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Performing a Home Energy Audit

If you’ve ever wanted to understand how much energy your home consumes, where it may be losing energy or why a certain room is too cold or too hot, a home energy audit could answer these questions and more.

An energy audit is simply an assessment of your home’s energy use. Its outcomes can help you decide what actions to take in order to improve your home’s energy efficiency, comfort and worth. The US Department of Energy states that, depending on the actions taken after an audit, a homeowner may save between 5 percent and 30 percent on energy bills.1

Types of Audits

What type of audit is the best for your home and family? Depending on your concerns and what type of upgrades you want to make, you’ll have to decide if you need a basic DIY assessment or an advanced professional audit.

DIY Home Energy Audit

A do-it-yourself audit can help detect minor issues. Like a professional audit, you’ll complete a walk-through of your entire home to identify small air leaks and drafts, and evaluate the performance of existing insulation and mechanical systems. Use a checklist as you go to keep track of inspected areas and issues that may need to be addressed. Your DIY audit checklist should include locating air leaks, checking insulation, and inspecting cooling and heating equipment.2 Once your DIY audit is completed, you can seal leaks or add insulation as needed.

The big benefit of a DIY approach is it can give good insight into areas of energy waste without incurring the cost associated with hiring a pro—though you may want to hire a professional if you have an unresolved issue.

See what to look for

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DIY energy audit: What to look for3:

  • Air movement – just by placing a hand or a lit candle in front of a potential point of air leakage can be felt or seen
  • Windows – make sure that there are no cracks in window panes, caulking, or weather-stripping.
  • Doors – air should not be able to escape beneath the door.
  • Insulation – all insulation levels should meet the required minimum amount. Also check for any gaps or areas where insulation should be but is not present
  • Attic – look for holes, light from the outside should not be coming through the attic ceiling and if there are dark areas on insulation that means air and dust is leaking through
  • Unfinished basement/Crawl space – look for holes, light should not be penetrating through any walls, cracks, or holes.
  • Mechanical systems – decide if air filters need to be changed and try to find the efficiency of your system. For different products this is typically expressed in AFUE (furnaces), SEER, EER and HSPF (air conditioners and heat pumps) and TE or EF (water heaters).

Professional Home Energy Assessment

A professional home energy audit may be the right option if you are interested in a more thorough examination of your home or are considering multiple energy efficient upgrades. A professional auditor has specialized assessment tools to pinpoint exact needs and can even estimate your projected savings for various home improvements. You can find a certified auditor through the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) directory or by contacting your local utility. Energy audits are often subsidized significantly by your local utility, which is definitely worth researching.

If you’re going to invest in an energy audit, make sure you hire a professional who’s equipped with the technology and tools to give you the most accurate readout. You may find lower-cost auditors, but they may not have the advanced diagnostic tools to maximize your opportunities for savings.

See what to expect

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What to expect with a pro audit

During the audit, the auditor will do a walk-through of the entire home and perform multiple tests to assess where a home is losing energy.

  • Blower door test – detects any air leaks that may be occurring and evaluates the airtightness of a home
  • Infrared imaging – finds any air leaks, insulation problems, and possible moisture issues occurring in walls
  • Efficiency metering – inspects appliances to confirm that they are working correctly and safely
  • Insulation – all insulation levels should meet the required minimum amount. Also check for any gaps or areas where insulation should be but is not present
  • Attic – look for holes, light from the outside should not be coming through the attic ceiling and if there are dark areas on insulation that means air and dust is leaking through
  • Unfinished basement/Crawl space – look for holes, light should not be penetrating through any walls, cracks, or holes.
  • Mechanical systems – decide if air filters need to be changed and try to find the efficiency of your system. For different products this is typically expressed in AFUE (furnaces), SEER, EER and HSPF (air conditioners and heat pumps) and TE or EF (water heaters).

Make sure your auditor plans to use at least some if not all of these specialized tools. If not, you may want to find one who will.

References

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  1. http://energy.gov/energysaver/professional-home-energy-audits
  2. “Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audits.” Energy.gov. U.S. Department of Energy, 24 June 2013. Web. 03 Sept. 2015.
  3. “Do-it-yourself Home Energy Audit.” Seattle City Light Conservation. City of Seattle, Mar. 2008. Web. 03 Sept. 2015.