One of the best things I’ve ever done as a homeowner was complete a home energy audit in 2017. The offering cost only $50 through Columbia Gas and enlightened me with a short list of energy-mitigating projects that could save me money, along with incentives to complete the projects. It used to be that both AEP and Columbia Gas offered these low-cost home energy audits. Unfortunately, AEP no longer offers them, so if you have an all-electric house, you will need to pay face value for an audit. However, AEP does offer an online energy profile which costs nothing except about 15 minutes time.
Both the Columbia Gas home energy audit and the AEP home energy profile provide the homeowner with a nice kit of energy-mitigating supplies like LED bulbs, weather stripping, outlet insulation pads, low-flow shower head, smart strip, and so on. The supplies from AEP arrive in the mail. The supplies from Columbia Gas come with the vendor performing the audit, which lasts about 3 hours and is both exhaustive and enlightening. I highly recommend that you watch the audit being performed; you will learn a lot about your home’s energy loss and where simple leaks can be DIY-sealed.
If you have service from both AEP and Columbia Gas, you can (and should) complete both a low-cost audit with Columbia Gas, and an online profile with AEP. You will receive the energy-mitigating supplies from both companies, as well as tips & resources to save money from both.
A home energy profile through AEP (free) provides targeted guidance on steps you can take to lower your usage. You will not interact with any consultants, and no one will visit your home. A home energy audit through Columbia Gas ($50) will provide a much more exhaustive and lengthy report, detailing every opportunity for improvement. You will interact with your auditor on audit day, as well as have a follow-up with the auditor on how to interpret the report, and next steps. It is very much a guided experience. At any time, you can call the home energy audit office for additional assistance.
Having done both an energy audit and energy profile, I can tell you that the improvements we’ve made significantly impacted how much money we spend on utilities. More importantly, it has drastically improved the comfort level in our home. Now, when it is 90 degrees outside, our air conditioner rarely needs to run.
Unfortunately, these energy audit & profile programs are too often overlooked and underutilized. Do not hesitate to complete them. The time and money spent will be worth it. Schedule your audit at columbiagasohio.com/energy-efficiency/for-your-home/home-energy-audit and complete your energy profile at aepohio.com/save/residential/programs/In-homeEnergySavings/default.aspx.
sunnysideofcbuscom 