A home energy audit will show you where these are and suggest the most effective measures for reducing your energy costs. You can conduct a simple home energy audit yourself , you can contact your local utility, or you can call an independent energy auditor for a more comprehensive examination. Once you assign priorities to your energy needs, you can form a whole-house efficiency plan. Your plan will provide you with a strategy for making smart purchases and home improvements that maximize energy efficiency and save the most money. Another option is to get the advice of a professional.
Many utilities conduct energy audits for free or for a nominal charge.
For a fee, a professional contractor will analyze how your home's energy systems work together as a system and compare the analysis against your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of equipment such as blower doors , infrared cameras , and surface thermometers to find inefficiencies that cannot be detected by a visual inspection. Finally, they will give you a list of recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements and enhanced comfort and safety. This thermal photograph shows heat leaking from a house during those expensive winter heating months. The white, yellow, and red colors show where the heat escapes, with the red representing the area of the greatest heat loss.