Beat the heat
From https://tauschercronacher.com/beat-the-heat-with-a-long-island-home-inspector-infographic/
It’s summertime again on Long Island, which means that heat is on the rise and it can make people uncomfortable even in their homes. While the hot climate makes some excellent opportunities to visit nearby beaches and resorts, your trusty air conditioning appliances will need to do extra work to keep your body cool. With average temperatures reaching as high as 79 F°, your electric bill is going to be way more costly indeed.
To save yourself from such dilemma, you’re going to need to find some ways in order to improve your home’s energy efficiency. In case you don’t know, energy efficiency is the practice of reducing the usage of energy by eliminating any wasted energy use. Aside from purchasing appliances with energy efficient labels, another great way of saving energy is by hiring the best long island home inspectors. These professionals can provide high-quality home energy audit services to help you have thorough data on how much energy your home currently consumes. A home energy audit can also give a go-signal whether you need to install additional energy-efficient systems or not.
If you want to learn more about the process of Home Energy Audit, take a look at this infographic brought to you by Tauscher Cronacher:
What is a Home Energy Audit?
A home energy audit is a process wherein a home inspector assesses how much energy a home consumes and recommend ways to make it more efficient. This process involves the examination of different systems and materials present in the property which have a significant impact on the energy consumption of the household, including the furnace, air conditioning unit, ductwork, insulation, and windows, etc.
The scope of the service, however, can vary depending on the requirements of the homeowner. Some home energy audits can range from a simple visual inspection of the HVAC system to more involved diagnostic testing.
At the end of the assessment, the home inspector – upon homeowner’s approval – may also install new and more energy-efficient systems and materials such as LED light bulbs, low flow showerheads, weather stripping in the windows, and caulking around every room in the house.
What are the Benefits of a Home Energy Audit?
According to latest statistics, the electricity costs that New York households paid in May 2018 (21.0 cents/kWh) were 54% more than the national average of 13.6 cents/kWh. In the past five years, the electricity charges for New York consumers in May were 33 to 54% more than the national average.
The ever-increasing cost of electricity is the reason why it’s imperative for Long Island homeowners to know whether their home is performing efficiently, and a home energy audit can help them get there. Here are just a few of the benefits that can be enjoyed after conducting an energy audit:
- Improved home comfort – Home energy audit can uncover any issues that might be affecting the performance of the home’s heating and cooling systems.
- Reduced energy bills – More efficient heating and cooling systems mean less energy consumption which means homeowners will pay less on their electricity bills.
- Extend systems useful life – Addressing issues such as air leaks and poor insulation can enhance the longevity of the heating and cooling systems as they no longer have to function harder than they should just to regulate temperature.
- Better indoor air quality – During an energy audit, the home inspector will check if there are any indoor air quality issues which can expose the household to different health risks, especially if dust, dirt, and mold are at play.
Why Hire a Long Island Home Inspector?
With the right resources and skills, Long Island homeowners can conduct the home energy audit themselves. However, it’s important to understand that this undertaking should go beyond the simple adding and comparing numbers from previous and present utility bills in order to produce the aforementioned benefits.
A professional home inspector with a well-rounded knowledge about energy efficiency inspection can do the job more effectively and in a timely manner – saving the homeowner both the time and effort in the process. InterNACHI also states more reasons why it makes more sense to hire an expert home inspector than taking a DIY approach to home energy inspection:
- Home inspectors have the technology, such as Thermographic Scans, to determine where the problem areas in the house are accurate.
- They can run an Air Infiltration test to gauge whether the home is properly sealed, over-insulated, or has air leaks which could lead to harmful mold growth inside the house.
- They will check if the house has proper insulation that prevents the heat from getting in during scorching, hot days or getting out during frigid, cold days.
- They can help homeowners decide what devices to upgrade based on their energy consumption, which can also lead to substantial energy rebates from the state. To put this in perspective, qualifying Long Island residents can currently take advantage of NYSERDA Assisted Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® program and get up to a 50% discount on their energy cost.
- They provide detailed audit report which can help homeowners determine the necessary investments they have to make to ensure more efficient energy use.
- They can help create an actionable plan to make the home more comfortable and cozy to live in not only in summer but all year round.
With a detailed energy audit report produced by professional home inspectors, homeowners can either choose to do the recommended repairs by themselves or hire a contractor to do the work
By hiring a Long Island home inspector to conduct an energy efficiency audit this summer, homeowners can make the necessary adjustments which can result in significantly lower electric bills and a more energy-efficient home in the long run.
To know more about Energy Efficiency Inspection services, visit our website today www.tauschercronacher.com