If you have a relatively newly constructed home or a new home, don’t assume that there are no opportunities to save energy. Energy saving technology has evolved rapidly over the last few years, outpacing the training commonly available to many professional builders.
Although a professional energy audit can provide you with a more thorough assessment of your home’s energy use, a simple do-it-yourself walk through can help you pinpoint where energy is being wasted.
First, find out how much energy is being used, by keeping a log and reading your meter each week. At the end of four weeks, add up the kilowatts used and divide the total by the number of days to get your average daily usage. Once the audit is complete and changes are made, monitor usage again.
There are 4 things you should do to conduct a d-i-y energy audit:
1) Check for air leaks. The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5% to 30% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward.
2) Check your insulation. Heat loss through the ceiling and walls in your home could be very large if the insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum.
3) Inspect the heating and cooling equipment. Inspect heating and cooling equipment annually, or as recommended by the manufacturer. If you have a forced-air furnace, check your filters and replace them as needed. Generally, you should change them about once every month or two, especially during periods of high usage.
4) Check and replace your light bulbs. Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. Examine the light bulbs in your house and consider replacing inefficient bulbs with a more efficient choice, such as energy-saving incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
5) How efficient are your appliances? The appliances you choose and how you use them affect your energy use and costs. Examine the appliances in your home and estimate their energy use. Consider strategies for reducing the energy use of your appliances.
Why not let us find you the property or investment that you are looking for? Our experience and know how, makes us one of the most trusted realtors on the Lower Mainland. Contact us or call us on 604 913 1000.
How To Conduct a DIY Home Energy Audit
If you have a relatively newly constructed home or a new home, don’t assume that there are no opportunities to save energy. Energy saving technology has evolved rapidly over the last few years, outpacing the training commonly available to many professional builders.
Although a professional energy audit can provide you with a more thorough assessment of your home’s energy use, a simple do-it-yourself walk through can help you pinpoint where energy is being wasted.
First, find out how much energy is being used, by keeping a log and reading your meter each week. At the end of four weeks, add up the kilowatts used and divide the total by the number of days to get your average daily usage. Once the audit is complete and changes are made, monitor usage again.
There are 4 things you should do to conduct a d-i-y energy audit:
1) Check for air leaks. The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5% to 30% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward.
2) Check your insulation. Heat loss through the ceiling and walls in your home could be very large if the insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum.
3) Inspect the heating and cooling equipment. Inspect heating and cooling equipment annually, or as recommended by the manufacturer. If you have a forced-air furnace, check your filters and replace them as needed. Generally, you should change them about once every month or two, especially during periods of high usage.
4) Check and replace your light bulbs. Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. Examine the light bulbs in your house and consider replacing inefficient bulbs with a more efficient choice, such as energy-saving incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), or light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
5) How efficient are your appliances? The appliances you choose and how you use them affect your energy use and costs. Examine the appliances in your home and estimate their energy use. Consider strategies for reducing the energy use of your appliances.
Why not let us find you the property or investment that you are looking for? Our experience and know how, makes us one of the most trusted realtors on the Lower Mainland. Contact us or call us on 604 913 1000.