Overheard at the office: co-worker Jason, grumbling under his breath, “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get an energy audit. Maybe next month…”

We’re here to help!

At Practically Green you can create your own Action Plan with the actions that you choose from the hundreds of suggestions on our database. Including, Get an energy audit. See, it’s on my Action plan right here! … Okay, I admit: It’s been there since December! Ugh. Why does this sound like such a chore??

I asked expert Laura Stukel to please explain why getting an energy audit is important — and why it’s not as dreadfully onerous as I might imagine. (Laura is a Chicago-area EcoBroker and Energy Consultant; see her site NotYetGreen.com.) Here’s her reply:

Five Reasons an Energy Audit is Better than the Dentist, and Three Ways to Get Started

Admit it, you know where your home lacks energy efficiency. “I always need a sweater in the TV room.”  Or, “The baby’s room gets so hot in the summer.”  You schedule a trip to the dentist twice a year to keep things on track in your mouth.  Why not schedule once for an energy audit? Here are five reasons why an energy audit is better than the dentist:

1.  You can start with the big picture.  An energy auditor looks at your house as a system.  The auditor will give you information that will serve as a home improvement plan.  You’ll know which projects will save you the most money fastest so you can pick exactly where you want to begin.

2.  You hate when you know you are being “sold” on something.  Without an energy audit your option is to guess at the problem and hope you called in the right contractor.  Guess what?  When you ask the window guy why the TV room gets so cold, he’s going to tell you it’s the window.  And if you ask the heating guy, I’m pretty sure he’s going to sell you on a new furnace.  Stop guessing. Stop listening to sales pitches for individual products.  Instead, with the results of an energy audit in hand you’ll be equipped to call just the right contractor, and tell them what you need so you get just the right quote at just the right price.

3.  Many energy audits pay for themselves.  An audit will point out free and low-cost actions you can take to make your home more comfortable and save money.  For example, one of my clients learned they had never learned to lock the windows properly. They saved money just by fully closing the windows each winter and summer!

4.  The right guidance can help you save more money. In addition to planning the work the right way, as mentioned in point #2, auditors are familiar with rebate and incentive programs in your area that might help with project costs.

5.  It’s pretty darn cool!  An energy audit uses technology tools to pinpoint where your home is leaking energy.  In my home, my 2 and 4-year-olds raced through the home as the blower-door test was running (it’s essentially a giant fan that pulls air out of your house and a computer that monitors how much).  We literally felt the drafts under the bedroom doors and it made us all more in touch with how our home works to keep us cozy, and the role we all play in saving energy.

Laura Stukel

So here are three painless ways to get started:

First, check out this great video from the friendly crew at GreenHomes America. They explain exactly what to expect during an energy audit, and the elements that you should absolutely insist upon in an audit.

http://www.greenhomesamerica.com/the-learning-center/video-library/110-home-energy-audit.aspx

Once you know what goes into a good audit, you can find an auditor for your area.  There are two national groups that certify energy auditors:  Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) and Building Performance Institute (BPI).  At the very basic, RESNET certifies energy raters.  BPI certifies contractors that may do audits, installations or both.  Check their directories for professionals in your area:

RESNET - http://www.resnet.us/trade/find-raters-auditors

BPI - http://www.bpi.org/tools_locator.aspx?associateTypeID=CTR&accreditedSearch=Y

Lastly, your local utility company may have resources on low-cost rating resources or incentives to get started. Details vary by utility, so call your local office for information.

And just like the dentist, stop putting it off and schedule this check-up for your house! It’s not going to be as bad as you think!