x24,Top3,TopLeft,x25,x12
solar backpack
a discovery company

Get Recession-Ready: Conduct a Home Energy Audit

Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA

Collin Dunn

By Collin Dunn
Corvallis, OR, USA | Sun Mar 23 17:21:00 GMT 2008

As the evidence that going green saves you green continues to mount, there has never been a better time to improve the efficiency of your home's energy systems. Whether you're a novice, just getting started with some quick upgrades, or a seasoned pro with the R-values of your attic insulation committed to memory, conducting a home energy audit is a great way to help point you in the direction you need to go next.

To help you out, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has put together a Home Energy Saver Web-based audit tool; just grab your energy, gas and water bills and start plugging in the numbers. It might require a bit of homework first-the calculator asks some pretty specific questions, but the more specific information you can provide it, the more accurate its calculation will be, so it's worth the time to figure out everything you can (and a good excuse to get to know your home better, if you don't).

Right off the bat, it'll tell you the potential savings for your home, based on your zip code and the average costs of heating, cooling, lighting, and generally running your home in your area, and it's likely to be a big difference (mine was over $600 a year!). You can also use their handy tools to see the equivalent energy use and carbon footprint of each of your systems, which is a great way to contextualize your potential savings.

From there, it's a matter of filling in the blanks and letting the calculator do its work. Depending on what you told it-how long you're willing to wait for return on investment, what your current energy costs are-the calculator can recommend some efficiency upgrades, and tell you what you stand to save given your current energy costs and the climate in which you live.

If you've already started trying to make your home more efficient, you'll probably run into a few duplicates; if you've already done something on the list, pat yourself on the back and move on-chances are, there's something we could all do after an audit. After calculating, you can follow their links to Energy Star and the U.S. Department of Energy, which has more tips for consumers. Get started today at ::Home Energy Saver

Difficulty level: Easy to Moderate

 
  • email
  • digg
  • share
  • print
helpful article? vote for it
{ }
close window

CLOSE X

 

comments on this article

view all post a comment

 
 

from our partners

 
 
 
facebook twitter rss
 
Planet Green on Facebook
 
Reel Impact
 
Less is More Thanksgiving
 
Green Materials Guide
 
Take a Quiz. Enter Our Sweepstakes!
 

tv schedule

view all

On Now

On Tonight

 
 

today on planet green

view all

Votes

recent
discussed

For Sale: One Tyrannosaurus Rex Made from Recycled Farm Equipment
POSTED  6 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Meet Robyn Nietert of the Women's Microfinance Initiative: Building Businesses, and Lives, One Loan At a Time (Interview)
POSTED  8 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Ed Begley, Jr., Talks Sidewalk Paving, Eco Trendsetting, and More
POSTED  10 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Just Say No to Polite Small Talk This Thanksgiving: How to Handle 7 Hairy Topics and Keep the Peace
POSTED  10 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

The Pomegranate: Sexy, Messy, Sweet and Super Fun to Eat!
POSTED  11 HOURS AGO.  COMMENTS

{ }

Ask Emeril Your Green Cooking Questions
POSTED  7 Apr 2009. 47 COMMENTS.

{477}

How To Go Green: Lighting
POSTED  23 Jul 2008. 7 COMMENTS.

{214}

Should You Get a Flu Shot?
POSTED  1 Oct 2009. 3 COMMENTS.

{19}

Renovation Nation FAQ
POSTED  7 May 2009. 13 COMMENTS.

{142}

Do Zoos and Captive Breeding Really Help Endangered Species or Address Habitat Loss?
POSTED  23 Oct 2009. 4 COMMENTS.

{28}

 

Ads by Google