100 Degrees or -10 – Have You Scheduled an Energy Audit Yet?

It’s now the dead of summer and we’re guessing you have or will shortly receive the electricity bill for the month of July. Whoa, those couple of scorchers in July really shot the bill up, right? That’s because your air conditioning unit had to work extra hard to keep you and your tenants comfortable when the mercury creeps towards the triple digits. Are you making it work harder than it needs to by not doing an energy audit?
An energy audit is not only a winter-specific activity – all the heat that escapes your building during the winter through walls, windows, and other areas is let that heat back in during the summer when you’re trying to stay cool in the summer. You should consider setting up an energy audit for your business or tenants especially if your unit(s) are older. One study of commercial property expenses showed that 22% of the energy in a commercial building is used to heat or cool the premises.
So what actually is an energy audit? Put simply, it’s the way we measure the amount of heat flow into (or out of) a material, expressed in R-Value. This could be things like walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and skylightsof your building. In some states, buildings above a certain square footage are required to have an energy audit every decade!
What might an energy audit discover?
- The insulation may have settled inside your building’s walls, leaving the top half with no insulation
- There may be air leaks between window panes or around doors
- Your water heater may be old and inefficient
- The insulation in the ceiling may be spread unevenly, leading to hot and cold spots
- Old windows may be letting in more ambient temperature than you expect
- And many other energy leeches that can leave you scratching your head come time to pay the bills. An energy audit can act like a multiplier – the bigger the property and the more in-depth the audit, the more you could stand to save
Winter or summer; spring or fall, SPCS can help you achieve green status and save money. If you’re looking to complete a simple energy audit, our team members can identify areas of concern, make suggestions on how to fix these concerns and even work with you to fix problems property-wide. If you’re looking for a through audit from an energy efficiency expert, our team can schedule and manage the work for your property to ensure that you get the full value of your spending. Call us today and let one of our friendly schedulers find a time that works great for you!