How to Do a Home Energy Audit: A DIY Guide

In a perfect world, you'd always be able to have a professional come and do an energy use assessment when you think that something might be amiss with your energy usage. When that's not possible, however, did you know that you can do a home energy audit yourself? A home energy assessment can help you gauge where your home is losing energy (and thus costing you money).

After your evaluation, you can determine whether or not you need to find new energy solutions. We're here to help you out. Keep reading for a quick energy audit checklist. 

Located Any Air Leaks

Air leaks can make a huge difference to your energy usage! They're also hard to detect if you aren't explicitly looking for them. When you have an air leak, your HVAC system needs to work harder to keep your home comfortable, and this wastes precious energy and raises your energy bill.  Go around your home and check anywhere that an air leak could happen. It's common for air leaks to be around doors and windows, around pipes, and gaps between the floor and the baseboard. 

Check Heating and Cooling

Speaking of keeping your house comfortable, if there are no air leaks, that doesn't mean that you aren't overusing your HVAC system and wasting energy. If you have an old air conditioner or furnace, you likely need a replacement (or at least a tune-up). Most people never consider the condition of their heating and cooling systems until there's a problem. Have a professional assess your situation. 

Look for Inefficient Energy-Drains

Are you using efficient appliances and lightbulbs? If not, you might be wasting energy. Swapping your lightbulbs for efficient and energy-saving alternatives might seem like a small change, but if you have plenty of lightbulbs in your home, it will make a big difference.  You should also check to ensure that your dishwasher and refrigerator are well-maintained, so they don't sap up too much energy. 

Evaluate Your Household Energy Use

So what if you've done all of those things and your energy bills are still sky-high? It's time to look at how you use energy and make some changes. Are you still using fossil fuels? Conventional electric grids rely on fossil fuels, but switching to solar panels can help you save money and shrink your carbon footprint. Talk to Blue Raven Solar installers about how you can save energy with solar panels.

Ensure that you're constantly turning off lights when you're not using them. Unplug all of your devices when they're not in use, even chargers. Minor adjustments to your lifestyle add up. 

Perform Your Home Energy Audit Today

It's not hard to do a home energy audit, so why not start today? Pay attention to air leaks, analyze your heating and cooling equipment, look for energy drains, and apply some energy-saving tips and new energy solutions to your lifestyle.

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