"And summer's lease hath all too short a date."
- William Shakespeare
At the risk of raining on anyone’s parade, it’s the cold hard truth of the world that, despite the unusually steamy summer we’ve been experiencing in America’s North, “summer’s lease hath all too short a date,” as William Shakespeare would have it. The time is fast approaching when the kids will be back in school, the leaves will be starting to fall, and the winter winds will once again begin to permeate our homes’ imperfect thermal boundaries.
With that in mind, we thought it would be an appropriate time to remind our loyal readers that a home energy audit by a qualified professional can pinpoint the deficiencies in your home, so you can start working toward a more perfect thermal boundary with low-cost, high-impact upgrades like air sealing and improved insulation. Last year Energy Circle’s CTO, Tom Harrison, saved $1,000 on his home’s heating bills by making these simple upgrades, starting with a home energy audit to pinpoint what needed work, and costing, in total, a meager $1,175. Repeat: he invested $1,175 once, saved $1,000 in the first year alone, and will continue to save $1,000 each year (barring a hiccup in energy prices, in which case he’ll save more), forever. (We don’t promise this for everyone, but Tom’s home run isn’t that anomalous.)
Now, it might still seem early to start thinking about ways to reduce your heating costs, and that’s fine, but we’d recommend, if you think you might be interested in an energy audit later this year, at least finding a certified energy auditor, and maybe setting aside a date some time in the late summer or early fall to have him come in and take a look at your house. A few reasons why:
1) You might be able to score a deal by scheduling your audit ahead of time.
2) Labor Day marks the start of the peak season for energy auditors and contractors. We know some whose dance cards are full already.
3) Getting your audit done sooner rather than later will allow you plenty of time to make the upgrades necessary to reduce your heating costs this winter.
4) You know you’re gonna be busy this fall. Admit it.
If you’re unsure where to start, take a look at our Where to Find a Qualified Energy Auditor article, which has state-by-state links to directories of energy auditors and home performance professionals across the country, as well as our Guide to Energy Audit Certification and Finding a Home Energy Auditor: The Questions to Ask to make sure that your auditor is qualified, so you get the most bang for your buck out of the audit.
On a final note, I do apologize for the winter talk during barbecue season. Blame it on Shakespeare.
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