Have you been considering a Mass Save home energy assessment? You’ve heard about the process and you’ve been promised that getting an assessment will save you money, but what does that really mean? How does an assessment save you money, and is it really worth it?
The Assessment
During a home energy assessment, an energy auditor will come to your home and perform an inspection, looking for areas of inefficiency. They will do several tests and make recommendations for energy-efficient upgrades you can make. The most important thing to keep in mind is that potential gains depend on the inefficiency of your current home.
If your home is already efficient and isn’t wasting much energy, the difference may not be as noticeable as a home that is very inefficient, which stand to receive significant upgrades when they complete an energy audit. That doesn’t mean more efficient homes can’t reap any of the benefits of an energy assessment, but it’s important to note that the older (and less insulated) your home, the more you stand to benefit from having an energy assessment.
For those homeowners who have newer, more efficient homes, recommendations made by your energy specialist can still help you find potential new savings. Energy specialists make recommendations regarding rebates and incentives during the assessment, which could help you to further increase the efficiency of your home. And– thanks to Mass Save– homeowners in Massachusetts are eligible to receive the energy assessment at no-cost, so there’s little reason not to take advantage of this program.
How a Home Energy Assessment Can Help You Save Money
When you receive an energy assessment, your energy specialist will inspect every inch of your home, including tough to reach spaces in attics and crawl spaces. The results of this assessment will be provided to you in a custom report, which highlights any energy-wasting areas throughout your home. These recommendations and improvements may include:
- No-cost items. As needed, your technician will install energy-saving measures at no cost. They will replace incandescent light bulbs with efficient bulbs, provide you with a new programmable thermostat, and install smart power strips that will minimize the impact of energy wasting devices that are constantly plugged in. If applicable, they can even install water saving measures such as low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators.
- Insulation upgrades. If your insulation is missing or faulty, Energy Monster can help you make upgrades. These cannot be done on the same day as the assessment, but your technician will schedule a time to get the work done.
- No-cost air and duct sealing. If you’re losing energy through leaks in your walls or ducts, your technician will recommend these fixes. They can be performed at no cost, often at the same time as your insulation upgrades. However, if insulation upgrades take more than 8 hours it may be necessary to schedule another day for air and duct sealing.
- Further recommendations. Every home is different, and therefore every home may require different energy upgrades. Your energy auditor will make further recommendations for your home, and they will help you to apply for rebates and incentives that you qualify for to help cover the cost of upgrading.
The Results
Getting a home energy assessment and making the applicable upgrades means you’ll waste less energy and spend less money. Heat won’t escape through walls that aren’t correctly insulated, you won’t waste water, and your power outlets won’t suck electricity even when your devices are off. All of these factors add up, and they will result in a smaller monthly electricity bill. Stop spending money on wasted energy. Schedule your home energy assessment with Energy Monster today!