For many homeowners living in the Minneapolis / Saint Cloud region, winter brings with it the threat of high energy bills. Many people find that just attempting to keep their homes warm in the winter means running their heating systems day-in, day-out, which can get rather costly, and fast. While there are countless things that you can do in order to save money on your heating bill this winter, the first place to start is with a home energy audit.

What is a Home Energy Audit?

In essence, a home energy audit is a battery of tests performed to analyze the performance of your home. It gives us an idea as to where your home stands in regards to energy efficiency, as our building analysts measure elements such as heat loss, air flow, moisture levels and indoor air quality. The blower door test is a major part of the energy audit process, which consists of a powerful fan that draws all of the air out of the house in order to pinpoint cracks and leaks where air may be escaping from.

(Our owner, Chris Froelke, performing a blower door test)

Once we have our findings in-hand, we’ll provide a comprehensive list of suggestions to help you take your home to the next level.

Common Home Performance Issues and Upgrades

Minnesota isn’t exactly known for its mild winters, and believe it or not, many homes are not properly equipped to deal with the cold winter weather that we so often see. Two of the most common home performance issues faced by Minnesota homeowners are poor insulation and a lack of air sealing. These can lead to problems such as ice dams, musty odors, poor indoor air quality, energy loss and more. Unsurprisingly, the best way to remedy these issues and ensure that they don’t make the winter less comfortable for you and your family is to beef up your home’s insulation and have it air sealed by a professional contractor.

Why Perform Home Upgrades?

There are a variety of reasons why performing home upgrades can be beneficial, with the following being just a few major benefits to focus on:

• Reduced Energy Usage

• Lower Heating Bills

• Enhanced Home Comfort

• Peace of Mind

• No More Ice Dams