Wasting Energy?

In Early January, TVA came out for an energy audit at Chez Diva. I wanted to get the heating/cooling issues resolved before Miss Petite Diva arrives as the heating/cooling upstairs is a bit spotty. The audit takes an hour or so for the inspector to go through the house and assesses places where you can save money and energy. Our independent inspector was terrific. He gave solid recommendations without getting into the trivial.

The recommendations included duct work repair and more insulation (most houses need more) amongst other things. The program gives you a list of preferred vendors to choose from. If you opt to do the larger recommendations, they will refund the cost of the audit plus up to $500 of the work cost. If you aren't in the TVA area, just check with your energy company to see if they are offering a similar program.

Our inspector suggested starting with the duct work repair, which should make the biggest difference. Last week, the folks at E3 Innovate came to repair our shabby ducts. It turns out that we had 3 spots where the ducts weren't even connected, which explains why all the good stuff was staying in the basement. While we still need to do a few more projects (insulation and install another ceiling fan) upstairs, the house is starting to feel better and hopefully, it will result in lower electric bills!

If you haven't done the audit, I highly recommend it. Plus, the federal tax credit for energy improvements has been extended into 2011!