is constantly left on. That hall light? The outside light on during the day? Light fixtures make up about 10 percent of your power use.  Put a mark by the fixtures that are using energy-draining incandescent bulbs, so you can replace them with more efficient varieties. Consider setting up motion-detector or dusk-to-dawn sensors for outside fixtures, to keep them from being on constantly, and use timers on inside lamps that are often left on too long or easily forgotten. I often see people’s outside lights triggered by a cat, fox or visitor, but then stay on for the next 30 minutes energy efficiency consultants. That’s wasteful.

Draughts and leaks of warm air. Check your house for air leaks. Common leak spots include doors, windows, outlets, air-conditioning window units, fireplaces and vent pipes. Even an uncovered Chubb lock keyhole can let a large amount of warm air out. Open doors and windows, and look for gaps in insulation or weather-stripping. You may also look for light showing around the edges of the doors and windows when they are closed. Perform a smoke test for small areas, such as outlets, by turning off the heating and cooling unit and closing all doors and windows. Once the house is closed up, light an incense/joss stick and hold it near possible leak areas. Air coming through a crack and moving the smoke indicates a leak. After completing your audit, repair the problem areas with new insulation strips or whatever is appropriate in te circumstances

Next heating and cooling. Look over your heating and cooling systems to ensure that they are operating at the highest efficiency level. These units need proper air flow in order to run at optimum levels. Make a note of closed vents, dirty air-return filters and the cleanliness of the outside unit. When you are done with the home audit, open vents, replace filters and clean the outside unit. Use duct tape to seal up any leaks in the ducts. For repairs or replacement of the system, call a repair person.

Finally insulation of the attic/roof space. Check out the attic or crawl space between your roof and your ceiling. Make a note of areas where the insulation seems like it has been pressed down, or spots where there are gaps in it. Look around pipes and vents for loose pieces of material. If you are able to find the R factor of the insulation written anywhere on it, write down the number. Check with your local building codes department to find out if you have the right type of insulation in your attic space. Contact a company to add more if necessary. And if you haven’t got any insulation, check online for grants or loans from the government or local councils towards the cost.

You see? That wasn’t that difficult was it?