Article by Trevor Johnson
An energy audit can be as simple as reviewing a year’s worth of electric bills and comparing it to similar homes in the area. On the US Department of Energy website, a convenient tool allows you to input basic data about your home, utilities and energy use and measure your home’s energy consumption against other similar homes. This energy yardstick allows a person to judge how much energy is being consumed to heat or cool his home and offers methods to reduce consumption or set energy use goals.
A bit more challenging, but ultimately rewarding, is to conduct a do-it-yourself home energy audit. It requires a bit of planning, but a good checklist of items to look for and what to review in each room of the house including attics and basements can be very useful. Being methodical in each room will help to identify energy wasters such as air leaks, poor insulation, outdated heating or cooling equipment, and lighting. Prioritizing the fixes for these areas can significantly reduce energy usage and keep the house cooler or warmer, when it is supposed to be.
If you do not have enough time to conduct it yourself then, the best option is to have a home energy audit professionally done. A professional energy audit will go into detail on the energy profile of your home and provide additional advice on how to conserve energy and reduce out of pocket expenses. In addition to measuring energy inefficiencies, a professional audit may ask many questions about how you live in the home.
Whether it is a purposeful review of the yearly utility bill or a detailed analysis of home energy efficiency, a home energy audit will help you make informed choices on where and how to save energy. Saving energy costs for summer or winter will allow the family to have more money to do the things that are important and help preserve precious resources for the next generation.
Trevor Johnson is a home improvement writer who focuses on educating homeowners about how they can “go green” by taking simple steps. He recommends regular home energy and weatherization audits to ensure that homes are conserving their energy as much as possible.
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