Having an Energy Audit Can Save You Money on Utility Bills

Published on January 16, 2018

Having a formal home energy assessment can be very valuable in determining how a home is operating mechanically. In fact, a professional energy audit can save you money by setting the stage for lower utility bills. A home that is performing poorly is wasting valuable energy and wasting precious money. Worse still, it’s happening winter and summer throughout the year.

In a typical home, heating and air conditioning accounts for most of the energy consumption.  Having an energy audit can save you money because areas of poor mechanical performance can be rectified, and thousands of dollars of utility bills can be saved. With a Certified Energy Auditor on hand, retrofit recommendations can be made to resolve a host of energy efficiency issues.

Working with a Certified Energy Auditor

Certified Energy Auditors are accredited through National Resources Canada (NRCan). The aim with an energy audit is to demonstrably improve energy efficiency throughout the home. An energy audit can save you money because “weaknesses” in the home can be corrected so that energy efficiency is improved. A Certified Energy Auditor has the expertise to assess and evaluate everything from air leakage, to insulation performance, to the efficiency of the HVAC equipment.

Energy audits identify performance issues

By identifying energy performance issues in the home, an energy audit can save you money when those issues have been rectified. Indeed, an energy-efficient home performs better, provides greater comfort, and consumes less energy from season to season. Best of all, a home energy audit translates into a long-term action plan that allows for incremental repairs and retrofits.

• mechanical operations are assessed for performance efficiency
• issues and problems are highlighted for the purpose of solving
• utility bills are analysed in order to offer improvement options
• patterns of energy consumption are profiled to allow for change
• energy audit findings will set the stage for a viable action plan

An energy audit provides a “game plan”

Using high-tech equipment and advanced diagnostic tools, a Certified Energy Auditor can provide a viable “game plan” going forward. Certainly, every remedy will enhance home energy efficiency.

Upgrading home insulation 

Upgrading insulation in the attic or basement will definitely improve energy efficiency. Heating and cooling will be more efficient, and monthly energy consumption will be noticeably reduced.

Air sealing/draft proofing

Eliminating undesirable air leakage is critical to energy efficiency. A properly sealed home will not allow indoor heat to escape and will not allow outdoor heat to enter – there is no waste.

Re-installing air barriers

Upgrading air barriers in various parts of the home will improve airflow and better manage air moisture and air circulation. This also reduces demands on the HVAC system (heating/cooling).

Properly executed, a professional energy audit can save you money even with the most basic of corrective measures. With a Certified Energy Auditor, recommendations can be made for the high priority fixes to be made first, followed by lower priority fixes. The bottom line: to save money.