How To Do a Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit
Whether you are getting ready to sell a home or if you are concerned about the environment or just wanting to cut down on your utility bills, you can do a self-directed energy audit of your home. Grab a clipboard or legal pad and take a tour of your own house! Here's what to look for and some suggestions on how to conduct your audit.
1. Insulation - do you have it in your walls? Find out by temporarily removing and looking behind a wall light switch or outlet. If you don't see any insulation, you need to have insulation blown into your walls behind the siding.
What about attic insulation? If you have at least a foot of insulation material in your attic, there should not be a problem. If there is any less than that, then you need to add more or replace it.
2. Check outside switch plates. Leakage can occur at these sites, and can be resolved by putting foam gaskets behind the switch cover.
3. Windows can be a source of drafts and air leakage. Raise and lower (or slide side to side) the window; if it's loose, add weather stripping to tighten the movement. Check the glass panes - if you have single-pane glass, you can cover them with plastic sheeting. Look closely at the window molding and the wall - if there are cracks, use caulk to fill them in.
4. Doors, like windows, need to be closely checked. Check the seal - if it is loose or if you see light around the edges of the door when it is closed, apply weather stripping. Use caulk to fill in cracks between the door frame and the wall.
5. Check your fireplace. See that the flue is closed when the fireplace is not in use, and that it has a tight seal. If you choose not to use your fireplace, consider using board insulation to seal it.
6. Now look at the thermostat. Are you turning it down at night when you are sleeping and when you are not at home? Try to turn it down 10 degrees lower than during the day. If you are taking care of the other energy wastes in your home, you may be able to get by with turning your thermostat up in the morning (in winter) for about a half an hour, then turning it down for the rest of the day as your house retains the heat. (The inverse would be true for air conditioning.)
7. Head for the basement and check your water heater. Does it have insulation built into its walls? If not, consider wrapping it with an insulating jacket made for the purpose. Turn down the temperature of your hot water heater to 120 degrees (this will also help protect small children from getting burned from hot tap water).
8. The ducts of your heating and cooling system may need sealing, especially around the joints. If you see any gaps or cracks, seal with aptly-named duct tape.
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