Don’t Make Energy Efficient Improvements Blindly

By Joe Thomas

You can save money by taking a whole-house approach to improving your home’s efficiency. 

 High energy bills got you down? Many homeowners think that adding more insulation or upgrading to high efficiency windows will shrink their energy usage. Actually, home performance is much more complicated. It’s a science, and just like people, each house has its own DNA. So, before you dive into your ductwork, consider taking a whole-house approach to energy efficiency.
A holistic approach to your home means identifying and correcting problems, rather than just treating the symptoms. It ensures you’re making the right improvements toward better comfort, air quality, and energy efficiency.
The most important step is determining where your home is losing energy – and your dollars – by getting it tested. A comprehensive home assessment administered through Georgia Power’s Home Energy Improvement Program is a day-long set of evaluations, diagnostics and safety testing that identifies problem areas in your home using state-of-the-art equipment. The test pinpoints exactly where your home is leaking energy - saving you time and money.
The results are then put into modeling software and compiled into a detailed report with a list of the best possible improvements for your home. Once the improvements are made, your home will be assessed again to measure the expected energy reduction.
Once complete, you’ll be sitting in your comfortable, healthy, efficient home waiting for those rebate checks – and lower energy bills.
If you own a home in the City of Decatur, consider participating in the DecaturWISE [Worthwhile Investments Save Energy] Rebate Program. The City has partnered with Georgia Power to give a limited number of homeowners up to $3,200 in rebates for weatherization and energy efficient retrofits. For more information, visit the City of Decatur website.