Whether you do it yourself or leave it to the professionals, conducting a home energy audit will help you determine what improvements you’ll need to make your home more energy efficient, so you can live more comfortably and start saving money on utility bills.

An energy audit requires a look at your annual energy usage and an examination, or walk through, of your home. Unfortunately, since houses aren’t built as energy efficient as they could be there will inevitably be improvements you’ll need to make. Older homes are obvious culprits considering that building codes and energy standards have changed over the years, however as GO’s Philip Proefrock points out, newer homes aren’t necessarily up to par either.

Production homebuilders would rather save a few hundred dollars so that they can keep their costs low and sell homes at the lowest price they can. They are unconcerned about the operating cost of the home, and many homebuyers are following them and only asking about the seling price. The cost of this negligence arrives in high energy bills for these homes, which buyers must deal with year after year.

DIY Energy Audit. When doing your own, simple, energy audit keep track of the problems you find. Things to look for include drafty rooms, or indoor air leaks around doors, windows, baseboards, and areas where there may be condensation. The U.S. Department of Energy provides a helpful guide to help you through the process, including tips on how to locate air leaks, how to inspect your heating and cooling equipment and how to determine where you might need more insulation.

Professional Audits. For a more thorough audit have a professional take a walk through. They have specific testing techniques and may find things you missed in your DIY audit. Check with your electricity or gas provider to see if they offer free or low-cost energy audits. And always check references before hiring a professional energy auditor.

Saving Energy. Once it is determined what areas of your home need improvements you’ll have to decide what energy saving measures you can afford. As with any home improvement think of it as an investment, because whether you decide to upgrade your appliances, replace your heating system, or improve your insulation you will end up saving yourself money each year that will more than make up for the initial expenditure.

DOE Consumer’s Energy Audit Guide

Further reading from Green Options:

Home Energy Audits

How To Get Your Home Ready For Renewable Energy

Using Snow & Ice for Energy Analysis