If you are concerned with the energy efficiency of your home, you can quickly and easily conduct your own energy assessment to check for potential issues. By locating problem areas, you can make the necessary repairs, which will save you money on monthly utility bills and increase your home’s energy efficiency, getting your home closer to the efficiency you’ll find in many of today’s new homes.
To begin your home energy efficiency assessment, grab a pen and paper and begin at one end of your house. Carefully walk through each room and make a detailed list of any air leaks/drafts you encounter. Leaking air can cause your home to be up to 30% less energy efficient, resulting in a hard hit on both the environment and your wallet. You need to look carefully for both indoor and outdoor air leaks, even in some of the unlikeliest of places—baseboards and electrical outlets are just as likely to leak air as window frames and door frames. Write down any leaks you find, so that they can be repaired.
Next, inspect the insulation in your attic. Insulation requirements and recommendations have changed drastically over the years, so your home, particularly if it’s older, may lack adequate amounts of insulation. Research the recommended insulation levels for your area and compare them to the insulation present in your home. You may need to hire a professional to check the insulation levels in your walls, as adding intra-wall insulation is a more complicated process that should not be attempted if you are unfamiliar with construction and electrical wiring.
Inspecting your heating and cooling units is another key step in your energy usage audit. It is recommended that HVAC units over 15 years old be replaced, as newer models are much more efficient. Make sure the unit is functioning properly and is clean. You should hire a professional to clean your furnace once per year to maximize its functionality. Make sure to also replace the unit’s filters regularly, which keep the unit running more efficiently.
Lastly, check all of the light bulbs in your home to ensure you’re using the correct size and wattage for each light. Trade out the bulbs in your house until you’re sure all lights are using the recommended wattage, and consider investing in CFL or LED bulbs. These light bulbs last longer and use less energy than traditional incandescent lights.
Did you know?
“If every American home replaced just one light with a light that’s earned the ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for a year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to those from about 800,000 cars.” source www.energystar.gov.
Keith Munsell 
