Checklist for Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audit

Do-it-yourself home energy audit is one of the best tool to save utility bill of a building. A Do-it-yourself energy audit could teach you how to become more energy-efficient and an educated consumer. It is a simple procedure that does not require any expensive equipment or training, rather an attentive appraisal of problems that cause home energy losses. With an informative guide, you could get a good sense of where the home is leaking hot and cool air, and the appliances contributing to the energy loss.

As a homeowner, one could easily perform their home energy audit by themselves. You could conduct your own simple but, diligent walk-through and spot many problems in any type of house. It could help to pinpoint some of the easier areas to address. Create an energy audit checklist to get a guidance for identifying the areas that needs improvements. Here are some of the helpful suggestions to prepare a checklist and measure the home efficiency.

• Locate air leakage: Check out the indoor air leakage from windows, light switches, electrical outlets, fans, basement, attic, fireplace and air-conditioning units. Also,, check the gap along the baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Seal the air leakage and restrict the increasing heating and cooling bills of the house.

• Check insulation: Heat lose from the ceiling and walls below recommended levels could prove too hazardous. Therefore, determine whether the attic or walls are highly insulated or not. Seal the gaps with the best Branded Insulation Material to meet home insulation standards. Check the wall insulation levels and fill-up the cavities with some form of insulating material. If the crawlspace is in poor condition and open to the exterior, determine whether there is insulation under the living area and flooring. Having a proper insulation is a great way to save on heating and cooling costs.

• Inspect the heating and cooling equipment: Take an inspection on various heating and cooling equipment. An equipment such as air furnace, used for more than 15 years, needs checking of filters and replacement with newer ones. Also, check the duct work for air leaks, dirt streaks, etc.

• Lighting: One of the simplest way to save money on electricity is to switch from traditional incandescent to energy-efficient fluorescent lights. When shopping for bulbs, consider the brightness of the bulbs you want and look for lumens and the lighting facts label.

If your DIY energy audit program includes these basic categories, you're on your way to a comprehensive plan to save energy. This audit is an easy project to complete and takes only a couple of hours. A full home energy audit empowers homeowners to make clear decisions on which home upgrades to make and in what priority order.