There may be a lot of people who are troubled by the fact that they have not used much electricity this month, but how come their electricity bill expenses are so high? This is when you need to conduct a home energy audit to get a full picture of the electricity consumption of your appliances for a complete upgrade.
A home energy audit is a comprehensive inspection of a home to assess the energy usage of the entire home. Typically a homeowner will hire a professional energy auditor, who will begin the inspection by checking all energy consuming systems in the home. From the air conditioner to the refrigerator to the electrical systems such as the lighting and how well the ducts are sealed. Once the inspection is complete, tests are conducted to find the best ways to improve the home’s energy use.
The cost of a home energy audit for an average home ranges from $100-$550, but can exceed $1,000 for particularly complex home types. Some states have home energy audit tax credits that can reduce the cost by 30%, up to $150. Because there are a number of factors that can affect the cost of a home energy audit, the cost of energy audit fees varies from home to home.
The size of the home: usually home energy audits are charged according to square footage, which is around $0.1 to $0.5 per square foot. So the larger the size of the house, the higher the cost of home energy audit.
Types of Tests: There are three types of tests typically used in energy audits: blower door tests, duct tests, and infrared imaging. In general, the more complex the test type, the more expensive it is. Duct testing is usually the cheapest and infrared imaging is the most expensive.
Reducing Electricity Expenses: Through a home energy audit, we can learn about home energy usage and can replace abnormal energy consuming equipment with normal equipment, thus reducing energy consumption and electricity expenses.
Risk control: Home energy audits can find out what aging electrical circuits and appliances are in the home, and replace them after discovery to reduce the probability of fires or other hazards in the house, thus minimizing the risk.
According to companies, homes that are upgraded after a home energy audit can reduce their electricity bills by up to 30%. This means that if you normally pay $100 for electricity, you will now only pay $70. Below is a table documenting the cost of energy-saving changes made to a particular American home after a home energy audit, as well as its savings over a 10-year period.
The table shows that after 10 years, the savings exceeded the cost of purchasing new equipment.
For most families, a home energy audit is necessary to save money on electricity bills, but also to reduce the risks that threaten our personal safety.
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