Should I have an energy audit performed on my home?

A home energy audit is often the first step in making your home more energy efficient. A home energy audit helps you assess your home's energy efficiency and helps you identify energy-saving improvements.

Audits alone don't save energy; in order to see energy savings, the recommended improvements from the energy audit must be made.

Professional Energy Audits and Improvements:

 Professional energy audit and improvement services will help you get the most for your money and save up to 20-40% of home energy use.

• If you are a lower-income household, you may be eligible for a free audit and free home weatherization services through the Vermont Weatherization Program. Click here to find the weatherization office nearest to you and see if you qualify.
  
  
• If you are a customer of Vermont Gas, you may be eligible for a free audit and cash incentives for follow-up weatherization services.  Click here to see if you qualify.
  
  
• Get a professional energy audit and energy efficiency improvements with a certified Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® contractor.

Energy audits typically include:

• Evaluation of your building tightness and insulation effectiveness using a blower door to measure air leaks
• Assessment of your heating system efficiency and safety and recommendations for energy-saving lighting and appliances
• Professional advice on ways to improve the comfort and durability of your home as well as solve moisture and ventilation problems
• Assistance in prioritizing energy-saving home improvements
• Access to discount financing for energy-efficient home improvement loans

If you choose to go forward with the recommended work, your contractor can also make the improvements and test-out the project to assure real energy savings and a safe and healthy home. Click here to learn more about Home Performance with ENERGY STAR and find a contractor near you.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Energy Assessment and Improvement:

The DIY approach can be a good solution for the handy homeowner who is not afraid to crawl around in attics and basements, work with insulation, or use tools of the trade (hammer, sheetrock knife, etc). Most DIY projects are less comprehensive and cheaper to implement than professional projects, with typical energy savings in the range of 5-10%.

If you have five minutes and your last 12 months of energy bills, you can use the ENERGY STAR Home Energy Yardstick to compare your home's energy efficiency to similar homes across the country and get some general recommendations for energy-saving home improvements from ENERGY STAR. You will also need to enter some basic information about your home (such as zip code, age, square footage, and number of occupants). If you don't have your bills, contact your energy suppliers for a 12-month summary.

Two of the measures with the greatest typical savings are sealing air leaks and adding insulation. For a well-illustrated and helpful DIY guide, you can view or download A DIY Guide to ENERGY STAR Home Sealing.