Increase Home Comfort with Energy Upgrades

Did you know that efficiency issues with your home’s HVAC system or the building itself can seriously impact your comfort? If you want to make improvements to achieve a more comfortable home but you’re not sure what energy upgrades are needed, scheduling a professional energy audit is a good starting point.

What is an Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a top-to-bottom evaluation of the efficiency of your home’s structure and systems, including the building envelope, insulation, lighting and all fuel-burning appliances and equipment. A certified technician will ask detailed questions about your energy use, complete a thorough inspection of your home and use specialized diagnostics like a blower door test and thermographic inspection find sources of energy loss.

When the audit is complete, you’ll get a report detailing problem areas with recommendations on beneficial energy upgrades, like adding insulation, sealing attic leaks, weatherizing the exterior envelope, or sealing and insulating the ductwork.

There are additional measures you can take to make your home a comfortable haven and lower your energy bills:

• Automate your heating and cooling — Have a programmable thermostat installed so you can schedule energy-saving daily temperature setbacks. If you have a multilevel or larger home, ask your HVAC contractor about installing a zoning system to give you precise control of your energy usage and comfort level.
• Replace inefficient HVAC equipment — If your furnace, air conditioner or heat pump is more than 10 years old, consider upgrading to ultra-efficient Energy Star-certified models with energy-wise features like a variable-speed fan motor, scroll compressor and thermal expansion valve.
• Control humidity — If the air in your home feels too sticky and humid even when the cooling system is running, or you’re having condensation or mold problems, investigate adding a whole-house dehumidifier to the HVAC system to bring it down to a comfortable 30 to 50 percent range.

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues — especially HVAC and plumbing issues — so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.

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