How is your home’s efficiency affecting your energy bill? That question is a concern for homeowners in Sandy Springs and neighboring areas, but the steps you would take during a basic home assessment only scratch the surface when trying to identify energy drains. Auditors certified by the Building Performance Institute take the process to a different level, with diagnostic tests and written reports that make your home a more comfortable, efficient place to live. Here’s how a total energy audit can work for you.
Sizing Up the Leaks
If you’re feeling a draft in different rooms, or if one room feels warmer than others when you turn on the heat, it’s clear your home could use an energy audit. The process starts by identifying the source of these leaks. Leaky ducts take professional equipment to diagnose, but you can probably eyeball general issues if there are spaces around sockets or light fixtures. Other leaks may be present in your attic’s insulation, or around doors and windows. Full-scale audits of a home get to the bottom of these problems through the use of specialized tools.
How the BPI Auditors Complete the Tests
The BPI-certified auditor will walk through your home with you to explain how leaks drain energy and how you can address the problems. It start with a general home assessment in which you make identify any issues you may have. Then, the auditor will perform more scientific diagnostic tests. The blower door test includes pressurizing your home to determine where the leaks are present. A duct blaster test will follow, as will a review of major appliances to check on possible carbon monoxide leaks. You’ll get a comprehensive summary of diagnoses and suggestions about addressing all problems.
Following the Auditor’s Recommendations
The report you receive from auditors follows a second check of every test the team made. In every case, auditors will suggest ways to increase your home’s efficiency through steps you can put into effect immediately. A list of priorities will make it clear how you can invest in better comfort and efficiency.
Your initial complaint may have been the draft in a certain room, and you can certainly begin your repairs there. The team of professionals, may suggest a more pressing problem, however, whether it be poor insulation in your home’s attic or gaps around gas lines.
Addressing the Unseen Forces
Even though it’s obvious your home is drafty, the path to a more comfortable and efficient home may not be direct. Replacing insulation in the attic might be one solution, but a new heating system or hot water heater could be just as effective. Water heaters for a home’s bathrooms are continually identified as energy wasters. Find out about tankless heaters and other innovative ways to turn the tide in energy efficiency.
Reliable Heating & Air’s skilled technicians take BPI certification seriously. From duct sealing to insulation installation and replacement of cooling systems, it’s best to find answers to your home’s issues before drawing up a repair budget. Reliable’s expert team can help you make a plan of attack that will improve your home’s efficiency now.
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