| Do you know how much heating and cooling energy | | | | smoke can be seen come into the house. These will |
| your house is wasting? Would you like to know how | | | | be the areas where a little sealing and caulking will stop |
| to improve your home's energy efficiency and how | | | | the problem. |
| much the improvements will save you on your energy | | | | Finally, your auditor should perform a thermographic |
| bills? | | | | scan. This will show warm and cool spots in your walls |
| You need a professional home energy audit! | | | | and identify places where insulation may help. |
| What Happens During A Home Energy Audit? | | | | Finding A Home Energy Auditor |
| A professional auditor is going to perform a thorough | | | | Your state or local government energy or |
| examination of your home - room-by-room, inside and | | | | weatherization office may be able to help you locate a |
| out. He or she will be noting things like the number of | | | | local company that performs audits. Your energy utility |
| windows, the surface area of the walls, and more. | | | | companies may perform residential energy audits or |
| The auditor will also be examining the usage patterns | | | | be able to recommend local auditors. |
| of your home and several months worth of your | | | | When deciding who to hire, look for the following: |
| energy bills. There may be consistent times when your | | | | * References. The auditor should be able to provide |
| home is unoccupied, and reducing the use of the | | | | these and you should call each one and ask about |
| heating and cooling system during those hours can | | | | their satisfaction level. |
| reduce your costs without any effect on your overall | | | | * Check your local Better Business Bureau regarding |
| comfort. | | | | the auditor you want to use. Look for complaints about |
| The auditor will check the house for leaks where | | | | the company. |
| drafts can let cold air in or out. This is done by lowering | | | | * Make sure the auditor can perform a thermographic |
| the pressure in the home and using smoke to pinpoint | | | | test and that he or she uses a calibrated blower fan |
| leaks. To perform this test (called a blower door test), | | | | for their tests. |
| the auditor will close all of the windows and doors and | | | | Knowing where the energy leaks are in your home |
| then install a large fan in one of the outside door | | | | may save you hundreds of dollars spent guessing |
| frames. The fan draws air out of the house lowering | | | | where the problems are and fixing things that weren't |
| the inside air pressure. | | | | actually broken. Plus, you will also benefit from an |
| An assistant will walk around the outside of the home | | | | ongoing savings on your energy bills. |
| with a smoker and the auditor will note areas where | | | | |