When you’re looking for ways to trim energy costs around your home, an excellent starting point is knowing how much energy you’re using and how your consumption compares to other homes in your area and around the country. Professional energy evaluations can supply this useful information, and although these assessments are extremely thorough, they can also be costly. The good news is that you can get a basic idea of your home’s energy usage by utilizing the Home Energy Yardstick, a free online assessment tool provided by the U.S. government’s Energy Star program.

A joint effort of the U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Star provides consumers with information and resources that help them conserve energy, buy energy-efficient products and save money on their utility bills.

The Energy Star Yardstick allows you to enter basic information on your home energy consumption and expenses. It compares the amount of energy you use with similar households across the country. The Yardstick can show you where your energy consumption is higher or lower than average and where you can start in your efforts to conserve energy and make your home more efficient.

To use the Home Energy Yardstick, first put together expense information from your previous 12 months of energy bills or get a summary from your utility company. Note the type of energy source your home uses, such as natural gas, fuel oil or electricity. Finally, calculate your home’s square footage. Enter this information into the Yardstick’s simple online form. Include other requested data, such as your ZIP code, number of residents in your home, and energy cost and consumption totals.

Submit this information to receive an informative report on your home’s energy usage and how it compares with other homes in the United States. The Yardstick will also provide practical suggestions for improving seasonal  energy efficiency in your home.

Comfort Systems is Wichita’s most trusted heating, air conditioning and plumbing company, with experience that extends back to 1953 and totals more than 120 years in HVAC contracting. Contact us today for more information on home energy evaluations and using the Energy Star Yardstick.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Wichita, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about energy evaluations and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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