A home energy audit can help you find ways to increase energy efficiency without compromising the comfort of your Hagerstown, Maryland, home. Whether you want to decrease your heating and cooling costs or raise the resale value of your home, find out how a home energy audit can benefit you.
Boost Energy Efficiency
Keeping your Maryland home comfortable throughout the year uses valuable energy resources. In the United States, approximately 12 percent of greenhouse gases produced are from businesses and residential homes. A home energy audit can tell you about the efficiency rating on your current air conditioner, furnace, or boiler. Older homes will use less energy and benefit from upgrading to energy-efficient systems.
For furnaces and boilers, you’ll find efficiency rated by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, or AFUE. The higher the AFUE rating is, the higher a unit’s heating efficiency will be. A low-efficiency heating system has an AFUE between 56 and 70, while a high-efficiency system can have an AFUE of 90 or higher.
For air conditioners, you’ll find efficiency rated by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio or SEER. The higher the SEER value is, the higher the efficiency of your air conditioner. To put your unit’s SEER into perspective, new units require a minimum SEER rating of 14.
An older heating or cooling system could be wasting precious energy in your home. By upgrading to a more efficient heating system or air conditioner, you’ll conserve resources without compromising your comfort.
Save on Energy Bills
A home energy audit can identify where your home uses energy inefficiently, which can translate into savings on your utility bills.
To operate efficiently, your heating and cooling systems need to be properly sized for your home. Older homes often have an oversized heating or cooling system, which can use more energy than necessary. An oversized system can cause problems such as short-cycling and constant running.
When the technicians at Griffith Energy Services install a new system, they calculate the proper size using the industry standard Manual J calculations. These calculations ensure your new system will be large enough to heat your home while maintaining its efficiency.
Make Your Home More Comfortable
Carrying through with the energy-saving suggestions from a home energy audit not only saves money, but it can also make your home more comfortable. An audit can find places where air escapes from your home, as drafts make it difficult to keep your home comfortable.
In the winter, heat that escapes through drafts or improper insulation can cause cold spots in your home, but during the summer, these spots can become noticeably hotter than the rest of your house. Sealing air leaks and ensuring your home has proper insulation can increase the comfort level of your home.
Increase Resale Value
An energy-efficient home is worth more in value. For every dollar you can reduce your annual energy bills, your home’s value can increase by up to $25. In other words, if you can reduce your annual energy consumption by $300, your home’s value can increase up to $7,500.
Using a home energy audit to increase your home’s energy efficiency helps increase the value of your home and makes it more attractive to potential buyers. Taking steps to make your home a more energy-efficient structure is an investment in your home’s future.
Take Advantage of Financial Incentives
If you’ve decided to install an efficient heating system or air conditioner, you may be eligible for financial savings and incentives. The Maryland Energy Administration, MEA, and the Maryland Clean Energy Commission offer programs to encourage homeowners to make their homes more energy-efficient spaces.
The Maryland Home Energy Loan Program encourages homeowners to upgrade to energy-efficient systems by offering loans up to $20,000 at favorable interest rates. For solar or geothermal system installations, apply to the MEA for a grant from the Residential Clean Energy Program. For wind power installations, refer to the MEA’s Windswept Grant Program.
The findings from a home energy audit can point the way to energy savings, greater comfort, and a more valuable Hagerstown, Maryland, home. Call our experts at Griffith Energy Services at 888-474-3391 to learn more about installing an energy-efficient system or replacing your current system with a more efficient one.
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