A useful home energy review does not begin by buying equipment. It starts with a baseline: what the home uses, when it uses it, and which assumptions are uncertain. A short audit can identify opportunities and prevent spending on changes that do not fit your home or tariff.
Day 1: Create a baseline
Collect two or three recent bills. Record billing dates, total kWh, average daily use, unit prices, fixed charges, and time-of-use or seasonal differences. Compare daily use when bill periods differ in length.
Day 2: Inventory the home
List appliances, lighting, heating and cooling, water heating, cooking, laundry, and electronics. Note model numbers and label values where practical. A high watt rating does not automatically mean the highest energy use; runtime and cycling matter.
Day 3: Record schedules
Estimate typical operating hours and days. Separate weekdays and weekends where habits differ. For short-cycle appliances, record cycles per week and energy per cycle when available. Build a first list with the Home Energy Planner.
Day 4: Review heating and cooling
Record thermostat settings, filter maintenance, shading, room conditions, and visible air leaks. Do not open equipment or attempt electrical repairs. HVAC performance depends on building design, climate, sizing, and maintenance.
Day 5: Check lighting and standby
Compare lamp wattage and brightness, and identify devices left on when not needed. Measure before assuming standby loads are significant. Disconnecting devices can affect updates, clocks, network access, or safety; follow manufacturer guidance.
Day 6: Prioritize actions
Rank ideas by likely energy effect, upfront cost, comfort, safety, and ease of verification. Test low-cost changes first where sensible. Larger purchases should use measured energy, local prices, expected life, and qualified advice where required.
Day 7: Verify one change
Change one thing at a time and compare similar billing periods or meter readings. Account for weather, occupancy, and billing days before attributing a difference. Record what changed and what evidence supports the result.
Safety and further reading
Do not remove electrical covers, touch exposed wiring, climb onto roofs, or work on energized equipment. Use a qualified professional for electrical, gas, roof, or HVAC work. The Department of Energy provides a home energy audit overview and energy-saving resources.
Related tools and guides
Explore the complete calculator library or browse all home energy guides. Each calculator shows its assumptions and limits.