How to drastically improve your home energy score

Are you wondering how to improve your home energy score? Or maybe you’re wondering what a home energy score is.

Your score assigns a numerical value to show your energy use and your home’s energy efficiency. Think of it as a score or grade for how well you’re doing in keeping your energy use down.

Lots of things go into your score, including how energy-efficient your home and appliances are. Your habits in how you use energy can also impact your score.

Keep reading to learn ways to improve your score so you use less energy.

Take Care of Leaks

Leaks inside and outside your home can make your HVAC system work harder to keep the temperature comfortable. By stopping air leakage, you can save up to 10% on energy bills.

Look for and fix those leaks to seal up the issues and keep more of the cooled and warmed air inside your home.

Exterior leaks often happen around windows, doors, and utility pipes, such as where your cable, gas, or water enter the home. Foundations can also be a source of leaks. Find and seal those cracks and gaps.

You can also stop air leakage around doors by adding weather stripping. Caulking around windows can help prevent air leaks.

Inside your home, your air ducts can decrease efficiency. If the ducts have gaps or cracks in them, the heated or cooled air from your HVAC system leaks out before it reaches your rooms.

Have a pro check your ductwork and seal up any leaks so your HVAC system doesn’t have to work so hard.

Add Insulation

Improving your home’s insulation is another way to make sure the cooled and heated air stays inside. This means your HVAC system doesn’t have to work as hard, which cuts down on how much energy it uses.

If your basement and attic are unfinished, you can easily add insulation to those areas. By controlling the temperature in those areas, you keep the rest of your home more comfortable and rely less on your HVAC system.

Improve Your HVAC System

Sometimes it’s the HVAC system itself that’s an issue. Regular HVAC maintenance, including changing the filter, cleaning the outdoor air conditioning unit, and scheduling professional tune-ups, can make your system run more efficiently and save energy.

If your unit is old or has major problems, replacing it with a newer model can cut down on repair costs and reduce your energy use. Choose an ENERGY STAR qualified furnace to improve your energy score even more.

Compared to a conventional furnace, an ENERGY STAR model can improve efficiency by…
 
 
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