Conducting a Home Energy Audit Before Moving In

Colorado is the state that many would call “progressive,” typically because its residents and government are constantly passing laws and initiatives that can improve the economy and the ecosystem. Residents of Colorado's major cities of Boulder and Denver are big on saving energy in any way possible.

If you are moving to Boulder, and are building, renovating, or selling a home, Boulder movers have tips on the best way that you can save energy and cut your home energy costs by thousands of dollars a year!

While hiring a professional to come and give your home an energy audit is the best way to determine where your home is losing energy and costing you money, there are ways that you can personally perform a home energy audit. All My Sons Moving & Storage Boulder wants you to save money in any way possible when it comes to your home, and that means not having your hard-earned dollars blowing out the door. Follow the below tips in order to conduct a home energy audit and you can save up to $2,400 a year.

Locate Air Leaks - The very first step to your home energy audit is to make a list of all the obvious areas of your home where air could be leaking out. This can include gaps along baseboards, gaps in the edges of where flooring meets junctures of the wall and ceiling, and leaks from the outside of your home where two different materials meet. You can also check every window and door that leads to the outside in order to make sure that you cannot see any light peering in around the edges.

Seal Air Leaks - Once you have completed your list of areas where your home may be leaking air, Boulder movers suggest that you purchase caulk to fix small holes and the perimeter around windows. For faucets, pipes, electrical outlets, and wiring, purchase penetrations to mend holes. You can also purchase weather-stripping to line all doors and windows.

Ventilation - Another recommendation that Boulder moving companies lend new homeowners, is to have their ventilation checked to see if there are areas that need improvement as well.

Insulation - You can lose a lot of heat through the ceiling and walls in your home if it is not properly insulated. Make sure that your home is insulated more than just the bare minimum. Boulder movers suggest opening your attic hatch space, which should be right above or near the air conditioner space, and seeing if it looks thoroughly insulated. When you are in the attic, make sure that the attic is properly sealed at its opening with weather-stripping so that it closes tightly. Any piping that you can see in your attic should also have foam caulking around where they meet the attic floor, etc. Since insulation can be tricky, most homeowners opt to have a thermographic inspection conducted prior to moving to Boulder.

Heating and Cooling Equipment - Check all air filters and furnace filters and replace them every month or two. If your heating or cooling unit is 15 years or older you should consider replacing it, as it is most likely outdated and not up to current energy efficiency standards.

Lighting - 10% of your electricity bill is attributed to lighting. Examine all lightbulbs in your home and determine which ones, if not all, should be replaced. Types of energy-saving lightbulbs include incandescent, compact fluorescent lamps, and LEDs. You can also purchase dimmer switches so that you can keep the lights low and use less energy.

Appliances and Electronics - Boulder moving companies know that it is difficult to remember to unplug items in your home when you are not using them, especially if you use them frequently. It can be an annoyance to have to plug them in and unplug them all the time. However, unplugging your appliances is another major way to cut down on energy costs after moving to Boulder. You also want to make sure that your home has new, energy efficient appliances. Although the cost of new appliances may be haunting you, you can make up that cost in the amount of energy that you will save when you toss your energy draining outdated appliances.