What to Expect From a Home Energy Audit

With the continuously rising cost of energy these days, many homeowners are finding ways to somehow save energy and reduce the cost they need to pay for monthly energy consumption. Many homeowners have resorted to home energy audit, which today is becoming more and more popular. But what is really an energy audit? How is energy auditing done, and what are the processes involved?
Energy audit refers to the process of evaluating and assessing energy consumption at home and employing inexpensive solutions that will help reduce the use and waste of energy. Energy audit involves a number of processes, and the kind of auditing process employed at your home depends on the company that you have hired. Good energy audit companies, however, offer the basic energy audit processes such as the blower door test, duct leakage test, moisture evaluation test, and thermal imaging analysis.
An energy auditing process usually starts from a consultation and meeting with a customer. During the process, an energy auditor will talk to you and ask you about your energy consumption problems. Some auditors may also ask for your electric bills for the past months so they can review and evaluate them. Also, during the initial consultation, you can schedule the time and day on when the actual energy audit will be done.
After the initial consultation comes the actual energy auditing. During this process, which usually lasts for three to four hours, your energy auditor starts to assess and examine your home and your appliances, especially your heating and air conditioning system. A good energy auditor – one who is equipped with high-end tools like infrared camera and thermal imagers – will perform a variety of techniques. The blower door test, for example, determines which particular areas of the house have holes and cavities through which the air from air conditioning system can leak. The thermal imaging analysis, on the other hand, is used to determine whether or not the walls are properly insulated. An energy auditor usually makes use of an infrared camera to be able to see through the walls and find out your home’s level of insulation. Meanwhile, the duct leakage test helps an energy auditor uncover damaged and leaky ducts, which are also considered major causes of energy waste at home.
Aside from these processes, one important thing that you also need to expect during energy auditing is a final report from your energy auditor. This is given after all the processes have been conducted. The report contains all the data that the energy auditor has discovered during the auditing. These include a report on where the energy at home is wasted the most, how it is wasted, and how much energy is wasted. The report also includes measures and solutions that you need to employ in order to reduce energy use and waste at home.
The growing demand for this type of service indicates that the energy auditing process may just be the ultimate solution to reducing the cost of energy use at home. Many homeowners, and even office establishments and building owners, have expressed satisfaction with the process. And should you choose to avail of this type of service, there are now a lot of energy audit companies that you can choose from.

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About the Author:
Star Energy Audits is locally owned and operated by Brad Harris. Our Office is located in New Orleans and operates in the Gulf South region to include Biloxi to Venice. Baton Rouge to Houma. Brad Harris has been a residential builder since 1996 and has a complete understanding of Residential and Commercial business and considers the most efficient and effective means of accomplishing the job under any circumstances.