Saving with a DIY energy audit 

A home energy audit may sound daunting, but it can be as easy as creating a checklist of improvements based on what you see around your home. 

Here’s what you’ll need to find opportunities to save energy and money: a flashlight, dust mask, tape measure and cooking thermometer. It’s a good idea to take notes on your phone or a notepad. For step-by-step instructions, visit www.energy.gov/save. 

First, check the heating and cooling equipment. If your equipment is older, it may be time to budget for an upgrade. Check the filter and replace it if needed. 

Exterior walls should be insulated. If your home is older than the 1960s, the walls probably are not insulated; houses from the 1960s or 1970s likely need more insulation. Adding wall insulation is a job for a professional. 

Check for leaking faucets and make sure aerators and showerheads are high-efficiency models in good condition. Run the faucet closest to your water heater for three minutes, then fill a cup and measure with a cooking thermometer. If it’s more than 120 to 140 degrees, reduce the temperature on your water heater.

Of course, make sure to replace incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs with the more efficient LEDs.

Above and below

Don your dust mask and look in the attic to check the insulation. Make sure any insulation is evenly distributed and adequate for your area and type of insulation. 

If you have a basement or crawl space, head there next. At minimum, unfinished basements should have insulation on the rim joists—the area between the top of the foundation and the underside of the home’s first-story floor. 

Crawl spaces should have insulation on the underside of the floor between the floor joists, with no air gaps. Water pipes and ductwork should also be insulated. 

MIRANDA BOUTELLE writes on energy efficiency for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.