DIY Home Energy Audit: What to Check and What It Saves

Performing a home energy audit can help you identify areas where you can save money and reduce your carbon footprint. This guide will walk you through the tools, steps, and best practices for a DIY home energy audit.

Callout (INSIGHT): Key Insight — Understanding your home's energy usage is the first step towards saving money and reducing your environmental impact.

Essential Tools for a DIY Home Energy Audit

1. Infrared Thermometer: This tool aids in detecting heat loss through walls, roofs, and windows. To identify cold spots in your walls, which could indicate drafts or insulation issues, set the infrared thermometer to the correct temperature range and scan the wall surfaces.

1. Blower Door (professional equipment): This calibrated fan system, mounted in an exterior doorway with a gauge comparing indoor and outdoor pressure, measures the air leakage rate of your home; energy auditors run it, so it is not part of a do-it-yourself audit [1]. To use a blower door, seal all doors and windows except the one through which the device is installed. Then, turn on the blower door to pressurize or depressurize your home, and measure the airflow to determine the leakage rate.

1. Kill-a-Watt Meter: This device assesses the energy consumption of individual appliances. To use a Kill-a-Watt meter, plug an appliance into the meter and observe the energy consumption displayed on the meter's screen. This information can help you identify energy-guzzling appliances that could be replaced with more efficient models.

Callout (TIP): Pro Tip — Scan for cold spots when indoor and outdoor temperatures differ by at least 20 degrees, ideally in the morning before the sun warms the house [5].

Steps for a DIY Home Energy Audit

1. Identify Your Energy Consumption:

• Gather your utility bills for a year, such as electricity, gas, and water bills.
• Calculate your annual energy costs by totaling the amounts for each bill.
• For instance, if your annual electricity bill is $2,000, your goal would be to find ways to lower this amount.

1. Check for Air Leaks:

• Use an infrared thermometer to scan for cold spots around windows, doors, and outlets.
• Feel for drafts using your hands or, on a windy day, hold a lit incense stick near frames, outlets and baseboards: if the smoke wavers, you have found a leak [6].
• Seal any air leaks with caulk or weatherstripping to reduce heat loss.

1. Inspect Insulation:

• Climb into your attic or inspect walls and basement to check the thickness and condition of the insulation.
• If the insulation is thin or damp, consider adding more insulation, such as spray foam or blown-in insulation.
• Sealing air leaks and adding insulation can save up to 10% on annual energy bills [4].

1. Assess Appliance Efficiency:

• Plug appliances into a Kill-a-Watt meter to read their power draw in watts and, left plugged in for a day or a week, their accumulated use in kilowatt-hours; multiply the kWh by your tariff to get the cost.
• Compare the energy consumption of your appliances to Energy Star-rated models to identify inefficiencies.
• Replace inefficient appliances with Energy Star-rated models to save on energy costs.

1. Examine Heating and Cooling Systems:

• Change HVAC filters regularly, as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Consider upgrading if your heat pump or air conditioner is more than 10 years old or not keeping the house comfortable; a correctly installed high-efficiency unit can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs [3].
• Check the filter every month and change it at least every 3 months: a dirty filter slows airflow and makes the system work harder [2].

Questions Readers Ask

### What is the most important area to focus on during a home energy audit?

*Answer:* While all areas are important, focusing on air leaks can have a significant impact on your home's energy efficiency and comfort.

### How much can I save by conducting a home energy audit?

*Answer:* The amount you can save depends on various factors, including the size of your home, your energy consumption, and the efficiency of your appliances. As a guide, ENERGY STAR puts the saving from sealing air leaks and adding insulation at up to 10% of annual energy bills [4]. Replacing a heat pump or air conditioner that is more than 10 years old with a high-efficiency unit can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs [3].

### Do I need to hire a professional for a home energy audit?

*Answer:* While hiring a professional can provide a more comprehensive audit, a DIY audit can still yield significant results. If you're unsure or have complex issues, consider hiring a professional for a consultation.

*Corrected 2026-11-01: A blower door is professional equipment, not a DIY tool; a plug-in meter reads watts and kWh, not dollars per hour; the unsourced 30% and 5-30% savings figures were replaced with ENERGY STAR figures (up to 10% from sealing and insulating, up to 20% from replacing a 10-year-old unit). Headline was: "A Comprehensive Guide to Conducting a DIY Home Energy Audit".*

Sources

1. 12.4 Tools of the Trade: The Blower Door, EGEE 102 Energy Conservation for Environmental Protection, Penn State
2. Heat & Cool Efficiently, ENERGY STAR (US EPA), 2025
3. When is it time to replace?, ENERGY STAR (US EPA), 2025
4. Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR, ENERGY STAR (US EPA), 2025
5. Thermal Camera Loan Program, Fairfax County Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination, 2025
6. 12.2 Do It Yourself Energy Audit, EGEE 102 Energy Conservation for Environmental Protection, Penn State