Energy Home Audits Rock!

[branica]

So we decided to do a home energy audit from MassSave which is our state publicly funded agency + funding from the local gas and electric companies. I was not expecting much from this audit but it was actually quite good.

Here is a summary of tips that I found useful:

• Spider webs - find a spider web and find a draft. This is one tip that I did not know and I am a bug freak!
• Get Rid of Electric Water Heaters - I don't have one but the auditor was stating some pretty high energy numbers for those who have electric water heaters.
• Plug Air Leaks - find those spider webs! Find the leaks in the basement and the attic. You'll get the most bang for the buck doing this.
• Extra Attic Insulation - you hear this a lot but this is another place where the return on investment is good. Read more about home insulation.
• Energy Efficient Lights - another good investment that has a smaller impact but every dollar counts. Just a reminder that you can't put this lights in your regular garbage collection. You'll need to throw these out with other waster that has mercury.
• Turning Down the Thermostat - we were doing this already manually - 60 degrees when we goto sleep. You can also buy a programmable thermostat but some will run around $50.

Here are some investment areas where the payback is probably not worth it:

• New Windows - even with rebates and sales, you'll probably not be able to recoup your costs for many, many years. Of course, the age of you house may factor into this.
• Foam Insulation - this is the best insulation that you can probably get right now. But in a retrofit situation, it again will take many years to recoup your costs. It may make sense if you are building your new home and have extra money in your budget for this.

And I got two free energy efficient lights and a Programmable Thermostat for just $11 too after the audit. Good Deal! I highly recommend this is your energy company or state offers it.