Earth Day is an annual celebration of the modern environmental movement. It’s also an opportunity to reconsider our lives and households and find ways to reduce our carbon footprints even further. A home energy audit in advance of Earth Day is a great place to begin.
A home energy audit provides a homeowner an understanding of their home as a system rather than individual components. Your roof, siding, insulation, windows, doors, HVAC system and so forth all contribute to the energy efficiency of the building envelope. An audit will comprise inspections, testing and analysis. It will include an itemized and prioritized list of where your energy losses are occurring. You can then use that information to plan how to best allocate your home improvement budget.
Air Leakage
Air leakage occurs through unintentional openings in your home. Windows and doors are among the common culprits. Even if you can’t replace old doors and windows just yet, there may be steps that you can take. New weatherstripping and door socks, for instance, can make a big difference.
Other areas of concern include electrical outlets and cracks in ceilings, walls and your foundation. Foam or silicone gaskets are often an easy and affordable fix for drafty outlets. You can often correct imperfections in walls and ceilings with fresh caulking and paint and, in severe cases, new drywall. A professional can fill rim joist gaps and seal cracks in your foundation and, if applicable, basement.
Ventilation
The downside to a perfect home when it comes to air leakage is no natural ventilation. This can be dangerous if you have heating that burns natural gas, fuel oil or propane. It’s important to have proper exhaust systems and well-functioning CO monitors in place. Even if you don’t burn fuel, indoor air quality is a concern. This is particularly true in winter and summer when you close all windows and doors.
In some homes, it may be advisable to install mechanical ventilation, such as an energy or heat recovery ventilator. Energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) introduce fresh air to the home. These systems have the added advantage of recovering energy losses through exhaust for better energy efficiency. ERVs also recover moisture, which can offset the need for a furnace humidifier.
Insulation
Insulation is a key component of the building envelope. If you don’t have enough of it or what’s there has degraded, the energy losses can be significant. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that the average household is spending 10% to 20% more due to old or missing insulation.
The general recommendation is to replace attic insulation every 15 years. You should also check and replace as needed insulation around your HVAC equipment and water heater. Check if you have insulation in your walls. Many older homes do not. Note that there are often options for installing and removing insulation without damaging the drywall and other surfaces.
Lighting
Lighting is an aspect of energy audits that often surprises homeowners. Many people assume that lighting-related costs are minimal relative to the other topics covered. But this is typically not the case. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are by far the most energy-efficient lighting option. You should use them wherever it’s practical as it will reduce your energy consumption. In cases where it’s not, you can consider compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or energy-saving incandescent bulbs.
There are ways to go greener beyond just your bulb choices. You can make better use of the natural light you have available and add additional natural light sources. Smart lighting can make a big difference as well. That encompasses smart bulbs but also lighting connected to smart outlets. Shut them off by voice, or have them turn off automatically after a certain period or at a set time.
HVAC
It probably comes as no surprise that your HVAC system is a big part of your energy consumption. What may surprise you is the amount of loss likely associated with it. The EPA estimates that 20% of what Americans spend on heating and cooling is simply wasted energy.
The most obvious upgrade on this front is a programmable or smart thermostat. Many homeowners spend unnecessarily on HVAC when the household is working and at school. If you make a change of just 7 degrees over eight hours, you can lower costs by 8% to 15%. Smart or Wi-Fi thermostats also open up other opportunities, such as energy reporting and automatic smart setback.
The other big opportunity to lower carbon footprint is switching to a heat pump. Heats pumps are by far the most energy-efficient heating and cooling solution available for homes. There is a prevalent misconception that heat pumps aren’t suitable for New Jersey. But this isn’t the case, and there are multiple options.
Geothermal heating and cooling is the most expensive up front but very affordable long term. There are energy-efficient air-source heat pumps that are impressively efficient during the coldest Northeast temperatures. You can also opt for a more affordable air-source heat pump and pair it with a furnace for auxiliary heating.
Appliances
Major appliances, plumbing fixtures and electronics all provide opportunities to consume less. If you have older major appliances, this is an excellent time to replace them. We recommend ENERGY STAR-certified appliances. Those are generally the most eco-friendly appliances available. They can also make you eligible for federal tax credits and local energy rebates that help offset the initial investment.
Tankless water heaters use between 8% and 14% less energy at least. For bigger households, those numbers rise to 20% and 30%. You can also invest in high-efficiency toilets, showerheads and faucets that will significantly reduce your water consumption.
The biggest issue with electronics is phantom draw. Even when you’re not using them, many of the appliances and electronics in your home drain electricity. The easiest way to combat this loss is through smart outlets that prevent such usage.
Renewable Energy
Renewable energy provides significant opportunities to minimize your carbon footprint. Such options have long seemed out of reach for many homeowners. But that is changing and will continue to change in the decades ahead. Options include wind energy, geothermal energy and solar energy.
Solar panels for residential use are particularly notable. Roof-based solar panel solutions are cheaper than they’ve ever been. There are federal and local incentives available. Battery systems allow you to store energy for later usage. In New Jersey, you also have the option of net metering. This lets you sell energy to the grid in exchange for credits. When you need power from the grid, you can use those available credits.
Local Energy Audits in Central New Jersey
If you’d like to schedule a home energy audit in or near Hamilton Township, Conway Comfort Heating & Cooling is here to help. Our team includes NCI- and NATE-certified technicians who also clean ducts and install air purifiers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers. We install, maintain and repair all heating and cooling systems. That includes ducted, ductless, single-zone and multi-zone configurations. We provide commercial HVAC and indoor air quality services, too. Call us today or contact us online to learn more about these services or to schedule an appointment or consultation.
