Xcel Home Energy Audit

What Is an Xcel Energy Audit?

Whether they want to save money on their monthly electric bill or they are concerned about their carbon footprint, many homeowners want to reduce their energy consumption. Before you can reduce your usage, however, it is important to understand your home’s energy efficiency.

A home energy audit is a comprehensive solution for assessing energy efficiency. It is the best way to find out what areas of your home may be losing energy and to determine what improvements you need to make.

Homeowners in Denver and other areas of the Front Range are served by Xcel Energy. If you are an Xcel customer and you get a home energy audit, you may be eligible for a rebate as part of the Xcel home energy audit program.

REenergizeCO is an Xcel Energy Home Energy Audit preferred contractor. We can perform your home energy audit and discuss energy efficiency improvements for your home!

denver home energy audits

How Much Do I Save on a Home Energy Audit with the Rebate?

Xcel refunds 60 percent of the cost of the home energy audit. The amount of the refund is capped up to $200 based on the services performed.

You pay the contractor upfront, and then the contractor will provide you with the form you submit to Xcel for the rebate. Once the energy auditor provides you with your audit report, you can send in the rebate application.

Xcel Energy only provides rebates if the audit is performed by a preferred contractor. So, it is important to confirm that the company you hire meets Xcel’s requirements for the home energy audit program.

What Happens During the Home Energy Audit?

A home energy audit involves multiple processes to diagnose the efficiency of your house. The audit begins with a review and analysis of your utility bills by a trained energy auditor. Next is a comprehensive inspection that involves:

  • Assessment of the age and condition of your furnace, water heater, HVAC, and other systems
  • Evaluation of your home insulation in the attic, crawlspace, and other key areas of your home
  • Inspection of doors, windows, and the exterior of the house
  • Safety testing of combustion appliances

REenergizeCO also performs a blower door test and thermal imaging of your house as part of the home energy audit.

Blower Door Test

The goal of the blower door test is to evaluate areas of air leakage and air infiltration. When air leaks into or out of your house on a consistent basis, heating and cooling systems have to work harder. As a result, your energy consumption increases.

During the test, all outside windows and doors are closed and a fan is securely set up at one door. The energy auditor will monitor airflow inside your home as the fan is blowing to identify potential problem spots.

Thermal Imaging Scan

Thermal imaging detects heat signatures. During home energy audits, we perform thermal imaging of your home as the blower door test progresses. If we find that certain areas show changes in temperature while the outside of the house is sealed, this enables us to know where you are losing energy.

Another key benefit of thermal imaging is the ability to check the performance of insulation in walls, ceilings, and other areas. Old and degraded insulation can result in significant energy loss, especially in the hottest and coldest months.

It is important to note that the Xcel Energy rebate for a home energy audit with thermal imaging is only available to homeowners who have natural gas service or electric space heating.

Analysis and Estimates

Once all of the inspections and tests are performed, your energy auditor will discuss any energy efficiency issues your home is facing. Based on the problems identified in the audit, the energy auditor can provide you with an estimate for improvements you can make to your home.

Improving the energy efficiency of your home is an investment. It is important for the contractor you hire to provide transparent pricing on any services so you can make sure the work fits your budget.

What Else Should I Expect from an Xcel Energy Audit?

Generally, a home energy audit takes about 2 hours. This will provide the energy auditor with enough time to review your bills, inspect your home, and perform the blower door test and thermal imaging scan.

Although you can order a home energy audit at any time, customers of Xcel are only eligible for a rebate once every 2 years. The home energy audit is designed to assess the energy efficiency of single-family homes, duplexes, and structures containing no more than four separate units.

Contact an Xcel Registered Audit Contractor Today

The team at REenergizeCO includes experienced energy auditors who are certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). Professionals with BPI certification have advanced training and knowledge of building sciences and home energy diagnostics.

If you are an Xcel customer in Denver or another Front Range community and you are interested in scheduling a home energy audit, please contact REenergizeCO today. We also perform home energy audits for homeowners in and around Fort Collins and communities served by other utilities.