We all know by now the concerns surrounding rising energy costs and growing environmental worries. You may ask yourself “But what can I do to help?” The answer; conducting a DIY home energy audit.
This is an effective way of identifying any energy efficiencies lurking in your home. In this guide, we aim to provide UK households with a step-by-step approach to assess and improve their homes’ energy performance, as well as provide links to the perfect products and resources that will help you get a jump start in reducing your electricity bill!
What is a DIY Home Energy Audit?
It involves a systematic inspection of your home to discover potential areas where you are wasting energy. By pinpointing these areas, you can then begin to implement ways to improve energy efficiency, bring down utility bills, and increase your overall comfort.
Unlike a professional audit, a DIY audit is 100% free, saving you money!
The Tools for the Job
Before starting an audit, it’s important to have the following tools ready:
- Torch
- Notebook or checklist
- Thermometer
- Incense stick (to help detect drafts)
- Camera or smartphone (to document issues)
- Measuring tape
- Infrared thermometer (optional but very useful)
Useful resource: Click here to download National Energy Action’s very handy home energy checklist which you can use during your inspection.
DIY Home Energy Audit Guide: Step-by-Step
1. Check for Air Leaks
Air leaks can unknowingly let out a lot of heat, impacting your home’s energy usage and efficiency. Common areas to inspect include:
- Around windows and doors
- Electrical outlets and switches
- Baseboards and skirting boards
- Loft hatches
- Fireplaces and flues
- Pipe and cable entry points
How to detect:
Ideally, on a windy day, use your incense stick near potential leak areas. If the smoke waves or is sucked out, there’s probably a leak.
Solutions:
- Apply weather stripping around windows and doors.
- Fill silicone or acrylic caulk to seal gaps and cracks.
- Install draft excluders on external doors and rooms that require them.
- Add brush seals or letterbox covers where appropriate.
2. Inspect Insulation
Having proper insulation installed reduces heat loss in your home and improves comfort. When inspecting, focus on:
- Loft/Attic: Insulation must be at least 270mm thick (approximately 10.6 inches) in accordance to the UK government energy efficiency guidelines.
- Walls: Check for cavity wall insulation by using a boroscope. However, these can be quite expensive but are likely to be cheaper than a professional inspection.
- Floors: Insulation under suspended timber floors.
Solutions:
Upgrade your insulation using mineral wool, cellulose, or rigid foam boards whilst considering underfloor insulation or maybe even carpets for draught prone floors.
3. Evaluate Heating Systems
Heating makes up about 55% of a typical UK household’s energy spend.
Checklist:
- Boiler efficiency: Check the age and ERP (Energy-related Product) rating. It’s very likely that older models are going to be less than 70% efficient.
- Thermostats and Controls: Ensure that they are programmable and operating accurately.
- Radiators: Ensure that they’re heating up evenly. If they feel cold at the top, bleed them. Here is a quick guide from British Gas on how to bleed a radiator:
Solutions:
- Schedule annual boiler servicing to ensure your boiler is in fully working order.
- Install thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs.) They detect the temperature of a room and adjust the radiator to the temperature you desire.
- Consider getting a smart thermostat like Hive or Nest for more intelligent control.
4. Assess Lighting
Home lighting contributes to 15% of a typical household’s electricity usage – sometimes even more.
Checklist:
- Firstly, locate any old bulbs you still use like incandescent and halogen and replace them with modern LED alternatives.
- Check for any unneeded lighting in areas of your home that you don’t use very much.
Solutions:
Using motion sensors in hallways or bathrooms ensures you are only using lighting when you definitely need it. Installing dimmer switches is ideal for using less light in the areas you still need it.
5. Review Appliances and Electronics
Checklist:
- Be on the lookout for energy labels. A+++ is the most efficient grade under the old scale of measurement. Now, A to G is used to make things simpler.
- Identify any appliances with standby energy power usage.
Solutions:
- Use smart plugs around your home. This will cut the power supply when your devices are off.
- Replace old appliances like fridges, freezers, or tumble dryers with more energy efficient models.
- Schedule high-energy tasks during off-peak hours if you’re on an Economy 7 or similar tariff. What is a Economy 7 tariff? Find out here
6. Examine Water Heating
Checklist:
- Set your hot water cylinder thermostat to 60*C.
- Make sure the tank and pipes are correctly insulated.
- Look for any dripping taps or leaks.
Solutions:
- If it doesn’t have one already, fit a British Standard-approved cylinder jacket with 80mm nominal thickness.
- Insulate any water pipes that are exposed.
- Install shower heads that aerate to reduce hot water use.
DIY Energy Audit Complete? Time to Create an Action Plan
Once you have completed a full audit, summarise what you found and begin to proritise what needs your attention based on:
- Cost vs energy savings
- Ease of implementation
- Long-term impact
It is a good idea to tackle the low-cost fixes, such as draught-proofing first. You can then plan for the bigger upgrades like insulation or boiler replacement over time.
Did you know you could get insulation, a renewable heat pump, and even solar panels for free? You could qualify for government backed grants that would make implementing your action plan much faster.
Products We Recommend for Your DIY Home Energy Audit
- Draught Excluders: B&Q, Screwfix, or Amazon UK
- LED Bulbs: Philips Hue or Energizer LED
- Smart Thermostats: Hive Active Heating or Nest Learning Thermostat
- Hot Water Cylinder Jackets: Wickes or Toolstation
- TRVs: Drayton or Honeywell models
Seasonal DIY Audit Tips
- Winter is the best time to find drafts and evaluate the insulation quality in your home.
- Summer is ideal for loft/attic inspections and insulation upgrades
Additional DIY Home Energy Resources
Need More Help?
For more guidance on energy or to explore government backed grants, visit Energy Advice Helpline. We offer a range of advice, covering the whole energy sector including: home energy improvements, insulation, heats pumps, solar panels, and more.
