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The first step to taking a whole-house energy efficiency
approach is to find out which parts of your house use the most
energy. A home energy audit will show you where these are and
suggest the most effective measures for reducing your energy
costs. You can conduct a simple home energy audit yourself, you
can contact your local utility, or you can call an independent
energy auditor for a more comprehensive examination.
How We Use
Energy In Our Homes (based on national averages)
The
largest portion of a utility bill for a typical house is for
heating and cooling.
Energy
Auditing Tips
• Check the level of insulation in your exterior and
basement walls, ceilings, attic, floors, and crawl spaces.
• 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.
• Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns,
paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living
room, kitchen, and exterior lighting. Look for ways to use
daylighting, reduce the time the lights are on, and replace
incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent lamps or
standard fluorescent lamps.
Formulating Your Plan
After you have identified places where your home is losing
energy, assign priorities to your energy needs 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 savings?
• 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?
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 nominal charge.
For a fee, a professional contractor will analyze how your home's
energy systems work together as a system and compare the analysis
against your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of
equipment such as blower doors, infrared
cameras, and
surface thermometers to find inefficiencies that cannot be
detected by a visual inspection. Finally, they will give you a
list of recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements
and enhanced comfort and safety.
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When searching for a contractor, you should:
• Start with 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
• Inquire with the Better Business Bureau |
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