Solar Installation Series | 2. Home Energy Audits
Now that you understand the different types of solar panels to look for on the market, or more importantly how different types of solar panels are either more or less efficient at generating electricity, you can ask the right questions when shopping for solar panel systems. Also with a solid understanding of how tilt and tracking affect energy production, you’ve gained valuable insight on achieving maximum solar energy efficiency with solar panels. Now all this great information is useful, but not if you haven’t evaluated your home’s energy efficiency.
Home energy audits are somewhat foundational to achieving better home energy efficiency and are central to achieving peak energy efficiency with renewable home energy systems like solar panels or wind turbines. This is step 1 of your renewable home energy plan. Energy audits must be done prior to installing renewable energy systems to ensure you have fully evaluated your home for energy leaks. You can conduct a diy home energy audit, hire an auditor ( $150- $300), work with a solar installation company that provides energy auditing, ask your utility company to conduct an audit ( some offer free audits), but do take the time to call around to find the best energy audit deal. Professional auditors can do blower tests to finds air leaks, or do a thermographic scans to see where heat is escaping from your home, so it’s a bit more techie. This is a no-brainer that will save you money and achieve better home energy efficiency. Some simple changes an auditor may suggest that will save you money and energy are:
- installing a solar water heater
- apply weather stripping around windows and doors
- caulking small area leaks in walls, around outlets or fireplaces
- improve insulation in walls, floor and ceiling to fall within R-20 to R-30 (building code for insulation value)
- insulating heating ducts and other piping
- consider replacing old appliances with Energystar™ appliances
- use energy efficient light bulbs, energy efficient power bars and thermostat and lighting timers
Once energy issues are identified you can project cost to make the necessary changes and be one step closer to optimizing your savings overall. Once this is complete step 2 toward installing solar panels and wind turbines, is mapping your home energy consumption. Knowing your home energy consumption gives you essential information toward planning the size and cost of the solar panel system for your home. You can better evaluate whether you simply want to offset your energy cost with solar or move toward replacing your home energy source with solar. We will talk more about mapping your home energy usage in our next post.
