Step1
Start by making all air leaks easier to detect. Close all windows and exterior doors and close the fireplace flue tight. Shut off combustion appliances like water heaters and furnaces that burn gas. Go through the whole house and turn on every exhaust fan in your bathrooms and kitchen or put a window fan on to help suck the air out of the house.
Step2
Do a walk through inspection. Use a notebook to keep track of what you find to help you tackle them in order of importance. Look at the ceilings. Are there cracks between the walls and ceilings or above or beneath the moldings? Check hanging fans or light fixtures to see if there are gaps or spaces around them. Make sure the attic hatches are insulated and sealed tight. Inspect all the baseboards for spaces between the boards and the wall.
Step3
Check windows for rattling and light filtration to see if they’re sealed properly. Use an incense stick to find less obvious leaks. Place it near the edges of the windows to see if the incense’s smoke is moving around. You can also use your hand to feel for air but wet it a little first to make it more sensitive to moving air. If you don’t have storm windows, they are a good investment on energy costs and resale value. They are pricey, so if this isn’t an option right now, line windows with clear plastic for extra insulation.
Step4
Inspect all the switch plates and electrical outlets. Feel around them for colder or hot spots. Look around wall mounted air conditioners. Check doors. Do you have storm doors? Is there weather stripping around them? See if fireplace dampers and attic doors fit snugly. Don’t forget to look inside cabinets that are wall mounted and especially around those that have pipes or wiring inside them. Mail slots and pet doors should close tightly also.
Step5
Continue your inspection outside. Wherever two different materials meet, such as brick and wood or siding and brick, check for problems. Look at the foundation areas where it attaches to the house’s outside surfaces. Carefully check faucets, outlet boxes, or any holes where wiring, cable or lines enter the house. Look for broken siding, cracks in bricks or other damaged materials.
Step6
Check around the attic to see that pipes, wires and cables are all sealed well. Chimneys and vents should also be checked out. Measure the insulation in the attic and check with a local building supply store to see if what you have is adequate for the area you live in. Not all houses are built to standard and many older houses were built when such standards were different or nonexistent. Adding insulation can save you a fortune in energy dollars if yours is under standard.
Step7
Look under attic insulation to see if there’s a vapor barrier (tar paper, Kraft paper or plastic). If this is missing, consider using paint with a vapor barrier to reduce the amount of water vapor that comes through your ceilings. Too much moisture will make insulation less effective and it can cause problems to the house structure as well. Also check the ductwork for dirt streaks, as this shows an inadequate seal.
Step8
Examine your basement for cracks in walls and leaks around windows, furnaces, and dryer vents. Check to see how much insulation you have under your floors. If you have an exterior door for the cellar, make sure it is also sealed well.
Step9
The last step of checking inside walls is a little tricky for a do it yourselfer. You have to either shut off the electricity and prod inside an outlet box with a long thin tool such as a screwdriver to see if there is adequate insulation or drill a small hole inside a closet or other hidden area. This will only tell you, however, how the insulation is in that spot. It won’t tell you if there are areas where the insulation has settled or whether other parts of it are insulated at all.
Step10
Prioritize your list. After writing down all your information, decide which problems to fix first. If money is not a problem, do the biggest jobs such as replacing windows, first. Break down jobs into manageable and affordable steps. Many of them can be done in stages, a section at a time, such adding insulation or re-caulking windows.
Step11
Don’t forget the maintenance issues that save your energy dollars such as keeping air filters changed or vacuumed in your home, shutting lights off and keeping your thermostat at reasonable temperatures. Look for the Energy Guide labels required by law to make sure all new appliances you buy are energy efficient. Most power companies offer programs that give you a more even payment plan all year long that helps in high usage months.
Step12
Spend a little to see a big return. Most household energy inefficiency problems can be fixed with caulking, weather stripping and spray in foam insulation, all of which are not too expensive. The time you spend in a thorough home energy audit will show you where to start and how to get the best savings return on your investment.
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