I ran across a great website - EnvironmentalChemistry.com - that is well worth a visit. But one page I found especially appealing was an energy audit report about a typical 1970's ranch home. Since I have a 1970's vintage home and was actually building houses in the 70's, I know quite a bit about how it was constructed and the ideas presented in this page are extremely appropriate.

70s House Eco Renovation (EnvironmentalChemistry.com) - This energy audit was conducted on our house as part of our 70s house eco renovation project to help us prioritize weatherization and energy efficiency projects.

There's no rocket science here, and not surprisingly, the two top recommendations were #1: air sealing, and #2: attic insulation. Also good to see was the breakdown of potential improvements and the relative payback in years for each change. The 20 year old furnace is still good enough - the recently updated windows are fine. Sometimes knowing what not to change is just as important as knowing what needs to be done.

In early fall we began receiving cold calls from energy audit firms, surprising since we're on the do not call registry. After ignoring a few attempts, I chose to answer one and had a long conversation with the caller. The pitch was smooth as silk, suggesting that the cost of their audit would be quickly reimbursed by our local power company and their list of local contractors would make quick work of needed improvements. The caller backpedaled quickly when I reminded him we were served by a municipal utility that had no such program. And their list of local contractors was a bit suspect since the audit firm was based in New York. After a few more questions, I concluded the auditor was more likely a sales vehicle for replacement window or insulation installers.

The writing on the wall here is that companies are out there selling fear and preying on the unsuspecting public. A little bit of information might help, like reading a typical audit like the one in the link. So read it if you can, and understand that investor-owned utilities (National Grid, NStar etc) are required to fund some energy efficiency work -- contact them first to see if they will pay for an audit. Best audits are done in cold weather, when an IR camera or blower door test will yield the best results, and beware the auditor who doesn't perform a blower door test and just says what to do based on "expert opinion". If you're going to pay for an audit, make sure your auditor has real training for this - a HERS certification is an indication. Every house is different, and the leaks you want to plug will be in different places. Make sure the biggest hole isn't in your wallet!