National Energy Awareness Month Kickoff!

October is National Energy Awareness Month, and how appropriate that this is the inaugural post of Pro Energy's new blog! All month we are dedicated to raising energy awareness through our 'It's EASY Being Green' campaign.

Our goal and my personal mission this month is to show homeowners that 'going green' is not as difficult, expensive or time consuming as they might think. All the time I talk with people who want to do their part for the environment, but don't know where to start. I always say, it starts at HOME. Our homes guzzle a huge portion of our total domestic energy consumption - so if we all improved a little, we'll accomplish a lot.

In this post I want to start with a very macro topic: Why are our homes typically so energy inefficient? Many reasons, such as:

• Earlier building codes didn't call for the construction techniques and insulation levels required by today's standards.


• Builders seeking to maximize profit on new construction.


• Building envelopes naturally begin to fail and 'leak' over time.


• DIY repairs by well-meaning weekend warriors can compromise the home's structural integrity.


• We're simply smarter about how energy 'works' in our properties than we were decades ago.

From historic homes to newly built ones, I've seen conditions that compromise a home's energy efficiency, resulting in high energy bills, indoor comfort issues, and even potential health hazards. These are things we can't see with the naked eye, we just feel the effects (painful utility bills, rooms difficult to heat or cool, recurring property damage like ice dams and water intrusion, dust buildup, etc.). No one is immune.

But, there ARE many things you can do to improve your home's energy efficiency and overall performance. By reading this blog, you're already raising your awareness which is where it all starts. And as we go along, you'll begin to understand how your home truly 'works' and what steps you can take to improve.

This is, after all, the ultimate WIN-WIN. You can help our environment while easing the burden on your wallet and getting more joy out of your home. This is one of the few areas where there truly is no downside!

For more information about the "It's EASY Being Green" campaign, check out Pro Energy Consultants' National Energy Awareness Month information page. You could even win a $200 gift card to do some 'green' shopping!