Audit Home Energy Use

(HIT) - Mention the word "audit" and you might cringe. But there’s one type of audit that’s easy, costs next to nothing, and can give you more control over your electric bill: A home energy audit. And the really great news is that your electric utility can help, according to Edison Electric Institute.

Most electric utilities offer an online home energy audit on their Website. You can audit your home’s energy use right from your own desktop computer. Once you log in, you enter information about your home—how big, how old, the type and number of appliances, the number of people living there, etc.—and you’ll get an estimate of how homes similar to yours use energy. Many online programs also enable you to calculate how much energy your appliances use. You’ll also get helpful information about how to make energy-saving improvements to your home.

Energy Facts And Figures Did you know that your home’s largest energy users are its heating and cooling systems? Typically, about half of your energy bill goes for heating and cooling. Set the thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter. For each degree you can set the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter, you’ll save about 2-3% on heating/cooling costs. Shut the door and close off vents in unused rooms and save up to 2-3% on heating/cooling costs. All the appliances you plug in add up to about a third of your home’s energy use, with refrigerators and clothes dryers at the top of the list. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators require about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1990. Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your energy bills. Compact fluorescent lamps use about two-thirds less electricity. Install them in lights that you leave on for more than two hours a day. Keep the clothes dryer lint filter clean, and wash and dry full loads only. Water heating is the second largest individual energy user in your home, accounting for about 15% of your utility bill. Lower water heater temperature from 140 to 120 degrees and save up to 10% on water heating costs—check the temperature using a thermometer under a tap. Insulate your water heater tank if it feels warm, as well as the hot water piping leaving the tank and save up to 5% on water heating costs.

For a free booklet, "More than 100 Ways to Improve Your Electric Bill", as well as information about making your entire home more energy efficient, please visit www.eei.org/wiseuse.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center