Clean Energy for the Rest of Us!
Get to Know Your Home Before You Start Making Changes
You don't need special equipment, technical training, or a big budget to start learning how your home uses energy. A simple DIY home energy audit is a chance to walk through your house with fresh eyes and notice where energy may be getting wasted, where comfort could be improved, and where a future upgrade might make sense.
Think of it as getting to know your home before you start spending money on it. You can do much of it yourself with a notebook, your utility bills, and a little time. Most importantly, what you learn can help you have better conversations with contractors and other professionals when you're ready to take the next step.
Your house is a system. Your insulation, windows, doors, heating and cooling equipment, water heater, appliances, lighting, electrical system and everyday habits all affect how much energy you use and how comfortable your home feels.
A home energy audit helps you begin to see how those pieces fit together.
You may discover something as simple as a draft around an exterior door, an aging furnace filter, poorly sealed ductwork or lights that are still using older bulbs. You may also notice bigger questions: Is there enough insulation in the attic? Is the heating and cooling system working efficiently? Why is one room always colder than another? How much energy are your appliances using? What happens to your energy use during the hottest and coldest months?
These observations give you a starting point.
A DIY audit is not intended to replace a professional energy assessment. A professional can use specialized equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras and duct-testing equipment to identify problems that aren't obvious during a visual inspection.
But you don't necessarily need that level of testing to begin.
In fact, starting with a DIY audit can make a professional audit more useful because you already have a list of questions and concerns. You'll have a better understanding of your home and can explain what you've noticed instead of simply saying, "I think my house is wasting energy."
One of the easiest places to begin is your utility bill.
Look at the past 12 months if you have them available. Don't worry about becoming an expert in kilowatt-hours or therms. You're looking for patterns.
When does your energy use go up?
Does it rise dramatically during the winter or summer? Are there months when your bills seem unusually high? Has your energy use changed as you've changed the way you live in the house?
If you have natural gas, electricity or other energy sources, look at each one separately. Your goal is simply to begin connecting what you pay for with what is happening inside your home.
Your utility bills become a baseline. Later, when you make improvements, you can look back and see whether your energy use changed.
Now walk through your house room by room.
Don't start by looking for expensive upgrades. Start by looking for things that are obvious, inexpensive or easy to fix.
Pay attention to how each room feels. Is it too warm, too cold or drafty? Are some rooms harder to heat or cool than others? Do you notice condensation around windows? Are there doors that don't close tightly?
Look at windows and exterior doors. Feel around the edges for drafts. Check for visible gaps or cracks around frames and trim. Weatherstripping and caulk can often address small air leaks.
Then look upward and downward.
Your attic, basement, crawl space and other areas that separate your living space from the outdoors are particularly important. Look for visible gaps, missing insulation or places where air may be moving between conditioned and unconditioned spaces.
You don't need to climb into an unsafe space or start pulling things apart. If you can't safely inspect an area, make a note of it for a professional.
Next, take a look at the equipment that uses the most energy in your home.
Start with heating and cooling. How old is the equipment? When was it last serviced? Are the filters clean? If you have ducts, can you see obvious gaps or areas where they are poorly sealed or insulated?
Then look at your water heater. What type is it? How old is it? What temperature is it set to? Are the hot-water pipes insulated?
Look at your major appliances, too. Refrigerator, freezer, clothes washer, dryer, dishwasher and cooking equipment are all worth noting.
You don't have to decide whether something needs to be replaced. Just document what you have.
That distinction is important.
An audit is about understanding first and deciding later.
Walk through the house and notice what is plugged in and what is turned on.
Are your lights LED? Are there lights that are routinely left on? Do you have electronics that remain plugged in even when you aren't using them?
You don't need to unplug every device in the house or turn your life upside down. You're simply looking for easy opportunities to reduce unnecessary energy use.
Small changes can add up, particularly when they become everyday habits.
Energy efficiency isn't only about your utility bill.
Your comfort is information.
If you have one room that is always too cold, a bedroom that gets unbearably hot in the summer, a draft near a window or a basement that feels damp, write it down.
These observations can point toward larger issues involving insulation, air sealing, windows, ductwork, heating and cooling equipment or ventilation.
Your house is telling you something. Your job during a DIY audit is to start paying attention.
As you walk through the house, create three categories:
Easy Fixes
Things you can address yourself or with a small amount of effort.
Questions
Things you don't understand or want to investigate further.
Future Projects
Larger improvements that may require a contractor or other professional.
This simple list may become one of the most useful things you create.
Instead of having a vague feeling that your house "needs work," you'll begin to have a specific list of things you want to understand.
And that puts you in a much better position when you start talking with professionals.
Take Away
Have your recent utility bills available.
Also gather any information you have about your house, including:
Approximate age of the home
Age of your heating and cooling equipment
Age of your water heater
Major appliances and approximate ages
Previous insulation or weatherization work
Previous remodeling or electrical work
Look at:
Windows and exterior doors
Foundation and exterior walls
Visible cracks or gaps
Attic and roof areas you can safely inspect
Exterior vents and penetrations
Make notes about anything that looks damaged, poorly sealed or unusual.
Room by room, look for:
Drafts
Cold or hot spots
Condensation
Poorly sealed windows and doors
Missing or damaged weatherstripping
Gaps around pipes, wiring and other penetrations
Lighting that could be upgraded
Document what you have and what you know about it:
Heating system
Air-conditioning system
Heat pump, if applicable
Ductwork
Water heater
Refrigerator and freezer
Clothes washer and dryer
Dishwasher
Cooking equipment
Clean or replace filters where appropriate and note anything that appears to need professional attention.
Only inspect areas that you can access safely.
Look for obvious gaps, missing insulation, exposed ductwork, moisture problems or places where conditioned air could be escaping.
Don't disturb materials that may contain hazardous substances. If something looks questionable, leave it alone and make a note for a professional.
Compare your utility bills and look for patterns.
Ask yourself:
When do I use the most energy—and why?
You aren't trying to calculate exactly how much energy every appliance uses. You're looking for clues.
At the end, organize your findings into:
Easy Fixes → Questions → Future Projects
Then prioritize them.
Start with the things that are inexpensive, straightforward and likely to improve comfort or reduce wasted energy.
If you want a more complete picture, consider having a professional energy audit performed.
Professional assessments can include diagnostic testing such as blower-door testing, infrared imaging and duct testing, depending on the scope of the assessment.
A professional audit can also be particularly helpful before undertaking major work, because it can help you identify problems and prioritize improvements rather than guessing where to spend your money.
Future Proofing Your Home & Life
First start with a basic plan
