Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit
Performing a home energy audit will help you determine how well your home currently operates and what upgrades are needed to improve your energy use. An audit can help save money, conserve resources, add comfort to your home, improve the performance of heating and cooling equipment and increase the resale value of your home.
Start by gathering up your utility bills to determine your current energy consumption.
Next make a checklist. Your audit will include locating air leaks, checking insulation, examining heating and cooling equipment and looking at lighting. Your checklist should include the date of the audit, a list of what you inspect and its condition.
The biggest home energy sapper is air leakage, accounting for about 1/3 of your home heating costs. Look for leaks visually and by noting actual air movement. For suspected leaks you can't see, use an incense stick or simply use your damp hand - the moving air will feel cool where there is a leak.
Look for daylight through window and door frames and look for windows you can rattle, both sure signs your house is losing energy. Other places to look for air leakage include:
· Fireplaces
· Basements and crawlspaces
· Electrical outlets and light switches
· Exhaust fans and recessed lights
Don't forget the exterior of your home. Outside, look at areas such as where different building materials meet, where pipes and wire exit and along the foundation.
Inspect attics to see if insulation is compacted or crumbling, rendering it useless. Remove the cover of a power plug to determine if exterior walls are insulated. Water pipes and furnace ducts should also be insulated.
As part of the audit, examine heating and cooling equipment. Determine when your furnace was last inspected and see if furnace filters look dirty. Examine ductwork for streaks, which indicate leaks. If you have central air conditioning, check to see if the unit's coils are clean.
Appliances are major energy users, so check those. Appliances over 15 years old are not as energy efficient as newer models.
Lighting accounts for about 10 per cent of your electric bill. Check the wattage of light bulbs. You may have 100-watt bulbs where 60 to 75 watts would do. Check the type of light bulbs, incandescent bulbs shed heat, which contributes to energy loss.
Start with no-cost and low-cost improvements you can do yourself. Keep your home at 20 C during the day and 15 C at night. Lower water heater thermostats to 60 C. Caulk or weatherstrip the drafty spots you found. Seal attic and crawlspace air leaks with spray foam. Replace dirty furnace filters and clean ducts, floor vents and central air conditioning coils. Install compact florescent light bulbs in all fixtures.
For more extensive energy improvements consider hiring professionals. As well, consider replacing older appliances and heating and cooling equipment with newer high-efficiency units.
After you've completed your audit hold on to the results. In a few months compare your utility bills with the ones used for the audit. The results are sure to please you and your pocketbook.
How to do a Home Energy Audit
Start by gathering up your utility bills to determine your current energy consumption.
Next make a checklist. Your audit will include locating air leaks, checking insulation, examining heating and cooling equipment and looking at lighting. Your checklist should include the date of the audit, a list of what you inspect and its condition.
The biggest home energy sapper is air leakage, accounting for about 1/3 of your home heating costs. Look for leaks visually and by noting actual air movement. For suspected leaks you can't see, use an incense stick or simply use your damp hand - the moving air will feel cool where there is a leak.
Look for daylight through window and door frames and look for windows you can rattle, both sure signs your house is losing energy. Other places to look for air leakage include:
· Fireplaces
· Basements and crawlspaces
· Electrical outlets and light switches
· Exhaust fans and recessed lights
Don't forget the exterior of your home. Outside, look at areas such as where different building materials meet, where pipes and wire exit and along the foundation.
Inspect attics to see if insulation is compacted or crumbling, rendering it useless. Remove the cover of a power plug to determine if exterior walls are insulated. Water pipes and furnace ducts should also be insulated.
As part of the audit, examine heating and cooling equipment. Determine when your furnace was last inspected and see if furnace filters look dirty. Examine ductwork for streaks, which indicate leaks. If you have central air conditioning, check to see if the unit's coils are clean.
Appliances are major energy users, so check those. Appliances over 15 years old are not as energy efficient as newer models.
Lighting accounts for about 10 per cent of your electric bill. Check the wattage of light bulbs. You may have 100-watt bulbs where 60 to 75 watts would do. Check the type of light bulbs, incandescent bulbs shed heat, which contributes to energy loss.
You've done your audit, now what?
Start with no-cost and low-cost improvements you can do yourself. Keep your home at 20 C during the day and 15 C at night. Lower water heater thermostats to 60 C. Caulk or weatherstrip the drafty spots you found. Seal attic and crawlspace air leaks with spray foam. Replace dirty furnace filters and clean ducts, floor vents and central air conditioning coils. Install compact florescent light bulbs in all fixtures.
For more extensive energy improvements consider hiring professionals. As well, consider replacing older appliances and heating and cooling equipment with newer high-efficiency units.
After you've completed your audit hold on to the results. In a few months compare your utility bills with the ones used for the audit. The results are sure to please you and your pocketbook.
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