Why do an energy audit?
No one wants to pump their hard-earned cash into unnecessary expenses like bills for wasted energy. We tried several different kinds of tests.
What is an energy audit?
A step-by-step review of where there might be leaks and under-insulated areas. There's Questar's free ThermWise Home Energy Audit that takes up to an hour to do on your own home, as well as the option of having an auditor come to your home for $25. The EnergyStar Energy Yardstick is a free tool for do-it-yourselfers, as is Rocky Mountain Power's Home Energy Saver.
What is thermal imaging?
This increasingly popular test told us we might as well keep a 24x21 window open all the time because of the leaks and insulation gaps. A blower door creates negative pressure inside the home while the auditor uses an infrared camera to shoot pictures that highlight areas where warm air pours out. The 2.5 hour, $285 test showed how switch plates and canned lights were sucking heat from our living space. While the "Home Energy Yardstick" gave our house a 9.2 rating out of 10, this one gave us a "loose" rating for all the leaks.
What do the results tell?
The audits identified specific areas that can be sealed off, wrapped, insulated and otherwise improved for energy efficiency that could amount to energy bills hundreds of dollars lower each year. The ThermWise report, delivered with a low-flow shower head to save heated water and a roll of hot-pipe wrapping tape, even told us how many years in energy savings it would take to recoup our cost for, say, a new water heater and what rebates and incentives are available. The infrared test pointed out every window and door seam that needs caulking, all the attic corners that need a shot of insulating foam and serious issues with our furnace closet that have implications for both safety and comfort. Together, the audits have helped us devise a surprisingly lengthy - but doable - to-do list to make the house more efficient and more comfortable.
Keep track » The Kill A Watt™ Electricity Power Meter is a simple tool for assessing the efficiency of electric appliances. A large LCD display shows power consumption. The monitor can calculate the electricity cost of the appliance by the day, week, month or year. And it can discover which appliances are consuming too much power. ($29.95)
Calculate cost » The Kill A Watt EZ monitor allows you to determine which machines are worth keeping in use. You can unplug an appliance and still see the readings. It also allows you to input your local KWH rates so that it can tell you exact dollar figures. Accurate to within 0.2 percent. ($49.95)
Measure efficiency » The P3 Kill A Watt PS protects electronic equipment and appliances with a power strip bundled with an electronic measuring device. The strip actually measures how energy efficient devices are, allowing you to calculate your overall electrical costs. The strip has six standard-sized outlets and two extra wide outlets for those large plugs. ($81.72)
Track consumption » Devices such as the Watts Up? electricity meter determine what each standard 120 volt AC electric device will cost to operate. These types of electricity meters will quickly display the wattage and the electrical usage cost of the appliance. ($72.95 to $195.95)
Conservation tool » The PowerCost Monitor features a wireless transmitting sensor that reads your home's power meter and a digital display unit that receives the sensor's data minute by minute. It shows electricity consumption in kilowatt hours, as well as utility costs in dollars and cents. ($134.40). Product prices provided by CableOrganizer.com
The federal government's EnergyStar Web site provides comprehensive consumer information including where to find contractors and green appliances.
