Save Money With a BPI Home Energy Audit Checklist

Home energy audits can help lower utility bills while helping prioritize cost-effective energy upgrades. Many utility programs provide rebates for audits and retrofits performed by BPI-certified professionals.

Building Performance Institute offers several certifications for home performance professionals. Their training prepares them to sit for both written and field examinations required for certification with BPI.

1. Air Leakage
Air leaks waste energy and can contribute to draftiness. Furthermore, they force heating and cooling systems to work harder to maintain a comfortable temperature environment.

An energy audit can identify various methods to decrease air leakage. These could range from simple measures like caulking window frames or installing new ductwork all the way through to complex solutions like replacing existing systems altogether.

BPI certified home energy auditors typically conduct safety checks on combustion equipment, carbon monoxide testing and indoor moisture levels as part of their service offering. They can also offer repairs that should be prioritized to make energy improvements faster; recommend projects suitable to both budget and timeline constraints, or provide an energy audit checklist so the homeowner can conduct their own energy audit themselves.

2. Insulation
Insulation is a nonconducting material designed to block heat transference between surfaces. Its R value indicates its resistance to heat flow.

Poor insulation is one of the primary contributors to air leakage and inefficient heating and cooling in homes, leading to less comfort, higher utility bills and a decrease in resale value.

Insulation comes in many forms, from fiberglass batts and spray foam insulation to spray or injection foam – and home energy auditors will advise which will best meet the climate and budget needs in each location. Many state programs for weatherization assistance require BPI certification in order to take part.

3. Ventilation
Professional home energy auditors possess the necessary tools to detect issues which a homeowner might miss, while also offering solutions and action plans.

Remodeling Magazine reported that professionals can recommend that homeowners air seal their attics, which improves comfort, lowers utility bills and increases resale value. Furthermore, professional can test combustion appliances for safety as well as performing ventilation tests to prevent backdrafts (when exhaust gasses return into living spaces instead of out) or indoor air pollution. They can also ensure the ducts are sealed securely – this involves using HVAC-specific tape designed to withstand hot/cold temperature extremes as well as moisture. They can even install LED/CFL light bulbs which use less electricity – replacing regular light bulbs with LED/CFL models for optimal results.

4. Lighting
Home energy audits are provided by professionals using equipment like a blower door and thermal imaging camera to evaluate your home, with the goal of suggesting ways to enhance its efficiency and reduce electricity bills.

Your home or building may be wasting energy due to leaks and cracks, inefficient heating/cooling equipment and leaky insulation, leading to higher utility bills and unneeded consumption of carbon-emitting fossil fuels for powering your appliances. A BPI certified contractor is specially trained to evaluate your entire home, identify problems at their source, provide solutions based on building science principles and install cost-effective energy upgrades – many state programs require BPI certification before receiving assistance for energy efficiency or weatherization upgrades.

5. Appliances
An energy audit is the ideal way to determine which upgrades would provide maximum savings in your home. A professional inspection conducted by a contractor with BPI certification will identify issues that cannot be remedied through product rebate programs, regular contractors or DIY solutions alone.

An energy assessment conducted by professionals typically uses equipment like a blower door and thermal imaging camera to identify sources of energy leakage, in addition to considering other factors like age and condition of appliances, ductwork and windows as well as mold growth or moisture issues.

Homeowners can leverage the results of an energy audit to make small but significant changes, including having a contractor add additional insulation levels in walls with blow-in cellulose, installing programmable thermostats, and upgrading old appliances with more efficient models. Such actions will reduce utility bills, enhance comfort while simultaneously decreasing carbon emissions.