Whether you are a frugal homeowner who wants to save as much as possible or someone who wants to help the planet by being eco-conscious, this energy checklist will help you identify the ways your home may be saving or losing you money.

Check Your Heating and Cooling Filters

It is a good rule of thumb to routinely replace air conditioning and furnace filters to help these systems operate at peak performance. Also if you don't have energy efficient systems, you may want to consider upgrading them.

Check Your Insulation

Poor insulation is the most common cause of energy loss in your home. It is possible that your home builder didn’t go the extra mile and installed just enough insulation to meet the minimum requirement.

Start at the Top

Begin your insulation check in your attic and then work your way throughout your home. Try to pay special attention to the following areas.

• Check for gaps around pipes and ductwork and fill them using an expanding foam like Red Devil's Foam-Fill">Foam & Fill®  products. 
• Check your attic floor to make sure it is correctly insulated and that air can properly circulate. Make sure that no insulation is covering any of your air vents.
• Check for sufficient insulation in your basement. We recommend wall insulation to maximize energy efficiency.

Here are a few signs that your home may be under-insulated.

Fluctuating Temperatures

If different rooms have extremely different temperatures, your home may be under-insulated.

High Energy Bills

If you have made no major changes and your home energy bill has significantly increased over the the last few years, it may be time to replace your insulation.

Cold Walls, Floors and Ceilings

Do the touch test. The interior ceilings, walls and floors in your home should feel warm and dry whereas exterior walls, should feel cold. If this is not the case in your home, it may be under-insulated.

Upgrade to Energy-Efficient Appliances

Older appliances can be a huge energy drain on your home because they are typically much less efficient. Upgrading to a newer newer energy efficient model can drastically save you money in the long run.

Check for Air Leaks

Air leaks or drafts are the equivalent of money flying out of your door. To locate these energy drains, check these most common areas and seal them with a caulk like LIFETIME® Ultra Premium Acrylic Sealant to make your home more efficient.

• Check for leaks around your doors and windows. To maximize your home’s efficiency. You can also install door sweeps to really seal in the savings.
• Check baseboards and flooring edges.

Check Your Bulbs

CFL and LED light bulbs will not only help reduce your home’s energy cost, but they also last longer than the typical incandescent bulbs. These bulbs are becoming more affordable so you will be able to see their money saving impact pretty quickly.

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