What You Need to Know About Home Energy Audits

Fall is a great time to start thinking about your home energy usage. It’s also the ideal time to identify and prioritize possible problem areas and consider the need for making necessary home improvements so you have control of your energy spend before cold weather arrives.

One of the first steps to assessing your homes energy efficiency is a home energy audit. An audit can be done by a professional for the most complete evaluation. However, a thorough do-it-yourself audit can also identify key problem areas without the cost.

A home energy audit is a thorough, room-by-room examination of your home, pinpointing energy inefficiencies and providing an illustration of your home’s energy use. Making upgrades based on the results can not only save you money, but also help keep your home more comfortable all year long.

Professional Home Energy Audits

Energy auditors are incredibly thorough, not only examining each room with special tools and tests, but often include evaluating past utility bills.  A professional assessment will include multiple evaluations, such as water and air leak tests, insulation evaluation, heating and air conditioning assessment and much more.

DIY Home Energy Audits

Although you most likely won’t have the tools or the know-how to perform the same, exact assessment as a professional auditor, a thorough do-it-yourself audit can also identify key problem areas without the cost. A diligent walk-through can provide value in determining areas to prioritize and address in your home’s energy efficiency.

Don’t assume the age of your home is going to impact the outcome of an audit, nor that because you may have a new or newer build, there is no room for improvement. Sometimes, small adjustments can produce big benefits. You can find out more about how to perform your own home energy audit here.

Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s home energy audit infographic for more details. Click here for a list of professionals recommended by the U.S. Department of Energy who perform home energy audits.

Where Can I Find Energy-Efficient Products?

ENERGY STAR® is a government supported program which provides credible, unbiased information for consumers and businesses on energy efficient products, homes, buildings and plants, so they can make well-informed decisions.  All their certified products can be easily identified by the ENERGY STAR emblem and are guaranteed to save money without sacrificing features or functionality.

AEP Energy Reward Store is our one-stop online marketplace filled with a variety of energy-saving and connected-home products available exclusively for our valued customers.  It is a simple and convenient way for you to shop for items to make your home more energy efficient while saving you time and money.

You can earn Reward Dollars to use in Reward Store by enrolling on an AEP Energy price plan. One month after your enrollment date, you will start earning Reward Dollars to use towards your purchases in Reward Store.  Simply collect Reward Dollars each month.  Shop AEP Energy Reward Store products.  And redeem your Reward Dollars instantly at checkout.

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