"The Importance of an Energy Audit", (c) Patricia Rivera, Dallas News, February 1, 2009

Even with soaring energy costs, home inspector Mark Cannella finds that many homeowners still don't understand the value of a home audit.

"Most of my customers come to me because they aren't comfortable in their homes," Cannella says.

Air leakage accounts for about 30 percent of heating expenses, experts estimate. As homeowners continue to look for ways to save money, making a home more efficient by sealing is a good way to start.

Energy audits help homeowners determine how and where a house is losing energy. They evaluate the efficiency of a home's heating, cooling and electrical systems.

Cannella says a good home audit can also create a cozier and healthier home with improved air quality.

"An audit takes the guess work out of the equation. It can answer questions about why rooms are cold and what may be causing dry skin in the winter," he says.

Homeowners can use one of several do-it-yourself guides available online to assess their home's energy efficiency. The U.S. Department of Energy, for instance, offers a walk-through guide on its energy efficiency and renewable energy Web site, www.eere.energy.gov.

A professional also can perform a more detailed audit using tools, such as a blower door test, thermal imaging and infrared scanning, duct-leakage testing and air-flow evaluations. In some states, local utility companies offer free or discounted energy audits to their clients.

Cannella says that if you take the time to correct problems identified in an audit, it's important to request a post-test to verify that the work was properly completed and to re-establish ventilation and infiltration rates.

A professional home auditor should not try to sell anything but rather help you make a more informed decision about how to reduce home energy cost.

If you're doing an audit yourself, check for leaks in gaps along the baseboard or the junctures of the walls and ceiling. Other common places for leaks: window frames, fireplace dampers, electrical outlets, mounted air-conditioning units, plumbing fixtures and attic hatches.

The caulk and weather strips should not allow for any gaps or cracks. If so, they should be replaced. Homeowners should also check the caulking on the exterior of the home, around doors and windows.

An audit also requires that you check that the heating and cooling systems in a home are well maintained. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 56 percent of energy use involves heating and cooling. The equipment should be checked once a year.

An advantage of an audit is that it forces homeowners to become aware of problems they didn't know existed.

The difficult task is to determine the biggest return on your investment.

In addition to air sealing through caulking and using weather strips, the following tasks cost little and offer paybacks in less than two years, if not immediately:

• Replace furnace air filters regularly.

• Insulate hot water pipes and install heat trap fittings at flex connections. Insulate the first five feet of cold line.

• Install low-flow efficient showerheads and faucet aerators.

• Install gaskets behind electric outlets and switch plates on exterior walls.

• Dust baseboard and wall heaters.

• Install programmable thermostats.

• Install do-it-yourself plastic storm windows.

• Install dimmer switches, photocells, timers and motion detectors.

• Install a do-it-yourself insulated panel or cover to seal the fireplace when not in use.