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How an Energy Audit Can Save You Money
Posted by GuestPoster in -Home Improvement
Are the rising costs of utilities taking a toll on your family budget? Have you been thinking you might need a second job just to pay your monthly energy bills? Take heart…you may be able to cut your energy usage enough to tame those monthly charges and finally have a little extra money again. The first step toward this great savings plan is to conduct an energy audit of your home.
All it takes is an easily purchased handheld power meter, available for around 40 to 60 dollars. Although you may balk at this extra expense, think of it as an investment instead of an expenditure. Once you have your meter, simply plug it into an outlet and then plug the appliance into the meter. Make sure to test each item turned off, in standby, and turned on. This will give you an accurate measure of how much energy is used by the appliance and lost through energy drain even when it’s not in use. Once you are equipped with this information, you can start to plan ways to reduce this usage and to save money on your monthly gas and electricity bills.
You may also be inspired to make some big changes. During your audit, you will likely discover that your water heater accounts for up to 1/3 of your monthly power usage. By simply switching to solar hot water, you can cut that expense every month. You may also decide that you would much rather hang your laundry outdoors than to run your energy-sucking electric dryer.
If you would prefer to have your home energy audit performed by a professional, contact your local electric company to see if they have someone on staff who can conduct an audit for you. Even if they don’t offer this service, they will likely be able to recommend some green companies that can perform an energy audit on your home at a reasonable price. As a bonus, having a professional audit will also provide you with expert advice on ways to further reduce your usage.
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