A Home Energy Audit Can Save You Money This Summer

Staying cool indoors should not be considered a luxury. Some Illinois residents spend a lot of money trying to ward off the summer heat. A home energy audit is a worthwhile service as it can uncover ways you can save.

What Is a Home Energy Audit?

A home energy audit is a thorough inspection of your home. A trained professional will examine your appliances, your entire HVAC system, your doors and windows, and other features of your home to see how they impact energy usage and efficiency.

To get the most out of your home energy audit, you must be prepared to provide recent utility bills and information such as your average thermostat setting and usage patterns, number of occupants, and household activities. The auditor will use information gathered to make recommendations so you can improve your home’s energy efficiency.

How a Home Energy Audit Saves You Money

Depending on the findings, some suggestions may require little or no time and expenditure, while others will involve more up-front costs, but are beneficial because they result in savings over time. Possible recommendations include:

• Using ceiling fans to help with cooling
• Using energy-efficient lights or bulbs
• Using curtains to help reduce the amount of sunlight entering through windows, or using landscaping, placing plants or trees outside your windows to block the sunlight
• How to adjust the settings on your thermostat properly, or how to best use a programmable thermostat for more efficient heating and cooling
• In other cases, the changes will come with a significant up-front cost. You may even have to replace your air conditioner if it is too old or inefficient. HVAC systems have SEER ratings or an Energy Star label to indicate energy efficiency.

You will receive a report that will help you to analyze the benefits of any changes or upgrades. You will be able to determine ways to increase energy efficiency around your home, but a professional audit will reveal problems you might not have considered or have the tools to uncover.

For more information about energy audits or ways to save money on energy in the Chicagoland area, contact Climate Master Mechanical Contractors, Inc. at (708) 597-5470. We provide home energy audit and other home comfort solutions.

Image provided by Shutterstock