If you have a HVAC system in your home, you would want to enjoy its services without necessarily spending so much on energy bills. One of the steps to make your home more energy efficient is conducting an energy audit. An energy audit will help you evaluate how much energy you use in your home and determine the measures you need to take so as to improve efficiency.

It is worth noting that audits don’t save energy but the implementation of the recommended improvements. You can carry out Do-It-Yourself (DIY) audits or you can hire the services of a professional home energy auditor.

The best thing with working with a professional is the fact that he will offer extensive information on home improvement tune ups that can lower utility bills, enhance energy efficiency as well as increase comfort in your home. In addition, having a professional energy auditor will ensure you get a thorough audit done on each area that consumes energy in your home.

Do-It-Yourself Audits

For you to carry out a DIY home energy audit successfully, you need to have your last twelve months utility bills and an Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick. The Energy Yardstick is to help you compare energy efficiency in your home with other similar homes in the country. You will also be required to give some basic information about your home such as square footage, number of occupants and the age of your home. You will get recommendations on improvements you should do in your home to increase energy savings.

Professional Energy Audits

Professional energy assessments go into greater details to evaluate your home’s energy use. A professional energy auditor will undertake a room-to-room examination of your home and a thorough evaluation of your utility bills. He will use a variety of state-of-the-art equipment and techniques to establish the efficiency of your home.

Some of the equipment used include infrared cameras which shows missing insulation and hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration as well as blower doors that helps to measure the magnitude of leaks in the building envelope.
Among the things a professional home energy auditor will evaluate are:

• Energy bills
• HVAC system
• Water heater
• Insulation
• Ductwork
• Thermostat

After assessing your home, the energy auditor will give you recommendations on the things you need so as to enhance energy efficiency. He will advise you on the parts you need to replace as well as those that require comprehensive repairs to yield the best results.

Always ensure that you get a reputable company that has state-of-the-art equipment such as calibrated blower door to carry out the audit. This is important because the professional will be in a position to give you comprehensive recommendations on the improvements that you need to do to cost-effectively enhance your home’s energy efficiency.