An energy audit was performed on my home on Thursday December 20, 2012. The energy audit was carried out by GoodCents on behalf of NIPSCO and can be scheduled HERE. By getting an energy assessment performed through the link IU South Bend’s Center for a Sustainable Future receives $25! In fact, in the first three months of the program the center has received a total of $725 from people participating in the program.
Personally, I had to re-schedule twice because of school activities and the people on the phone were very friendly when I called. When the energy technician finally came he was very nice. I followed him around, talking to him while he was doing the energy audit. He went into all the bedrooms, the bathrooms, kitchen, basement, and even the garage. He was very thorough, checking every light bulb and all fixtures. He was very professional and asked many questions while walking throughout the house. It was an overall good experience and he gave some good advice and tips
He even gave me some insulation for my hot water pipes and showed me how install them. When we were done with the walk through, he printed out a summary of the energy audit. A good idea would be to use an online water and carbon footprint calculator to supplement the Energize Indiana audit.
The summary was very comprehensive and gave good information. This included my monthly energy use, typical energy usage breakdown, and gas energy usage. The report also gave tips for different parts of the house including the attic insulation, wall insulation, air filtration/ leakage, windows/ doors, heating/ air conditioning, water heating, and lighting/ appliance usage.
While the paperwork was being printed, he gave me a box with compact fluorescent light bulbs, low flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and a surge protector.
Installing the low flow showerheads can reduce water consumption by 36% and save up to $100 annually. Also, a 1.0 gallon per minute faucet aerators can save 50% of the water versus a standard aerator. The surge protector’s green outlets are joined and when the designated main outlet is not being used, the others do not have power; it also has three outlets which always have power. The CFL light bulbs came in a variety of sizes. In fact, after the man left I installed one of the bigger light bulbs in my garage.
Each CFL installed in place of an incandescent light bulb can save $30 over its lifetime, lasts 10 times longer, and uses one fourth the energy. I highly recommend the energy audit by Energize Indiana to anyone who owns a home. Besides the great tips, you get a box of goodies that you can immediately use in your home. It is a no lose situation considering energy prices will surely rise.
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