Maintaining a home can be challenging. Similarly, you’ve to be careful about maintaining a comfortable and energy-efficient home, and that’s why you’ve to think about energy consumption. Many people install efficient energy systems at home, but they don’t do audits. So, this article includes the signs that you’ve to hire home energy audit experts.
Many people have never focused on home energy audits, but they can help improve energy use. That’s because an audit will help get an in-depth analysis of the energy system. However, if you aren’t sure if you should hire home energy audit experts or not, we are sharing some signs that you’ve to look out for.
1. Sudden Increase in Energy Bills
In the last few years, the energy costs have increased a lot. Every month, the electricity bill gives a little heart attack, right? However, if your energy bill exceeds the normal range, this means that you’ve to hire home energy audit experts. That’s because a sudden increase in energy bills shows that something is not working properly.
Issue Identification
First of all, we know how off-putting it can be to receive such a huge electricity bill. This particularly happens when you haven’t increased the energy usage either. You must compare your current energy bill with the bills from the past few months. If the fluctuations are normal, you don’t have to worry about it. However, if the increase is significant, you’ve to call the experts.
Potential Reasons
There are different reasons behind high energy bills. To begin with, there could be an inefficiency in the cooling and heating system, and the insulation could be bad. In addition, there are chances that energy is leaking through the doors and windows. Not to forget, if you are using aging appliances, they will consume more energy. It mostly happens when the appliances aren’t Energy Star-certified.
That’s because these appliances start consuming more energy as they become less efficient with time. On the other hand, the Energy Star-certified appliances will keep the energy bills in control.
Before you hire home energy audit experts for a home assessment, you should check the house’s energy system on your own. For instance, you should look for gaps around the windows and doors. Also, check if the heating and cooling systems are working harder as compared to regular use.
How an Energy Audit Will Help?
When you hire an expert energy audit person, they will use specialized tools. Some of these tools include infrared cameras and blower doors to find areas where energy is getting wasted. In simpler words, it will help find the root cause, which isn’t possible with a casual inspection.
2. Inconsistent Temperatures in Indoors
When your home has different temperatures in different areas, it shows inconsistency. Remember that this will become a comfort issue and also shows that you need to assess the energy efficiency of your home. When the temperature is inconsistent, it means that something is wrong with the ventilation, heating, or HVAC as a whole.
Issue Identification
If some rooms are colder or warmer than the other rooms, this means that the HVAC system isn’t distributing the air consistently. There are various reasons behind it, such as poor insulation, an aging system, and blocked air ducts.
Potential Reasons
To begin with, you should check the HVAC vents because they might have blockages. The vents must be open, and there shouldn’t be any obstruction. In addition, you should look for drafts around the doors and windows because it can result in cooling and heating issues.
Secondly, you should check the insulation because it helps maintain consistent temperature. If the insulation is degraded, it will result in heat loss during the winter season. Similarly, the summer season will result in heat gain. If you aren’t sure, you can always hire home energy audit experts.
How an Energy Audit Will Help?
When you see inconsistent temperatures in different parts of the home, you should hire home energy audit experts. That’s because home energy audit experts can help find the root cause of this issue. They have thermal imaging and diagnostic tools to see if the insulation is not sufficient. Also, home energy audit experts will be able to find blockages in the vents and ducts.
3. HVAC Systems Getting Old
A clear sign that your home might need an energy audit is an HVAC system that is getting old. As HVAC systems get older, they tend to work less well, use more energy, and have trouble keeping your home at the right temperature.
Issue Identification
Most HVAC systems last between 15 and 20 years. If your system is getting close to or past this age, it probably isn’t working as well as it could be. Frequent breaks, strange noises, and less heating or cooling power are all signs of an old system.
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Your HVAC system may work less well over time because of normal wear and tear. This means that your home needs more energy to heat or cool, which means that your energy bills will be higher. An older system may also have trouble keeping temperatures stable, which is another sign of waste.
Potential Reasons
Your HVAC system will last longer and work better if you take care of it regularly. But systems will finally show signs of age, even if they are well taken care of. You might save more money in the long run by getting a new one if you have to fix things a lot.
How an Energy Audit Will Help?
Home energy audit experts can tell you how well your HVAC system works. Home energy audit experts can use tools like fan doors and infrared cameras to check your system and see if it’s working right or if it’s making your home lose energy. Upgrading to a newer, more energy-efficient HVAC system may be a good idea if your old one is found to be a big source of energy loss.
These days, HVAC systems are made to use less energy while still keeping you comfortable. This saves you money in the long run and makes your home greener.
Having said all this, if you are witnessing any of these signs in your home’s energy system, you can call Eco Energy Solutions. That’s because the company is offering home energy audit experts!
