Alexus Lawns LLC

We want to give you a few thing that you can look for that can save you money

You can easily conduct a preliminary home energy audit yourself. On a simple walk through use this

checklist to identify any problem areas that you home may have. Making energy efficient changes and

upgrades can significantly lower energy consumption and your monthly bill. Complete a task, and then you are one step closer to saving money on energy cost!

Add up all Your Energy Bills for the Past Year

How many kilowatt hour (kWh) did you consume? _____ How many for the highest month?_____

This will be useful benchmarking, and give a better framework of solar panel power generation.

Check for Air Leaks

The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5 to 30% per year,

and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward.

Air Flow: Check to see if air can flow through the places below. Hold a feather or lightweight

piece of string in front of the areas below, if it moves - even slightly - there is airflow. Also, look

for cobwebs - spiders put their webs where there is air movement.

Most inside wall have no insulation - the holes drilled for the wires can carry a draft from end to end behind your walls

Electrical Outlets Switch Plates Wall

Fireplace Dampers - are they closed when not in use? 

Window – Mounted Air Conditioners

Window Frames Attic Hatches

Baseboards Kitchen Cabinets

Weather Stripping Around Doors Medicine Cabinets

Duct Disconnects in the Attic Exterior Walls

Caulking and Weather Stripping: Check to see that it is applied properly, leaving no gaps or

cracks, and are in good condition.

On the outside of your house: Inspect all areas where two different building materials meet,

looking for cracks and/or gaps, including:

All exterior corners

Where siding and chimneys meet

Areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet

Check for holes or cracks: In and around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and

plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets, pipes and wires, foundation seals, and mail

slots that can leak air into or out of your home.

Seal return air chases

Anywhere you felt/saw air, cracks, or gaps, use caulking or weather stripping to fill and seal

them. If airflow was felt/seen behind electrical outlets and light switch plates, purchase electrical

and switch plate insulation pads to place behind the plate.

Insulation

Warm and cool inside air can be compromised by non-insulated attics requiring more heat, or

air conditioning in the home.

Attic R-Value: Check the R-value of the insulation in your attic. In Houston it should have at

least an R-value of 30., equivalent to 13” of fiberglass or cellulose.

Attic Hatch: If it is located above a conditioned space, check to see if it is at least as heavily

insulated as the attic, is weather stripped, and closes tightly; if not install an attic “dome” with a

high R-value.

Attic Openings: Check whether openings in the ceiling for items such as pipes, ductwork, and

chimneys are sealed. Seal any gaps with an expanding foam, caulk or some other permanent

sealent

Attic Vents: Check that the vents to the outside are not blocked by insulation. You also should

seal any electrical boxes in the ceiling with flexible caulk (from the living room side or attic side).

Water Pipes: Check to see that they are insulated – water cools faster in exposed pipes and is

therefore re-heated more often, which requires the use of more energy.