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Conducting an Energy Audit

Below you'll find some tips for conducting an energy audit on your home or small business:

• Check the level of insulation in your exterior and basement walls, ceilings, attic, floors, and crawl spaces. Contact your local contractor for advice on how to check your insulation levels.
• Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
• Check for open fireplace dampers.
• Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained.
• Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and exterior lighting. Look for ways to use daylighting, reduce the time the lights are on, and replace incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's) or standard fluorescent lamps.