From Air Leaks, Insulation & Lighting: Discover How to Check Your Sacramento Home’s Energy Usage, Energy Efficiency & Performance
California homeowners who are looking to save money on their energy bills this summer have a number of different options at their disposal.
One of the biggest mistakes that people make, however, is assuming that turning off the AC and suffering in the heat is a necessity to save money—it most certainly is not!
The key to keeping your cooling bills down this summer is to ensure that your home’s energy efficiency is up to par, and there are a few surefire ways to do so.
If you’re ready to take your home’s energy efficiency to the next level, here are a few great ways to get started:
1. Locate Air Leaks
Take a moment to look closely at your home’s baseboards and along the edge of your flooring (especially at junctures where your walls and ceilings meet).
You can perform what is essentially a homemade blower door test by closing the doors and windows of your home, turning off appliances and exhaust fans and then using incense sticks to locate leaks in each room.
If the smoke begins to form a trail leading into your baseboards, you’ve got air leaks to deal with.
2. Check Your Insulation
Insulation plays a key role in keeping your home warm and comfortable in the wintertime, but it’s also crucial for ensuring your home is cool when the summer sun is bearing down.
You can check for insulation in your attic hatch, as well as openings found in pipes, ductwork, chimneys and elsewhere throughout the home.
3. Inspect Your AC Unit
Heating and cooling units can contribute to energy efficiency issues, which is why it’s important to inspect them for leaks and dirty air filters. Units that are older than 15 years in age may require replacement, as their issues will only get worse with time.
4. Check Your Lighting
Did you know that lighting can account for approximately 10% of your energy bill? You can get a lot of mileage out of switching to LED lights if you haven’t already, as they tend to be far more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
If you’re ready to get serious about enhancing energy efficiency within your home, the team at California Energy Services is here to help.
We’ll work with your budget and needs to develop a plan for boosting energy efficiency for your El Dorado Hills home.
Contact us today to learn more or to schedule an energy assessment!
