Energy Audits And Your Home

At Virginia Foam we don’t advocate the use of insulation just because it helps improve the comfort and value of your home, we also know that proper insulation puts your home on the road to becoming more energy efficient.  Energy efficient houses are the homes of the future.  They’re good for the environment, good for the home’s value, and good for the home owners themselves.  If you’re planning on installing insulation in your home, why not go the extra mile and get an energy audit while you’re at it?

Energy Audits Defined

An energy audit is an inspection, analysis, and survey of energy flows for energy conservation in a home or building.  A home energy audit can give you a comprehensive look at the areas where your home is wasting the most energy, and how you can improve them.  The EPA estimates that the average home owner can save up to 30% on their energy bills after making the changes suggested after an energy audit is performed.  A home energy audit won’t just make your home more energy efficient.  A thorough energy audit can make your home more comfortable, uncover hidden problems, improve your home’s marketability, and can even earn you a tax incentive for simply having it done.

The Process

Your home energy auditor will most likely start off by carefully evaluating your HVAC system.  They check for any wear and tear, clogged filters, and other problems that could be affecting the efficiency of your current system.  They’ll also thoroughly check the insulation levels in your walls, floors, and attic.  Your energy auditor will probably use an infrared scanning device to get a better idea of where heat and air could be escaping or entering your home.  Your auditor will also probably perform a blower door test during the audit.  A blower door is a powerful fan that can be mounted into the frame of a door.  The fan pulls air out of the house which lowers the air pressure in the home, and the higher outside air pressure will flow in through all of the unsealed cracks and openings through your home.

The Energy Star website has a lot of information on who you can contact for an energy audit.  The website also has information if you’d like to perform an audit on your own.