As winter approaches, you are likely thinking about ways to trim your utility bill. You may want to think about conducting a home energy audit that will pinpoint areas in your home where you may not be aware that you are wasting energy. Most people are surprised by some of the findings and for others it is the motivation they need to make the repairs/upgrades. Below are some averages provided by the US Department of Energy.

You can perform a simple home energy audit yourself, or contact your local utility, or an independent energy auditor for a more comprehensive review. If you want to tackle the energy audit yourself, www.energysavers.gov or www.natresnet.org have some great resources that not only explain an energy audit, they provide some simple tools for the do-it-yourselfer.

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• energy used in a home (1)

National Geographic has built a pretty interesting online resource for looking at your personal energy consumption compared to your friends and neighbors. The tools are all part of The Great Energy Challenge designed to help you understand your current energy situation.

The tools range from easy-to-digest mini-calculators to the more comprehensive personal energy meter. I found all of the tools educational, but learned the most from the mini-calculators. Personal note: I need to take care of the energy vampires that lurk in my house!

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• understanding personal energy (2)
• Understanding Personal Energy Use (1)

Have you ever wondered what uses more energy in your home — heating, cooling, lighting, or powering electronics like TVs, computers, and refrigerators?

No surprise it is heating. I bet you are not too surprised, after all, Greenwood is a renewable heating company. However, what may surprise you is to what extent it outpaces other energy use in your home.  As a homeowner, the U.S. Energy Information Administration presents a rather compelling picture for home improvement.

Two-thirds of the energy used in your home is for heating. Time to upgrade the windows, add insulation, pull out the caulk gun and (here it comes) look at cheaper forms of heat like a high-efficiency wood boiler. Sales pitch aside, the biggest dent you can make in your monthly energy bill is take a bite out of the heating gremlin.

Happy caulking!