An Appliance Audit May Save You A Bundle

"Green" is the catchword for all kinds of products for the home. When you buy a refrigerator, the salesman tells you to get one with the Energy Star seal that proves it to be energy efficient. The same goes for water heaters, dryers, ovens, and almost anything we have that plugs into an electrical outlet.

 

 

Predictions are that energy costs will climb dramatically in the near future, possibly at a faster rate than in recent history. This only reiterates what we already know each time we pay for heating oil, electrical power, and most utilities. It is obvious that making the home and the office more efficient is necessary.

 

 

Does that mean we should toss out our appliances to buy the energy saving brands that cost so much more? How old is too old for an appliance that has served us faithfully for the entire time we have owned it?

 

If everything we have is more than five years old, will we save enough on energy consumption and protect the planet enough to justify the expense of purchasing the top energy efficient models?

 

 

It is not practical just to replace expensive appliances without knowing what is being gained from the effort and expense. For instance, when you bought that oven four years ago, it came with information on its energy usage.

 

The numbers are based on an average of a certain number of test appliances built under the same specifications. It is not completely reflective of what your oven will or won't do, but it is an indicator.

 

You might compare the usage information with that of a newer model and see how much difference there is. You may find under this rating system that your oven is comparable to the newer models. The oven unit you have will perform differently from the average based on how much you cook and how close the oven is to the efficiency rating specified.

 

 

A Home Energy Rating Audit is the best way to determine what changes you can make to your home to conserve energy. Because all homes degrade somewhat over the years, there are probably many ways your home is less efficient than it should be. Some equipment probably does need to be replaced for conservation purposes, but you won't know that without a professional audit.

 

It is much less expensive to have an energy audit than it is to replace all your appliances, and the results of the audit might reveal a problem you didn't even know you had. You'll rest easier knowing for certain how best to invest your money for the most utility savings and improved energy efficiency when you let a professional perform an energy audit on your home and/or business.