A home energy audit is the first step in assessing how much energy your home consumes and evaluating what measures you can take to make your home more energy-efficient.

An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. During the audit, you can pinpoint where your house is losing energy. Audits also determine the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems. An audit may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity. You can perform a simple energy audit yourself or call in a professional.

A professional energy auditor uses a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure. Thorough audits often use equipment such as surface thermometers, blower doors, which measure the extent of leaks in the building envelope, and infrared cameras, which reveal hard-to-detect areas of air infiltration and missing insulation.

After gathering information about your home, the auditor will give you a list of recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements and enhanced comfort and safety. A good auditor will also calculate the return on your investment in high-efficiency rather than standard products.

Once you have identified where your home is losing energy, assign priorities by asking yourself a few important questions:

• How much money do you spend on energy?
• Where are your greatest energy losses?
• How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay for itself in energy-cost savings?
• Do the energy-saving measures provide additional benefits that are important to you (for example, increased comfort from installing double-paned windows)?
• How long do you plan to own your current home?
• Can you do the job yourself or will you need to hire a contractor?
• What is your budget and how much time do you have to spend on maintenance and repair?

Once you assign priorities to your energy needs, you can form a whole-house efficiency plan. Your plan will provide you with a strategy for making smart purchases and home improvements that maximize energy efficiency and save the most money.

Information courtesy of EERE