Get matched with top energy efficiency auditors in Collbran, CO

It’s not recommended to turn off your breaker box in hopes of saving electricity. Breaker boxes were not designed to constantly be switched on and off. Therefore, turning off breakers unnecessarily can cause costly damage that outnumbers any energy savings. Only flip your breakers if absolutely necessary when troubleshooting an electrical issue.

To determine the right size generator for your house, you should calculate the total wattage of the appliances and devices you want to power during an outage. List all essential items, note their start-up wattages, and add them together.

Here are some typical wattage requirements for common appliances:

• Refrigerator: 600 watts

• Large dehumidifier: 700 watts

• Large window air conditioner: 1,400 watts

• Water heater: 3,000 to 4,500 watts

• Electric furnace: 5,000 to 25,000 watts

A 7,500-watt generator might be sufficient for essentials like a refrigerator, freezer, well pump, and lighting circuits. However, for high-demand items like a water heater or furnace, a whole-home generator is a better choice. A portable generator may be enough if you only need to power a few critical items.

While home square footage can offer a rough estimate, it is not always a reliable indicator. For reference, here are some typical generator sizes based on square footage:

• 1,000 sq ft: 6–9 kW

• 1,500 sq ft: 7–10 kW

• 2,000 sq ft: 10–14 kW

• 2,500 sq ft: 12–16 kW

• 3,000 sq ft: 16–20 kW+

For the most accurate sizing, consult a professional who can calculate your home's peak and average power consumption and recommend the optimal generator.

A home energy audit costs about $420 on average, with prices ranging from $100 to $2,250 or more. The final cost depends on factors like your home's size, location, the thoroughness of the audit, and the specific tests performed. A basic Level 1 walk-through inspection typically costs between $150 and $200, while a comprehensive Level 3 audit with detailed testing and a report costs around $900. Homeowners may be able to use the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Efficient Home Improvement credit to cover up to $150 of the audit cost.

Costs for common individual tests include:

• Blower door test: $350

• Duct testing: $100

• HERS test: $375

• HERS certification: $200

• Infrared imaging: $200

Energy-efficient windows are judged on their performance according to a few different factors, including heat transfer, air leakage, light transference, and condensation resistance. If you're unsure whether a window is energy-efficient, look for an ENERGY STAR® label from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If various products, including windows, meet energy-efficiency standards set by the federal government, the EPA issues this label to help consumers identify energy-efficient products.