Thermal image of a typical home in the UK, shown through a home energy audit
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Home Energy Audit – What it is & Why You Need One

Installing insulation within your home can help you save money on energy bills and improve the comfort of your home. However, with so many insulation options available on the market, it can be extremely confusing to determine which insulation measures will work best for you. How do you identify which areas of your house are losing the most heat? Which insulation materials are suitable for your property? What access points are needed to install insulation?

To help you answer these vital questions and more, turn to a trusted professional to carry out a home energy audit on your property. An energy assessment will recommend suitable ways for you to improve your property’s energy efficiency and slash your heating bills.

Many independent assessors charge a significant fee to carry out a home energy audit on your property. But why fork out more money, when you can benefit from a FREE, no-strings-attached, home energy audit from Smartstone.

By working with industry regulators and PAS 2030-19 and TrustMark insulation professionals, we’ve improved the energy efficiency of 1000s of British homes. We can also help you make the best home insulation choices with confidence and check whether you’re eligible for funding to cover your insulation costs.

What is a home energy audit?

A home energy audit, also known as a home energy assessment, is an on-site inspection of your property. This goes into great detail to assess your home’s overall energy use. An audit determines how much energy your home is currently using. It also identifies areas of the house that are losing heat. This will indicate which problem areas you should prioritise to make your home more energy efficient.

After setting up an appointment, an energy auditor will visit your property and carry out a room-by-room examination. They may also ask to go over your previous utility bills. Professional assessors will conduct various tests using specialised tools, such as a blower doors or infrared scanners, to see where energy is being lost in your home. After the audit, the assessor will make various recommendations on insulation measures that will help you reduce energy wastage and save on your heating bills.

Before carrying our any insulation works, you should always book a professional energy audit. Failing to do so may result in you paying for unnecessary or low priority works. Potentially causing costly damage to your property, which can also negatively impact your EPC rating.

Types of home energy assessments

Professional energy assessors may use a variety of test during an audit to determine which areas of the house are less energy efficient. The most popular methods include:

Blower door test

A blower door test helps determine how air-tight your property is. A powerful fan is mounted into the frame of an exterior door. The fan lowers the air pressure inside by sucking air out of the house. This causes higher-pressure air from outside to flow through all the unsealed cracks and openings in your house. The results will help auditors detect air leaks, where heat escapes and cold drafts enter.

Thermographic inspection

During a thermographic inspection the assessor uses an infrared video or camera to record the temperature variations within the interior or exterior of a building. These scans will help the assessor determine which areas of the house are less energy efficient and where insulation is needed. Often, thermographic inspections will take places in combination with a blower door test.

PFT Air Infiltration Measurement

Like the blower door test, a PerFluorocarbon tracer gas (PFT) test measures air leakage and energy loss within a property. While it has become a less common energy efficiency technique, some auditors still use it. The test uses an emitter and receiver to measure how air-infiltration changes over time within a building. This can range from a few hours to several months. The results reveal long-term infiltration problems that reduce energy efficiency within a building.

Preparing for an energy audit

Follow these simple steps to assist your energy auditor in providing you with an accurate energy assessment. List any problems you’ve detected around the house, such as drafty rooms or spots prone to condensation. It’s also recommended you have copies of your utility bills at hand. As a result, auditors can spot negative energy trends to remedy within your household.

The assessor will likely ask you a series of questions to determine household lifestyle patterns that affect your energy consumption. These can include how many people reside in the house, average thermostat settings, and which rooms are used the most.

Smartstone’s 3-step plan to cost-effectively improve your home’s energy efficiency

Protect your property against the great British weather and enjoy a warmer, cosier, more eco-friendly home with Smarstone’s free home energy audit.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Get in touch with our team to arrange a suitable day and time for one of our certified auditors to visit your home and carry out a full house assessment. Each energy audit typically lasts around an hour.
  2. Your auditor will reveal your home’s vulnerable spots and provide recommendations specific to your property, including cost estimations for carrying out any insulation measures.
  3. Following the audit, you’ll be provided with a cost-benefit analysis of any installation costs against potential savings. Your auditor will provide guidance on any next steps you may choose to take.

We can also help you apply for funding to cover your insulation expenses. Over the years, we’ve helped UK households receive thousands in energy and insulation funding. We know the application process inside out and can handle all the time-consuming paperwork on your behalf. This is all part of our mission to improve the UK’s carbon footprint in line with government initiatives.

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Claim your Free Home Energy Audit

There are most likely cost-effective solutions you can easily do now to make your home more energy-efficient. Get the full picture with a SmartStone Home Energy Audit.

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