Home Energy Efficiency Concerns
Are you looking to make your home more energy efficient? Do you have concerns? This article will help put your mind at ease with the energy efficiency process and the steps to ensuring you upgrade your home or commercial building the right way.
Your home is the most valuable asset you own. When making major decisions about home improvements it’s only common sense to weigh all the variables…and your priorities… It is important to not jump into any decisions without being made aware of all of your options, costs, and solutions first. Companies like EnergyLink, an energy efficiency solutions company for residential, commercial, and rental properties in Columbia, Missouri, offer consultations and energy audits to help fill you in on all of your options.
Home Energy Concerns. Which is Your Top Priority?
1. Is comfort most important to you? If you’re like most homeowners that energy efficiency companies tend to work with, comfort is a major consideration. You’ve invested a lot of money in your home, there’s no sense in living in a drafty, noisy, uncomfortable home. Above all else, your home should be a refuge from the world, a safe haven. Warm, peaceful and secure. The efficiency of your home plays a key role in the comfort your home will provide.
2. Is energy conservation important to you? Regardless of your opinions on global warming and political unrest heightened by diminishing oil reserves, we all know that conserving your home’s energy is good for the planet, good for our country and good for future generations. Making your home is not only good because it says you money on utility costs, but it also feels good knowing you did something to show you are “going green”.
3. Is saving money your prime consideration? In this economy, cutting costs sensibly is a pressing concern for many families. Many times, people think that, to make their home more comfortable, they need to spend a large amount of money to improve their home.
There is Good News and Bad News for Those with Energy Efficiency
The Bad News
Many energy-minded homeowners make unfortunate, costly mistakes trying to make their home more energy-efficient. Many homeowners think, or are told, the issue is an obvious one that can be fixed by replacing or fixing something. Many times, these fixes can cost thousands of dollars. Replacing an HVAC or your home or office building’s windows or doors is not cheap. It is hard to see the benefit of something a large amount of money upfront and only seeing a portion of that cost saved each month in your lowered utility cost. It is important to think of it as a and are a great investment for you home.
The Good News
You can save money, save natural resources AND enjoy a more comfortable, peaceful home with your family. Energy efficiency is thought of as a luxury to some, they think that in order to have a eco-friendly home they need to spend lots of money on high-end products that save them money and make their home more efficient and comfortable, but that is not necessarily true. If you do things the right way, and follow the steps provided below, you are sure to make your home more efficient and comfortable.. The three most important things you can do before spending money on “going green” and starting the transition to making your home more efficient are:
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Speak with an energy efficiency expert before installing, fixing, or upgrading anything
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An energy efficiency expert, working for an energy efficiency company, is the best choice you can make when looking for a consultation on your home’s efficiency. They will walk you through the home improvement process and lay out your options before telling you what and if you need to start spending money.
2. Make sure you get an energy audit before you make any improvements
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An energy audit is performed by a certified auditor and, during the audit, they performed specialized tests and utilizing equipment like a blower door, an infared camera, and a combustion analyzer. These tools, combined with the knowledge of the auditor, will determine the exact spots causing your home to loose air, or make your home’s units work harder than necessary.
3. Be sure to use EnergyStar products
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Upgrading your home, in order to make it more efficient, is only as beneficial as the products you use to upgrade. EnergyStar products are all Government approved and assure the most energy efficient results
Spending money on energy efficient products and services will cost you money. It may seem like you’re spending more on the new product than you will be saving on utility costs, but the investment you make in the energy efficiency of your home and the comfort it will bring you will help put your mind at ease, not to mention, the investment and lowered utility costs usually has a payoff of just a few years, meaning you’re saving money for the next 15-20 years.