If you own a home with an HVAC unit, chances are you’ve heard the term “energy audit” before, but what does it mean? Is there a reason why your system might be audited, and under what circumstances should you get an energy audit? If you’re unsure what this means or where to start, read on for a breakdown to help you understand.
What is an Energy Audit?
Energy audits aren’t only helpful when buying a new home – they also play a large role in maintaining any size HVAC unit to ensure that it’s running at its peak efficiency levels. An energy audit is a professional examination of key components of your HVAC unit – from the vents to the air filters. This process can identify how much energy your system is using to cool/heat your home and whether there are any issues that may be leading to unnecessary usage.
Benefits of a Professional Energy Audit
Regular professional energy audits can help cut your utility bill significantly – which is good news for homeowners who rely on lower monthly bills. Some common benefits of scheduling an energy audit include:
· Improved Home Comfort
When the HVAC system isn’t working properly, you may experience things like loud noise or uneven cooling/heating. An energy audit helps identify these problems and gets your system back up to par. In addition to having a more comfortable home, there are also some health concerns that can benefit from improved air quality, especially if you have allergies or difficulty breathing normally due to environmental factors (i.e., pollution).
· Improved Air Quality
Lower energy usage also means that you’ll be emitting fewer greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. A professional energy audit can not only help reduce your carbon footprint but may also qualify you for additional tax credits through certain federal programs. These can be especially helpful if you are planning on moving in the near future – or if your system is close to needing a replacement.
· Extended System Life
Along with increased efficiency and lowered energy usage, scheduling regular (or even sporadic) energy audits can actually lengthen the lifespan of your HVAC unit. With no serious damage or stress, cooling/heating units should last longer than average and save homeowners from costly repairs or replacements. However, be aware that some repairs may still be necessary even after a professional energy audit to ensure the unit is operating as efficiently as possible.
· Maximized Return on Investment
Another benefit of a regular HVAC system analysis is that once repaired or installed, you can maximize your return on investment (ROI). When the HVAC system is up and running, homeowners can enjoy increased comfort levels at all times of day and ideal temperature throughout their entire home. With such benefits, energy audits are an integral part of any good maintenance program for your HVAC unit – and help you save money in the long run by extending its life and improving your quality of living.
Your local heating and air conditioning contractor should also be able to suggest additional measures for lowering your energy consumption and costs, which can include anything from installing a programmable thermostat to sealing up any potential leaking in the home.
Things to Keep in Mind
In order to make the most out of this process, there are a few things you should know about how energy audits work and what they entail:
· Energy Efficiency Varies by Geographical Location
Since certain parts of the country experience different seasons or temperatures for longer periods of time, it’s important that your system is running at a peak performance level at all times. An HVAC specialist will be able to customize different settings to suit your needs based on years of local expertise – no matter where you live. In addition, some homeowners may want to implement special programmable settings that allow them to save energy during certain times of the day, such as when they’re at work or asleep.
· Performance Issues Are Not Always the System’s Fault
It may not always be possible for an audit to identify a serious issue with your HVAC unit – which means there could still be trouble down the road. However, if you experience frequent breakdowns and/or other performance issues (i.e., loud noises), it might be time to get a second opinion from another specialist before making any final decisions about installation or repairs. With so many options for heating and air conditioning systems on today’s market, it can pay off, in the long run, to have multiple specialists provide different opinions about your next steps.
· Get Professional Help for More Complicated Questions
If you have any questions or concerns about the potential costs of an energy audit, want to determine whether or not it’s worth the investment, or are unsure what types of problems may be present within your system – don’t hesitate to ask. A friendly professional will provide you with all the information you need before signing off on anything (including suggestions for improvements that could help lower utility costs down the road).
The Benefits of Regular Energy Audits
As shown above, there are several benefits to having a regular energy audit performed by a reputable heating and AC contractor. Not only can they make sure your HVAC unit is running at peak performance levels all year round, but you can also expect to see a significant reduction in your energy costs once it’s all said and done.
If you’re unsure whether or not to invest in a regular energy audit, consider the information above before making a final decision. Ideally, this process should be performed every few years (or as needed) – but doing so can help extend your system’s life expectancy and provide you with peace of mind about its performance levels. In addition, if you have any questions about how an audit is conducted or why they are important for homeowners to have from time to time, feel free to reach out to our team of experts at Austin AC.