New advice on home improvements that could save you big bucks on your energy bills
The average cost for electricity and gas per household runs between $200-$300 each month. Add that to internet, cellphone, cable, water, and streaming service bills, and the average U.S. household pays just under $7,000 every year for utilities.
Boston 25 consumer adviser Clark Howard explains there’s one thing you can do right now to find out you are leaking money in your house and how to keep that cash in your wallet.
It’s called an energy audit and before you replace your windows or your heating and air conditioning system, Howard says you should have one: It could save you thousands!
“If you are having issues in this room, I guarantee you it’s mostly due to probably distribution of air,” energy auditor William Crawford explained.
An Energy Audit is diagnostic testing that’s designed to determine exactly where your home’s losing energy.
“The biggest value is giving you the information, not just when to spend money, but when not to spend money, said energy audit company owner, Shane Matteson.
Windows are a first area to check. As houses settle into the earth, window frames bow, and energy escapes. But replacing windows is costly, potentially $700 to $1300 a piece Crawford said.
He explains weather stripping is often a more efficient solution than replacement.
The average cost is between $100-$500, depending on the size of your home.
Adding a storm window is another option. Most run under $500
Now you’ve solved window leakage.
Next Crawford attaches a blower to depressurize the house and create a vacuum at the door to find out where the leaks are coming from.
In this case, the door that separates the unfinished basement from the rest of the home was the issue. He says if you are not using a doggie door, get rid of it to save money.
A thermal detector found hot air seeping from the attic.
What’s known as an ‘attic tent’ solves that problem for anywhere between $30 and $200.
And while foam insulation may be the ‘in thing’, it’s not always the best thing for your home.
“Let’s say for an attic if you don’t have an HVAC system up there, generally it’s not going to pay for itself to go foam because spray foam costs more than twice as much as is traditional fiberglass or cellulose insulation,” Crawford said.
Next, he looks for gas leaks in the water heater and furnace.
Finally, he uses a pressure pan to test the ducts.
After just two hours this homeowner had energy-saving solutions that won’t break the bank
Some of the cheaper fixes you can even do yourself versus hiring a contractor, to save even more. If you do get a contractor, get multiple quotes to secure the best deal.
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