Save Enegy With a Home Energy Audit

In light of the recent findings that some Energy Star Labeled appliances may not save energy at all, I feel it is worth bringing up that you can in fact do your own home energy audit. What this entails is digging up those previous energy bills, locating energy sucking offenders around your home, and then crunching some numbers. This may seem like a bit of an onus, but it really isn't that bad (Just think of it like ripping off one big carbon footprint like band-aid!) and what it means to protecting the environment, and even slashing your energy bills, is invaluable.

The first thing you want to do in your home energy audit is examine your past energy bills and look for any spikes in usage and other related trends. This is good in opening your eyes to just how much the outside temperatures affect your own power usage…in home heating and cooling is in fact the top contributor to energy consumption. You can save energy by ensure that your home is free of air leaks and this will be the next step in your process. Common points of contention are around windows and doorways, and this also includes Fido's little doggie door too! Check between where the ceiling and walls meet as well as among your baseboards, and any other corners for that matter. Also investigate pipes, electric outlets, fireplace dampers, and then if you have an air conditioner that is mounted in a window.

The next stop in your effort to save energy will be to your attic and basement to check up on the state of your insulation. You want to make sure that everything is in line with the most up to date recommendations and this includes insulation covering all pipes, holes, and the chimney and that there is a vapor barrier located below the insulation. Other heating and cooling related issues are making sure that both the air conditioner and furnace is in good condition; if yours are reaching 15 years or more think about swapping them out for more efficient models. On your own you want to make sure that the furnace filters are replaced when necessary and that the coils of a central air unit are also cleaned; you can vacuum them out.

Swapping out those outdated lights can do much to save energy and CFLs and LEDs are becoming much more popular. Some energy companies even offer a rebate to home owners with these installed, but even without a rebate you'll be cutting costs as these greener lights can save you 75 percent or more when compared to traditional bulbs. Dimmer switches can also be an easy way to reduce your energy consumption. Finally you want to then investigate the appliances around your home; if you don't see an abundance of Energy Star rated machines then you may want to start investing in them. For the specifics on just how much energy each appliance is using you can use a Kill-A-Watt Electronic Usage Monitor.

Once you've done your home energy audit you can then find the easiest, or at least most pressing, matters to attend to first in order to save energy around your home. Once remedied you will be left with not only a more green home and the satisfaction of knowing you've reduced your carbon footprint, but you will also be saving plenty of green in terms of your bank account when it comes time to pay those utility bills! Check back later to find out how to pick out a home energy monitor to track your improvement.

Photo credit: Green4All