Home Buyer’s Checklist for Comfort and Savings

Check these energy  features  when comparing which home will cost less to own while meeting expectations for comfort and affordability:

1. Home Size

• Smaller homes cost less to heat and cool.

2. Home Design and Features

• More complicated designs use more energy.
• Recessed lighting, drop soffits, vaulted ceilings, additions and modifications, large fancy bathrooms, fireplaces, attached garages, bonus rooms, finished attics, dormers, basements, crawl spaces use more energy.
• Are ceiling fans in bedrooms, living room and den?

3. Year of Construction

• Newer homes are constructed with more insulation, have less air leakage, and more energy efficient heating and cooling equipment.

4. Attic and wall Insulation.

• Is the attic insulation R-38?
• Are attic stairs or access hatch insulated and gasketed?
• Many older houses have no insulation in walls, attics or under floors.
• Many homes have poorly installed insulation in walls and under floors. Most homes need more insulation in the attic.
• Is the attic properly ventilated with passive openings in soffits, gable ends, ridge vents? Avoid power vented attics because they waste energy. Even solar powered vents can draw conditioned air out of the living space.

5. Windows, Type, Size, Orientation

• Old windows may be single pane with metal frames. These waste lots of energy. Windows are expensive to replace, so consider storm windows as a cost effective energy efficiency measure.
• Are South, East and West windows shaded in summer?
• Are the windows Energy Star Rated?

6. Heating and Cooling System Age and Type

• Is it a heat pump, electric baseboard, dual fuel system?

• What is the AFUE or SEER rating? Higher is better. AFUE is given as a percentage, look for 92% or better. SEER is a number. 13 SEER is the minimum for new equipment. 10 SEER should be considered for replacement.

• Has the system been properly maintained?
• Is there a programmable thermostat?

7. Duct System Location, Type, Design, Quality

• Are ducts properly designed and installed?
• Are ducts metal, flex duct or duct board? Metal should be sealed with mastic, not tape, and insulated. Flex duct often have sharp bends that restrict air-flow. Duct board is often poorly installed and may need cleaning or replacement.

8. Appliances

• Are the appliances Energy Star?
• Is the refrigerator over 8 years old?
• Is there a kitchen vent hood ducted outside?
• Is the dryer electric or gas and properly vented to outside?
• Is there a high efficiency hot water heater? Is the hot water heater gas or electric, where is it located? If gas, is it properly vented?

9. Bathrooms

• Are there low flow toilets and shower-heads?
• Is the bath fan functional, quiet and ducted to the outside (not into the attic)?

10. Indoor Environmental Health and Air Quality

• Is an attached garage sealed from the living space?
• Are gas appliances located in the living space safe?
• Is there a carbon monoxide detector?
• Is any part of the HVAC system located in the garage?
• Is there any sign of mold or moisture intrusion?

You can use the TVA Energy Savvy tool to compare home’s energy efficiency and quantify the cost of wasted energy. All homes will have room for energy savings and an AlabamaWISE home performance contractor can perform a detailed analysis of the home to identify which improvements will save the most money, improve comfort and indoor air quality.