Uncover Savings with a DIY Energy Audit
By Miranda Boutelle
Q: How do I perform an energy audit on my home?
A: A home energy audit may sound daunting, but it can be as easy as creating a checklist of improvements based on what you see around your home.
Here’s what you need to find opportunities to save energy and money: a flashlight, dust mask, tape measure and cooking thermometer. I recommend taking notes.
First, check the heating and cooling equipment. Determine the age and efficiency of the equipment by looking up the model number on the nameplate. The average life span of HVAC equipment is 10 to 30 years, depending on the type of equipment and how well it’s maintained. If your equipment is older, it may be time to budget for an upgrade. Check the filter and replace it if needed.
Check the envelope of your home for drafts and air leakage. Feel around windows and trim for any drafts. Pay special attention to spots where different building materials come together. Look under sinks for gaps around pipes. Seal with weatherstripping, caulk or expanding foam as needed.
Replace incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. LEDs use significantly less energy and last longer.
Check for leaking faucets and make sure aerators and showerheads are high-efficiency models in good condition. The gallons-per-minute ratings should be etched onto them. To reduce wasted energy from using more hot water than needed, aerators should be 0.5 to 1.5 GPM. Showerheads should be no more than 2 GPM.
While wearing a dust mask, make sure the attic is insulated. You may see enough from the access area using a cellphone with the flash on to take pictures. Use a tape measure to check the depth of the insulation. It should be a minimum of 12 inches deep. This can vary depending on the type of insulation and your geography.
Insulation can become compacted over time. Loose fill or blown-in insulation should be fluffy and evenly dispersed. Rolled batt insulation should fit tightly together without gaps.
Exterior walls should be insulated. If your home was built before the 1960s, the walls are probably not insulated. Homes from 1960–79 likely need more insulation. Sometimes, you can see wall insulation by removing an outlet cover or switch plate and using a flashlight to look for insulation inside the wall cavity.
Turn off the power at the electrical panel to avoid the risk of electric shock. Wall insulation can be blown in from the inside or outside of the home. However, this is a job for a professional.
Head to the basement or crawlspace next. Unfinished basements should have insulation on the rim joists, at minimum. This is the area between the top of the foundation and the underside of the home’s first-story floor.
Use closed-cell spray foam or a combination of rigid foam and spray foam to insulate rim joists. Crawl spaces should have insulation on the underside of the floor between the floor joists. Insulation should be supported in contact with the floor with no air gaps. Water pipes and ductwork should also be insulated.
Lastly, check the temperature of your water by running it for three minutes at the faucet closest to your water heater. Then fill a cup and check the temperature with a cooking thermometer. The water should be at least 120 degrees. If it is higher, reduce the temperature to 120 degrees on your water heater to reduce energy waste and prevent scalding.
Once your home energy audit is finished, review your findings and prioritize energy-efficiency projects. For step-by-step instructions, visit www.energy.gov/save.