Tips to save money as energy prices increase, temps drop – WKYT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – As energy prices increase and temperatures drop, many people will do anything to save a buck.

One of the things they can do is get an energy home assessment.

A home energy assessment, or audit, can help you understand the whole picture of your home’s energy use including where your home is inefficient, and which problem areas and fixes you should prioritize to save energy and improve the comfort of your home.

“Natural gas is twice as expensive as it was last year,” said Jamie Clark, owner of Synergy Home. “So, if you heat your home with gas you should expect your bill to be double what it was from last year. The electric rate in Kentucky has gone up over the last 9 years, has doubled.

Also with recent legislation passed, we should see a significant price increase in the next 3-7 years.

By putting some extra care into your home, you can start to save.

“You know, there are some simple home remedies like adding weather stripping or putting shallow-proof outlet covers on your electrical outlets on the exterior of your walls that will help curb drafts and things,” said Clark. “So, just little minor things like that we try to educate people on.”

Ninety-three percent of homes built after 2015 are not insulated to modern standards, meaning you could be paying 50-75% more for energy costs. Additionally, by closing your foundation vents you can also improve efficiency.

“An average customer can save somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-70% of their home’s energy bill. If they upgrade their heating and cooling at the same time, by layering the two, there is a dramatically greater impact,” Clark said.

Most energy home assessments are free of charge and, if you do decide to upgrade your home, there are plenty of options for payments and plans.

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