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Energy Audit Helps Cut Energy Bills

A Home Energy Audit Helps You Save
By Tim Biebel, Vice President, Prudent Living Inc.

Not so long ago, when fuel oil and gasoline prices were hitting an all-time high, people struggled to pay for their heating bill and gas for their vehicles. Not everyone can install a high-efficiency furnace or buy a new car that gets 40 miles per gallon, but the latest crisis has caused individu­als to take a closer look at how they spend their energy dollars, now, and how to control such spending in the future.

Making small inexpensive improve­ments to your home could have a substantially positive impact on your energy costs and health. Conduct­ing an energy audit on your house is a fantastic way to learn how natural air movement works through your house and where the most cost-effec­tive repairs or improvements can be made to save the most money. Not only could an energy audit reveal areas where you can save your hard-earned money, the improvements made could lead to a healthier living environment as well.

A typical energy audit consists of the following procedures:

Monitoring carbon monoxide levels: The first major procedure in an energy audit is to test all the com­bustion appliances (i.e. furnace or boiler) that heat your home or build­ing. These are tested for efficiency and safe operation under different air pressures as well. By turning on vari­ous exhaust systems (for example, bathroom fans) throughout a house we can “pull” air away from com­bustion appliances. The tighter the house, the more the air “pulls” away. This can result in an unhealthy, even lethal, dispersion of carbon mon­oxide throughout the house if the appliances are not operating safely.

The second major test is the blower door test. This test reveals how “leaky” a building is. Using an in­frared camera, we are able to see the full effects of air entering and exiting the building envelope. While it is a somewhat complicated test to per­form, we encourage homeowners to be present because results are easy to understand and are the most reveal­ing of any of the tests we perform.

Other tests: Besides testing combus­tion appliances and the blower door test, there are many other tests we perform, depending on the home­owner’s interests and needs. A home energy audit can help to improve your home’s performance, showing you how you can save money and maybe even protect your health.