Are you looking for ways to reduce the energy bills in your South Texas home? On a lazy Saturday, you can conduct a simple energy audit to find problem areas in your home. You don’t have to be a highly trained professional to find sources of wasted energy in any type of house.
Create a simple “Energy Audit Checklist”
The first item on your energy audit checklist should be air leaks. Drafts in your home can increase your energy bills from 5 to 30 percent.
Some of the most common places to find air leaks are:
- Around electrical outlets and switch plates
- Doors and windows
- Baseboards
- Fireplace dampers
- Attic access hatches
- Through-wall or window-mounted air conditioners
- Pipe or electrical penetrations
- Mail slots
Perform a check of your home’s exterior, paying particular attention to areas where different building materials meet such as:
- Corners
- Chimney intersections
- Foundation/siding joints
Any gaps, penetrations or holes should be plugged or caulked. All existing caulking should be inspected for cracks and deterioration.
The next item on your checklist should be insulation. Heat loss from improper or insufficient insulation can increase your heating and cooling bills significantly. Check these key areas:
- Attic access hatches (should be insulated as well as your attic)
- Attic insulation (adequate R-value and thickness)
- Attic vents (clear any obstructions)
Next on your list should be your heating and cooling equipment:
- Filters should be cleaned or replaced as needed
- Rinse off the outside condenser coils
- Make sure around your outside condensing unit is clean and free of debris and shrubs so it can breathe easier
- Consider replacing older systems with newer, more efficient ones
- Inspect ducts for air leaks and proper insulation
Finally, review your lighting:
- Replace 100-watt bulbs with 60 or 75 watts wherever possible
- Consider using compact fluorescent bulbs
For more information go to our website www.ccacac.com and check out Maintenance Homeowners Can Do. For answers to all of your energy audit questions, contact the experts at Mathews CCAC Inc. in Corpus Christi. At Mathews CCAC we are Constantly Concerned About Customers.
Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy audits and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Mathews CCAC Air Conditioning and Heating services Corpus Christi, TX. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!
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