Maine Home Energy
How to Do a Home Energy Evaluation
Bulletin #7212
Developed
by Associate Extension Professor Kathy Hopkins
Reviewed by Associate Extension Professor Donna Coffin
A home energy evaluation can help
you determine how to increase energy efficiency and reduce
energy use in your home. You can do
your own evaluation if you just want to find some ways to make a
difference in your energy usage. If
you want a comprehensive understanding of your energy usage and
the best ways to save—or if you need a formal audit to apply for
rebates, loans, or grant funds—you will need to hire a certified
energy auditor. The Maine State Housing Authority maintains a
list of certified energy auditors: visit
www.mainehousing.org
or call 800-452-4668.
Use the following checklist to do
your own home energy evaluation. Then follow the steps outlined
below the checklist to decide what kinds of energy-saving
improvements make sense for your situation.
Evaluation Checklist for Home Energy Use
Name:_________________
Housing
House_____ Apartment_____
Condo______ Mobile home______
Approximate square feet ________
Foundation: Basement or
Cellar______ Slab _______ Crawlspace______
Energy usage
|
Units used per year
|
Energy cost per unit
|
|
Electricity |
kwh/year |
$
/kwh |
|
Natural gas |
therms/year |
$
/therm |
|
LP gas |
gallons/year
|
$
/gal |
|
Wood |
cords/year
|
$
/cord |
|
Pellets |
tons/year |
$
/ton |
|
Oil |
gallons/year |
$
/gal |
|
Kerosene |
gallons/year |
$
/gal |
|
Other |
/year |
$
/ |
Joints and
Penetrations
|
Yes
|
No
|
Comments
|
|
With
draft detector (incense stick, feather, tissue taped to
stick) check for drafts at outside openings, cracks, and
air leaks between house and foundation, as well as in
cellar or crawl space. Drafts observed?
|
|
|
|
|
Check
for drafts at other openings: plumbing pipes through
walls; exhaust fans in kitchen or bathroom; chimney or
pipes going through walls, ceilings, or roof. Drafts
observed?
|
|
|
|
|
Draft
detector moves at edges of doors and windows, especially
on windy days?
|
|
|
|
|
Draft
detector moves at electrical outlets?
|
|
|
|
|
Cracks
in walls and foundations sealed and holes plugged?
Broken windows, rotted boards, and window sashes fixed
and in good repair?
|
|
|
|
|
Cellar
doors insulated and tight-sealing?
|
|
|
|
|
Fireplace damper closed when fireplace not being used?
|
|
|
|
|
Fireplace fitted with glass doors that are closed when
in use, to keep room air from going up the chimney?
|
|
|
|
|
Attic
vents (unfinished attic) open summer and winter?
|
|
|
|
|
Cracks
and/or joints around windows, doors, stairways, pipes,
and electrical wires caulked?
|
|
|
|
|
Weather
stripping around doors and windows?
|
|
|
|
|
Air-lock entryway, double door, or insulated storm door
at each outside entrance?
|
|
|
|
Insulation
|
Yes
|
No
|
Comments
|
|
Insulated curtains or sealable window shutters or shades
in use?
|
|
|
|
|
Floors
covered with rugs or padded carpeting?
|
|
|
|
|
Ceilings and walls insulated? How much?
|
|
|
|
|
Vapor
barrier (plastic, foil, or heavy brown paper) between
heated space and insulation?
|
|
|
|
|
Insulation between slab or unheated basement and first
floor?
|
|
|
|
|
Basement walls and/or sill plate insulated?
|
|
|
|
|
Hot
water pipes and hot air ducts insulated?
|
|
|
|
|
Storm
windows in place and tightly sealed? If no storm
windows, are temporary plastic windows installed?
|
|
|
|
|
Is hot
water tank insulated?
|
|
|
|
Home Maintenance
|
Yes
|
No
|
Comments
|
|
Faucets
don’t drip (especially hot water faucets)?
|
|
|
|
|
Low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators installed?
|
|
|
|
|
Programmable thermostat adjusted to lower temperature at
night and when away?
|
|
|
|
|
Radiators and baseboard fins clean and dust free?
|
|
|
|
|
Heating
ducts, grills, or radiators not blocked by furniture,
rugs, curtains?
|
|
|
|
|
Windows
clean to allow maximum solar gain in winter?
|
|
|
|
|
Furnace
cleaned and serviced before winter heating season?
Filter changed or vacuumed once a month?
|
|
|
|
|
Cooking
done in the microwave oven or most energy-efficient
appliance?
|
|
|
|
|
Walls
and ceilings painted or papered in light colors to
reflect natural light?
|
|
|
|
|
Most
lighting fluorescent?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Now that you have completed your checklist, you can use it to evaluate
potential energy-saving improvements. When checking your home for ways
to save energy, remember that while you may be able to do some
energy-saving improvements yourself, you may need to hire a professional
for more complicated, technical, or difficult tasks.
Step One—Collect,
review, and evaluate information:
-
Collect your last
year’s worth of energy bills to review your home’s energy use.
-
Using the checklist
above, consider the energy-saving techniques or strategies you might
implement.
-
Evaluate the cost
and the potential payback of any high-cost changes, such as buying
new appliances, before investing.
Step Two—Consider
these specific energy-saving improvements:
-
Joints and
penetrations: caulk, seal, or weather-strip to block air
infiltration.
-
Insulation: check
to see how much and what kind you have, especially in the attic and
cellar. Consider adding more insulation.
-
Ventilation:
install (or have installed, if necessary) exhaust fans, attic vents,
or roof vents to let excess moisture out.
-
Duct work: wrap
pipes with insulation.
-
Doors and windows:
caulk or seal, pull curtains, use indoor shutters, install indoor
storms, install storm doors.
-
Heating and cooling
systems: clean and upgrade, if possible, for efficiency.
-
Appliances: upgrade
older appliances (clues are in the color – harvest gold, avocado, or
cocoa brown may be older models). Replace with EnergyStar-rated
models.
-
Water heating:
insulate hot water tank with fiberglass jacket.
-
Lighting: replace
incandescent bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs).
Consider replacing older fixtures with fluorescent or LED lighting
fixtures (visit
www.energystar.gov for more information).
Step Three—Develop your
plan:
-
Calculate your
annual heating and electricity costs, using the receipts you
collected.
-
Record the
improvements you plan to make.
-
Prioritize planned
improvements by determining which ones will produce the most
savings. (You may need to measure or estimate the size of your house
as well as doors, windows, and the number and types of lighting
fixtures.) The following resources can help:
-
The U.S. Department of Energy Web site provides
home energy calculators.1
You can also call their Energy
Information Center at 877-EERE-INF (877-337-3463).
-
Efficiency Maine’s Web site
provides
home energy-saving tips,2
including a carbon calculator. You can also request information
about energy efficiency at 866-ESMAINE (866-376-2463).
URLs for
hyperlinks
1
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/calculators/homes.html
2
http://www.efficiencymaine.com/home_tips.htm
Editor: Kyle
McCaskill
Web design: Linda Reed
© 2008 |
Extension
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Extension, or visit www.extension.umaine.edu.
 Last
Modified:
09/24/09
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