Would you toss dollar bills out a window? Slip loose change into the HVAC vents or between the walls? Willingly over-pay your utility bill, month after month after month?
Of course not, you say! And yet, energy inefficiencies throughout the home – leaky air drafts, inadequate insulation, outdated equipment and appliances – may be robbing your budget as surely as if you simply threw the money aside yourself.
Energy inefficiency is a stealthy pickpocket, but you can stop this thief. What’s needed is a home energy audit – a thorough assessment of necessary as well as unwitting consumption – all in an effort to capture the significant savings potential of reduced waste. Fixing efficiency problems generally pays for itself over time; what’s more, you’ll enjoy higher comfort levels along with a lower utility bill.
You can conduct a very simple audit yourself or, for a more thorough assessment, call in a professional with access to technical equipment (calibrated blower doors and infrared cameras, for example) to better detect sources of energy loss and the expertise to properly inspect mechanical systems.
Common – and costly – inefficiencies include:
- Drafts. Air leaks can increase utility bills by up to 30% while simultaneously decreasing comfort. Drafts often occur through gaps along the baseboard and/ or ceilings as well as electrical outlets, switch plates, fireplace dampers and attic hatches. Windows and doors – especially older ones – are common drafty culprits.
- Insufficient insulation. Less-than ideal insulation in walls and ceilings incurs constant energy loss. Visual inspection of the attic and basement – checking for adequate insulation, vapor barriers and weather-stripping – is fairly simple, but accurately assessing insulation within the walls requires t h e r m o g r a p h i c technology.
- Outdated heating & cooling equipment. HVAC is the biggest energy expense in most of our homes. Replacing heat pumps and air conditioners more than 10 years old with a new Energy Star-rated comfort system can save up to 40% on heating/ cooling costs.
Carolina Heating Service specializes in indoor weather solutions including residential and commercial heating/air conditioning systems. Contact us at 864.232.5684 or or Email Us.
