The first step to taking a wholehouse
energy efficiency approach is to find out
which parts of your house use the
most energy. A home energy audit
will pinpoint those areas and suggest
the most effective measures for cutting
your energy costs. You can conduct a
simple home energy audit yourself,
contact your local utility, or call an
independent energy auditor for a
more comprehensive examination.
For more information about home
energy audits, including free tools and
calculators, visit www.energysavers.
gov or www.natresnet.org.
Energy Auditing Tips
• Check the insulation levels in your
attic, exterior and basement walls,
ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces.
Visit www.energysavers.gov for
instructions on checking your
insulation levels.
• Check for holes or cracks around
your walls, ceilings, windows,
doors, light and plumbing fixtures,
switches, and electrical outlets
that can leak air into or out of your
home.
• Check for open fireplace dampers.
• Make sure your appliances and heating
and cooling systems are properly
maintained. Check your owner’s
manuals for the recommended
maintenance.
• Study your family’s lighting needs
and use patterns, paying special
attention to high-use areas such as
the living room, kitchen, and outside
lighting. Look for ways to use lighting
controls—like occupancy sensors,
dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting
energy use, and replace standard
(incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures
with compact or standard fluorescent
lamps.
Formulating Your Plan
After you have identified where your
home is losing energy, assign priorities
by asking yourself a few important
questions:
• How much money do you spend on
energy?
• Where are your greatest energy losses?
• How long will it take for an
investment in energy efficiency to pay
for itself in energy cost savings?
• Do the energy-saving measures
provide additional benefits that
are important to you (for example,
increased comfort from installing
double-paned, efficient windows)?
• How long do you plan to own your
current home?
• Can you do the job yourself or
will you need to hire a contractor?
• What is your budget and how
much time do you have to spend on
maintenance and repair?
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Tips for Finding a Contractor
• Ask neighbors and friends for
recommendations
• Look in the Yellow Pages
• Focus on local companies
• Look for licensed, insured contractors
• Get three bids with details in writing
• Ask about previous experience
• Check references
• Check with the Better Business Bureau
Once you assign priorities to your energy needs, you can form a whole
house efficiency plan. Your plan will provide you with a strategy for
making smart
purchases and home improvements that maximize energy efficiency and save the
most money.
Another option is to get the advice of a professional. Many utilities
conduct energy audits for free or for a small charge. For a fee, a
professional contractor will analyze how well your home’s energy
systems work together and compare the analysis to
your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras, and surface
thermometers to find leaks and drafts. After gathering information about your home, the contractor or auditor will give
you a list of recommendations for cost effective energy improvements and enhanced comfort and safety.
A reputable contractor can also
calculate the return on your investment in high-efficiency equipment compared with standard equipment.
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