Home Energy Audits Made Easy

distributed by noodls on 06/14/2012 15:25

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With energy costs continuously rising, many Illinois residents are turning to energy efficient household renovations in an attempt to lower their monthly bills. However, before homeowners begin any household project they should first consider a home energy audit. These audits allow a certified rater to pinpoint where the greatest energy loss in a given household may be, and the homeowner to maximize their own savings. These raters ensure that renovations focus on the areas of greatest energy loss, thereby saving homeowners both time and money.

State Senator from the 7th District Heather Steans recently discovered how useful a home energy audit can be thanks to Corbett Lunsford, Executive Director of Illinois Association of Energy Raters. Lunsford recently dropped by the Senator's home to perform a home energy audit and identify areas where the home was losing energy. For Senator Steans a majority of her heat loss was through her attic, a very common problem among homeowners. "The attic is not the best place to store things," says Lunsford "the main ingredient in insulation is air, not fiberglass, so when you set something on top of the insulation it pushes the air out and it doesn't work anymore."

Steans and Lunsford worked together to find a plan that would best work for her household. A few simple changes around the house could reduce the energy bill by as much as 50% and take around a week to complete. "In terms of investment, you get a much bigger bang for your buck," Steans said. Energy efficient changes such as these can be monitored in her monthly bill statements to see just how much you are saving over time. Besides seeing an immediate drop in monthly energy costs, these renovations will also raise your home's value.