Do It Yourself Energy Audit

With all we know about how our home energy use being a large part of our carbon footprint and with People’s Gas and ComEd prices steadily getting higher and higher, now’s the perfect time to do a walk through of your apartment, condo or house to make sure we are being as efficient as we can.  Even simple energy conservation can lower utility bills.

There are two ways you can go about an energy audit.  The first is to hire a professional.  Professional audits generally go into great detail and they should do a room by room analysis as well as an examination of past bills.  Take a look at this video provided by Green Dream Group to give you a better idea of what a professional audit may look like in Chicago.

There are several options in Chicago for professional energy audits and I’ve listed a few below.

• Chicago Energy Solutions
• Green Envelope, LLC
• Chicago Energy Consultants
• Priority Energy
• Green Dream Group

Steps to Do It Yourself

If you’d rather go the Do-it-Yourself route, you’re not alone and that’s why there are a ton of resources out there to help you on your way.  With help from our friends, the worldwide web and the US Department of Energy, we’ve compiled a list of actions you can take to get your home energy audit on its way.  And try this free Home Energy Saver Tool to help get a sense of how energy-efficient your home is (it compares costs to other homes in the area).

Bills, Bills, Bills

Your bills hold the usage information that is helpful when trying to reduce your usage.  Get to know the kilowatt hours you are using and how much you are paying each month.  Looks for spikes in energy use and cost and try and identify why these spikes are occurring.  Hopefully, with some home upgrades and behavior modification, you’ll start to see these bills go down, down, down.

Look for Drafts

According to US Department of Energy, the potential for energy savings from reducing drafts could be anywhere from 5% – 30%.  Check to see if the caulking and weather stripping are applied properly, leaving no gaps or cracks, and are in good condition.  Take a look at anywhere two materials meet, including exterior corners, where pipes or wires exit and around the chimney.  Check to see if air can flow through any of these places:

• Baseboards
• Electrical outlets
• Switch plates
• Window frames
• Door frames
• Weather stripping around doors
• Fireplace dampers
• Attic hatches
• Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners

Doors need to be sealed in 2 places.  Sweeps for the bottom and self-adhesive foam for the top and sides.  Did you know that a 1/8″ space between a standard exterior door and its threshold is equivalent to a two square inch hole in the wall? Closing those gaps can save you up to 15 % in heating and cooling costs and also can reduce the demand on your heating and cooling system.

Installing Self-Adhesive Foam

1. Clean the stop moulding with soapy water and allow it to dry completely.
2. Cut self-adhesive foam to fit each side and the top of the door.
3. Peel the back from the foam and press it into the inside of the stop moulding.

Installing a Door Sweep

1. Cut the sweep to fit the door.
2. With the door closed, screw the sweep to the door so that its bottom is in contact with the floor.

The Daily Green has a great suggestion for helping identify air leaks.  Use the incense test: carefully (avoiding drapes and other flammables) move a lit stick along walls; where the smoke wavers, you have air sneaking in and heating or cooling sneaking out.  All gaps and holes found should be plugged or caulked or bring in a professional to tackle larger problems.  Nationally, for every $1.00 invested in weatherization, the homeowner see a return of $1.83.

Look at Your Windows and Doors

You may be losing a lot of your heat during the winter due to windows and doors and in the summer, they may be causing your house to heat up due to the amount of heat passing through the glass.  The glass in energy efficient windows and doors stays warmer during the winter resulting in less cold air getting in.  And did you know that a standard double pane window allows up to 75 % of the sun’s heat in through the glass?  If you don’t currently have energy efficient windows or doors, something to consider and an incentive for upgrading to these more efficient models are the federal tax credits you may be eligible for.

Check Your Heating and Cooling Equipment

Reduce Your Electricity Use

It’d be almost impossible to live without electricity.  The more electricity we use, the more fossil fueled power plants generate pollution and the higher the bill.   Here are some electricity saving strategies:

• If you’re in the market for a new appliance, look at an energy efficient model (you may even qualify for a rebate)
• Utilize more day lighting and leave the lights off if you don’t need them
• Unplug small appliances and other electronics that you don’t use frequently (try a Kill-A-Watt) to see just how much energy is being used by being plugged in)
• Turn your computer off when you’re not using it

Lighting

According to the US Department of Energy, lighting accounts for about 10% of our electric bill.  Take a look at the wattage of your light bulbs – you may have a 100 Watt bulb, where a 75 might do.  Also check out Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs), as they can save up to 75% of the initial lighting energy and last 6-15x longer than a regular light bulb.

Water Heating

Did you know that water heating can can be responsible for upwards of 15% of your home’s energy use?  Reduce your monthly water heating bills by selecting the right water heater for your home and following these saving strategies:

• Reduce your hot water use
• Lower your water heating temperature
• Insulate your water heater tank
• Insulate hot water pipes