How to do Energy Audit - Phase 3

Third Phase: Checking Electricity Waste:

A major contributor to residential energy loss is electricity waste. A home energy audit is the perfect time to check your usage habits and highlight potential sources of electricity waste in appliances, lighting, and other items when going for solar energy implementation. You can reduce your energy use significantly by changing lifestyle and adopt different ways of saving energy such as energy savers etc. In order to mitigate electricity waste, following are the steps:

• Check your light usage: Lighting contributes 5% of all home electricity. Simply turning off your lights before leaving a room can minimize your cost significantly. So take note how many lights you leave on whole day and night. Consider automatic lights to minimize waste.

• Evaluate your light bulbs: LED bulbs consume less energy as compare to traditional incandescent bulbs. Upgrading your light bulbs can mitigate your electricity use significantly.

• Check television and computer settings: Most modern entertainment systems and computers have a sleep function mode. Enable sleep function mode so your TV and computer turn themselves off when not in use.

• Inspect for outdated appliances: Inspect expired appliances like old refrigerators, dryers, and dishwashers. Outdated large appliances sometimes waste a bit of electricity compared to newer models. An upgrade can save you a lot in the long-run.

• Unplug unnecessary appliances: Many small appliances scattered throughout your homes continually draw energy, even when they’re switched off. Unplug stereos, phone chargers, hair dryers, and fans if they are not used to minimize waste.

• Check if solar works for your home: A solar system balances your energy use with every hour of full sunlight. Check your home for the appropriate setup of efficient solar panels.

Also Read - Maintenance of Solar Panels

Safety Precautions

Following safety precautions is necessary when conducting home energy audit to keep yourself and your family safe:

• Many older homes pose threat to your health and it is not always obvious when there’s danger. Ventilation is important, especially in homes that use an explosive heating source like natural gas or oil. 

• Any electrical sockets must be fully disconnected and tested before using them as access points to check insulation.

• All vents and exhaust ducts in your home must be unhindered.

• Wear a ventilator and all proper safety equipment to avoid exposure to fiberglass or asbestos while checking your insulation. 

• Make sure your furnace is ventilated effectively; there should be about one square inch of ventilation per 1,000 Btu of appliance input heat.