How to Conduct a Home Energy Audit

Home energy audits done by a professional can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year by identifying areas in your home where you are losing valuable electricity, escaping through windows and walls, or being wasted by non-efficient appliances. But… energy audits done by a professional can be pricey, and in East Texas, professional auditors are mostly limited to HVAC sales companies. If you want to do a basic audit yourself, the checklist below is a good place to start.

• DRAFTS: Outside air comes in and cool air escapes through unsealed frames. How to identify: On a windy day, close all doors, windows, and the chimney damper. Light a candle or incense and move it around the perimeter of each window and door. If the flame flickers or the smoke blows sideways, you have an air leak. How to repair: Install new weatherstripping and caulk around all seals inside and outside, around windows and doors.
• DAMAGED FIREPLACE DAMPER: Ten to 20 percent of cooled air from your home can be drawn into the chimney flue, passing around a rusted, stuck, or loose-fitting damper. How to identify: With the damper closed, hold a lit candle inside the firebox and watch the flame. If it gets beaten around or blown out, air is flowing up the chimney. How to repair: This is one project where calling a professional is recommended. Proper sealing of the damper will be required, and if rusted, the damper may need to be replaced. Balloon-like plugs called Fireplace Draftstoppers are also available to place in your flue, then inflate during the months when you are not using your fireplace.
• ELECTRICITY “PHANTOM” DEVICES: Devices with a standby mode using power even when they aren’t in use can account for 10 percent of your electricity costs; phone chargers, TVs, and computers. How to identify: If it has an indicator light, a charger or AC power adapter on the cord, or a digital clock, it’s a phantom. There are detectors available that will measure exactly how much power is being drawn from the outlet when the device is “off.” How to prevent: Plug phone chargers, TVs, computers, and sound equipment into power strips. With a flip of the power strip, all devices are disconnected from power.
• UNDER THE DOOR AIR FILTRATION: While most homeowners weatherstrip around the jamb, they often overlook the area beneath an exterior door.
• LEAKING DUCTWORK: After years of service, the adhesive tape that seals joints between duct sections can dry out, allowing heated or cooled air to escape. How to identify: With the AC on, shine a high-powered flashlight on ducts, especially at junctions where they connect. If you see where dust on the exterior of the ducts has been blown away, that’s usually the sign of a leak. How to repair: Use HVAC foil tape to seal joints between sections.
• THE REFRIGERATOR INSIDE AND OUT: Over time, wear and tear on the door’s rubber gasket, as well as built-up dirt and dust on coils, erode its efficiency and make it more expensive to operate. How to identify: The gasket condition: Close the refrigerator door on a piece of paper. If you don’t feel resistance when you pull it out, the gasket seal is broken and chilled air is escaping. Mold or moisture on the gasket are other telltale signs. The coils: Visual inspection will reveal if there is dust or dirt on the coils. How to repair: If the gasket needs replacing, order one from the manufacturer of the refrigerator and replace it. They are fairly simple to replace. If the coils are dusty or dirty, they can be wiped clean or even vacuumed.
• UNINSULATED SWITCH AND OUTLET COVERS: A thin metal or plastic plate isn’t enough to prevent air from getting through what’s basically a big hole in the wall. How to identify: Remove the plate and cover the opening with a ply of tissue affixed to the wall at the top with painter’s tape, like a curtain. If the tissue billows, you’ve got a leak. How to repair: Insulate the opening with a pre-cut foam gasket, about 25 cents each at home centers. Just fit the gasket over the opening and replace the cover. For extra protection for outlets when they aren’t in use, insert plastic child-safety plugs.
• EXTRA REFRIGERATORS OR FREEZERS IN THE GARAGE: Many times when a family gets a new refrigerator, they move the old one into the garage or a workshop for additional refrigerated storage. The extra storage space is convenient but often comes with a high electricity cost. Most garages and external workshops are uncooled areas that are much warmer than the inside of your home. A refrigerator works 24 hours a day to keep the interior at a designated temperature: 41 degrees or below for the refrigerator section; 32 degrees or below for the freezer. The unit’s compressor runs until it reaches the set temperature, repeating this cycle as often as needed. If it’s 98 degrees outside, your un-air-conditioned garage could be 80–90 degrees. This will wear out your refrigerator more quickly than if it were indoors in a climate-controlled space. This could double or triple the amount of power it used when it was inside your home. Keep in mind that older refrigerators and freezers are not as efficient as modern models. They use more electricity and, when placed in a hot environment, tend to run far more frequently throughout a 24-hour period. Sometimes it’s best to dispose of the older unit. If you need more space, consider a lower-end, new Energy Star refrigerator or freezer.

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