Give your home an “Energy Audit”

Take a walk around your home (apartment, condo, single family) and make note of all the gaps and cracks you find. You can save up to 20% on your cooling bills by repairing those gaps and cracks.

1. First start inside:
   • Turn off the electricity at the circuit bow, then remove the outlet covers to look for gaps.
   • You can either replace them with insulated covers (can cost anywhere from $3 – $4 each) OR use foam insets (gaskets) for around $49 cents each. You can find either type at your local hardware store. FYI… you can also insulate phone-jack covers as well.
2. Check the junctures (layman’s terms: where windows meet walls, walls meet floors and pipe and wires enter the home.)
   • Plug any gaps you see with calk (a box of 12 can cost anywhere from $15 – $20 and a caulking gun can cost you upwards of $40.)
3. Other areas to investigate for cracks and gaps:
   • Fireplace dampers, mail slots, wall-mounted air conditioner, attic doors, baseboards and weather stripping surround doors.

Extra tips:
Look for daylight, feel for drafts and listen for rattles.