Why should I get an energy audit?
Now that Winter is finally here in the Hudson Valley, you may be thinking about some energy upgrades. You have probably done what a lot of others do, myself included. The first thing you do is shiver, then either fold your arms and hug yourself or rub your hands together. You think," Man, its cold in here". Next you walk over to the thermostat and check the temperature. "That can't be right" you say "This says it's 70 degrees in here." So, what do you do? You turn up the heat.
This is what most people do and although it may feel good, you are essentially throwing money away. I am here to tell you that the problem in not that your thermostat is broke or that your heater is not working properly. Chances are, you have an air-sealing issue. The average home has enough air leakage to add up to a 2 square foot hole. That is the equivilent of leaving a medium-sized window open 24-7.
Okay, now after reading this article up to this point, you probably want to get up and walk around, feeling for drafty areas. While you "may" find the most noticable ones, you may not. Don't bother. There's a simple solution and for most people, it dosen't cost a dime! "What!" you say, "Nothing is FREE. What's the catch?" Well, you are correct. Not that there's a "catch" but that nothing is free. You already paid for it. It is a Home Energy Assessment and it is available to all residents in New York State and for most, there is no charge. On your utility bill there is a fee called an SBC Charge. This charge is collected by all NYS utility companies and placed into a pool to fund this program. So, you see, you did pay for it! Why not use it!
A home energy assessment/audit will help determine where you are losing energy and ways you can stop this. This saves you money, which we can all use a little more of, and reduces your carbon footprint. The energy auditor also addresses potential health and safety issues within your home. Some examples are checking fuel/gas supply line for leaks and making sure smoke/CO detectors are installed correctly and working properly. All of this could save you 25% or more on your utility bill. Again, you paid for this, why not use it!
During the professional home energy assessment from RDAC, our auditors will complete a variety of tasks including, analyzing your energy bills, completing visual, health and safety inspections. Using special energy auditing equipment, such as a blower door and infrared camera, we can pinpoint areas of energy loss. Based on the information collected, we generate a comprhensive home energy report. This report breaks down all the areas of concern for your home and shows the recomended remedies, as well as potetial savings from these remedies all for "FREE". Well, not really, you already paid for it!
Remember, the home energy assessment is only the first step to cutting your energy bills. Making the recommended energy efficiency upgrades is what leads to energy savings. If you live in the Hudon Valley, call RDAC today! 845-713-4568
