Why Now Is the Time to Get an Xcel Energy Audit

An Xcel Energy audit provides valuable insights on your home’s energy efficiency and what you can do to save on your monthly bills. There is no time like the present to have your home fully evaluated by a professional home energy auditor.

Xcel Energy customers in and around the Denver area were dismayed to learn that they will start paying more for electricity under Xcel’s new time of use rate. You have a limited time to decide whether you want to opt out of this program, and your home energy usage will play a major role in which rate is right for your household.

REenergizeCO is recognized as the top rebate-producing home energy audit contractor by Xcel Energy. Call our office in the Denver area at (303) 227-1000 today to schedule an Xcel Energy audit with our team.

Xcel Energy Time of Use vs. Residential Opt Out Pricing

With the Xcel time of use rate, what you pay for energy varies by the time of day and the season. Customers who will get the most benefit from the time of use rate are the ones who can modify their energy use habits to take full advantage of off-peak pricing (7 p.m. to 1 p.m.).

Using less energy is always a good thing, especially when the demands on the power grid are at their highest. However, not everyone has the flexibility to adjust their energy consumption. This is a common concern among Xcel customers, from parents with school-aged children to professionals who get home from work smack in the middle of on-peak hours (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.).

The switch to time of use pricing represents a sweeping change. However, Xcel Energy is not mandating that all customers make the switch right away. For now, customers have the option to choose residential opt out pricing instead of time of use.

Xcel specifically notes that the opt out rate may be preferable for “those with inflexible schedules who use their energy during peak time and cannot shift their energy usage,” as well as “large energy users.”

So how do you know how much energy you use, and whether your usage during on-peak hours is “inflexible”? You can get an idea by reading your energy bill closely every month, but a home energy audit is the only way to get comprehensive insights on your home’s energy efficiency.

What Is an Xcel Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a thorough evaluation of your home by an energy professional. It consists of the following:

• Efficiency and safety inspection of your furnace, water heater, and other combustion appliances 
• Inspecting your HVAC system
• Home insulation inspection
• Checking the seal on doors, windows, and other areas along the exterior of the house
• Blower door test and thermal imaging scan of your home
• Review of your electric bills over the last year

The home energy auditor will also discuss potential efficiency upgrades, as well as provide an estimate on any improvements.

Read More: What Is an Xcel Energy Audit?

Benefits of an Xcel Energy Audit

Knowledge is power. With a home energy audit, you get detailed knowledge on both the energy efficiency of your home and your energy usage.

The principal benefit of an Xcel Energy audit is the ability to save money. Between home upgrades and insights on how you can adjust your energy usage, an energy audit is often the first step toward significant energy savings.

Home Energy Audits and Time of Use Pricing

Understanding your energy usage is even more important now that Xcel Energy is instituting time of use pricing. A home energy audit can help you know if you are a “large energy user” or if your schedule will make the time of use rate unworkable.

Read More: Finding the Right Energy Auditing Company

After Xcel Energy has installed a smart meter on your home, you will get a notification that time of use pricing will be applied to your bill. You will have a window of about 30 days to let Xcel know that you want to opt out once you receive this notice. If you are unsure whether time of use or the residential opt out rate is right for you, you should schedule an Xcel Energy audit as soon as possible.

Book Your Energy Audit with REenergizeCO

Xcel Energy provides rebates of up to $200 when customers use a participating contractor for their home energy audit. You can find registered contractors recognized by Xcel via the online Trade Partners Resource Center (select “Home Energy Audits”).

When you click “Next,” you will see a list of contractors whose qualifications meet Xcel’s quality standards. You might notice that REenergizeCO is at the top of the list. This is because our home energy audit team produces more rebates for Xcel Energy customers than any other company in Colorado!

Our energy auditors are experienced and highly trained in building science principles. We provide custom-tailored insights on the energy efficiency of your home, with an emphasis on helping you save money. Our team also handles the rebate paperwork for you.

Contact REenergizeCO to schedule your Xcel Energy audit. We serve Xcel customers in Denver and throughout the Colorado Front Range.