We have a newly built home but I'm not at all confident in the builder's prowess when it comes to energy conservation. Is it worth hiring someone (like our energy provider or other specialized contractor) to do an energy audit? Or do you think they would most likely find something whether or not there was a problem so they can charge us more for the fix?
If no energy audit, does anyone have any tips for the best ways to look for these "leaks" myself?
Best Answer
A lot of utility providers will provide a basic home energy audit for free. If this is the case, it's a no-brainer.
If they don't provide an actual audit, then they often provide statistics for what an average home should be consuming, so you can assess if you think you're using too much.
Besides for that, you can check for drafts or cracks in windows and doors yourself as a basic audit.
After that, I've found just be living in my home, I can tell if a room is too hot or cold compared to the rest of the house, and then look for problems then.
With all that said, I think that you should take a long view. If you have no free audit options, and you can find an affordable paid service, it'll most likely be worth it in the long run.