Perform a low-cost Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® audit
A home energy audit (also called a home performance assesment) is often the best way to assess how your home uses energy and what can be done to improve efficiency. A professional audit is recommended because it will include diagnostic testing, such as a blower door test or thermal imaging, to help you effectively prioritize energy efficiency home improvement projects.
Home Performance Audit Options:
Potomac Edison Energy Efficiency Program*: Potomac Edison offers reduced cost home performance assessments by certified home energy contractors. The value of the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® audit is $500, but thanks to the EmPower Maryland program, residents are charged a $100 fee. Households with electric heating or cooling systems may be eligible for a 50% rebate, up to $2,000, for air sealing, duct sealing and insulation, or insulation and window costs, through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® audit. Call 1.888.267.4685 to schedule an audit.
Select Your Own Auditor: You can use www.Leafkey.com, Maryland Home Performance with Energy Star®, or do a general search to find an auditor serving Frederick County. If you choose to preform your audit outside of Potomac Edison's Home Performance with Energy Star program you can expect to pay between $300 and $500 for the service.
Click here to learn more about the audit process and how to prepare for your audit.
Please be sure to complete the Home Energy Audit Form to let us know how your audit was held.
* Program details current at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Manually regulate your thermostat, or use a programmable thermostat
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that you set the thermostat to 68°F in winter when you’re at home and down to 65°F when you go to bed or when you’re away. In the summer, set the thermostat to 78°F for cooling.
When programmable thermostats are installed and used with the four pre-programmed temperature settings for weekend and weekdays, you can save about 10% each year on heating and cooling costs while staying comfortable. Programmable thermostats automatically adjust the temperature when you’re sleeping or when you’re away. Make sure to adjust your settings or program your thermostat for when you are going on vacation or changing your normal occupancy routine.
Watch this video about how to purchase and install a programmable thermostat.
Check out Washington Gas rebates for programmable thermostats and WiFi enabled programmable thermostats.
In typical houses, about 20% of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts. If you have return duct leaks, you could be pumping “bad air” directly into your living space. Leaky ducts also cause indoor air quality problems because of pressure imbalances. This can cause unhealthy air (laden with dirt, dust, pollen, allergens, and other contaminants) to be sucked into your home. Pressure imbalances can also cause back drafting in combustion appliances such as furnaces, wood stoves, and gas ranges. When this happens, you risk exposure to carbon monoxide, a deadly gas. Search online for a company that can provide diagnostic testing and servicing for ductwork.
Replace old heating and/or cooling system components with an efficient/ENERGY STAR® certified alternative
If a professional evaluation reveals that it’s time to upgrade your heating or cooling system, it is worth researching the many diverse options available today—air, water, and geothermal heat pumps; wood, pellet, and corn stoves; natural gas and oil fueled furnaces and boilers; radiant floor and panel heating; air and liquid active solar heating, central or ductless mini-split air conditioners—to name a few. Read the Energy Savers heating and cooling guide, enter “home heating systems” in your internet browser, or work with an HVAC contractor to determine the right system for your home
An ENERGY STAR® air conditioner can help you to achieve up to 27% energy savings per year and up to $1,000 in lifetime energy savings. Utility company or manufacturer rebates may also be available, such as Potomac Edison appliance rebates.
Potomac Edison offers HVAC rebates for high-efficiency central air conditioners,air-to-air heat pumps,ductless mini-split heat pumps, adn Energy Star geothermal heat pumps.
Washington Gas has rebates for natural gas furnaces, programmable thermostats, and WiFi enabled programmable thermostats.
If you have a fireplace in a well-insulated home, but leave the damper open, you could be increasing your energy use and costs by 30%. Winter air leakage through fireplaces can increase winter energy bills by $500 or more! Chimneys draw rising warm air out of your home which is replaced by cold air. Close your dampers or install a low-cost inflatable pillow in your chimney; it can be removed before fireplace use, and reinstalled after. Visit batticdoor.com or search for “inflatable dampers” with your internet browser to learn about options.
Watch this video to learn how to install a chimney balloon.
Air flow through leaky doors and window joints, cracks, frames, and sashes can account for 15-40% of a home’s heating and cooling losses. If you close a piece of paper in a door and can pull it out easily, it needs weatherstripping. Stop air leaks from windows and doors with caulking, weatherstripping, plastic film, storm windows, or storm doors. Learn more about how windows can waste energy.
From draft guards to foam weatherstripping, there’s a wide variety of products and strategies. It’s a good idea to learn what works best for your particular situation and the location and type of doors and windows you are sealing. Learn more about different strategies and materials from the Energy Savers guide, savehouseholdenergy.com, or Consumer Energy Center.
If you are a renter, there are temporary fixes for simple sealing projects, like using plastic window film or rope caulking, or laying a rolled up towel to stop drafts below doors. Air sealing strategies that are more permanent should have landlord approval.
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