Monday, September 26, 2011

What is an Energy Audit in Virginia

Auditing one's residence is really nothing new. It is a common practice for residents within wintering regions to have their homes profiled to determine how much energy is lost from the gaps in the building. It allows them to customize their energy in any way that they like.

An energy audit basically helps you to detect where and how energy is lost in one's home and determine what you can do to fix it. This is beneficial for you and your family to have a safe and cozy place to come home to. The audit will also help you prioritize energy use so you can cut down on costs.

This is what you can expect from an energy audit. An auditor will perform a room by room examination of your house taking into account even minute details of individual house elements like window size, floor type and wall construction. A blower door is used to measure the air tightness of your home and an infrared camera to spot leaks in the insulation system.

The overall condition of your utilities may affect its performance, thus, auditors never fail to check on heaters and air-conditioning units in their evaluation. Building analysts also get an idea on the efficiency of the residence to use energy by the thermostat operations within the house. If you notice a trend in your energy usage, it will be useful to note specific time of the year where energy consumption is high or low.

In addition to the high tech gadgets, determining energy use would definitely necessitate interviewing you, the primary user of energy. You will be asked about your daily habits, pattern of use, and the age of your home. Just how many people are sharing a heating or cooling appliance may also be noted.

The audit guarantees homeowners of an energy efficient home that is definitely light on the budget. You could also qualify for energy efficiency grants from the government. Performing an energy audit of your home is one of the few beneficial things that come without any adverse effects.

Generally, you can get home audit services from energy companies as well as home improvement companies. One company worth considering is Energy Max Solutions. Some businesses in this sector do not only perform audits but also implement solutions for most energy loss problems.

You can choose from three forms of assessment for your home depending on your needs and financial capability. One audit requires the building analyst nothing more than a walk around the premises and taking note of problem areas that need to be addressed. It is also called screening audit or walk-through audit.

Another method is known as general audit wherein the auditor gets to use his array of high end equipment on the structure. Your past energy receipts may serve as basis for comparison of utility cost before and after the implementation of suggested solutions. Investment grade audit makes use of sophisticated software systems that guarantee energy efficiency for companies.

It is better to seek energy companies to further enlighten you regarding this. According to the National Association of Home Builders, there has been an overall increase in energy efficiency in Virginia homes in recent years. The growth of energy audit firms in the place may have been one of

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