Home Energy Audit: Improve Your Energy Efficiency

photo credit: futureatlas.com

One of the ways you can save money is to reduce what you are spending on energy in your home. In order to do this, though, you need to increase your home’s energy efficiency. An energy audit can help you determine where your problem areas are, and figure out the best way to solve these issues. An energy audit can also be helpful in determining which energy efficiency projects can be undertaken in order to help you get a tax credit credit for green home improvement, or for exchanging some of your outdated appliances for greener appliances.

An energy audit can be done professionally for a fee. When having a professional perform an energy audit, it is important that you double check credentials. EnergyStar.gov offers a list of qualified builders and partners who can help you find someone to do an assessment of your home. Before you have your professional home energy audit, though, you should make sure that the cost will be worth your savings.

Perform Your Own Energy Audit

It is possible to do your own basic energy audit as well. While you may not catch everything that a professional would, you can still figure out what you can do to plug up some leaks and improve your home’s overall energy efficiency.

The first (and easiest) thing to do is to check for air leaks that can be plugged. These air leaks let hot air out during the winter and let cool air out during the summer. You can find air leaks by closing all windows, doors, flues and other connections to the outdoors. Use exhaust fans or window fans to create air flow. You can then use your hand (usually damp) to find where the drafts are.

Here are some common trouble spots for air leaks, which you can then plug with weather stripping, caulk, insulation or methods:

• Window frames
• Hatches to the attic
• Electrical outlets
• Doors
• Dampers on your fireplace
• Baseboards
• Ducts and ductwork

It is also worth noting that some windows are inefficient, and replacing them with more efficient double-paned models can help improve your home’s energy efficiency — and these windows are eligible for a green home improvement tax credit.

Next, you want to make sure that your insulation is adequate. Many home builders just put in the minimum, and that rarely allows you to maximize the energy efficiency of your home. Double check your attic insulation, measuring it by putting a yardstick down until it rests against the “floor” (the ceiling of the room below) and consider adding more. You can also measure the wall insulation by sticking a ruler or long stick through the insulation you see when you remove the cover plate of an electrical outlet. Be careful, though! Turn off the circuit breaker or remove the appropriate fuse. Make sure there is no electricity flowing through the outlet before doing this test.

Finally, double check your appliances and lighting. Outdated appliances can be real energy vampires, as can incandescent light bulbs. Consider replacing old appliances, especially those related to your heating and cooling systems. Think about using CFLs as well for lighting. You can also increase the energy efficiency of your home by planning some of your plugs so that they go into smart strips that you can turn off at the end of the day.

With a little time and planning, you can increase your home’s energy efficiency, lowering your energy costs while helping the environment.