If you’re looking to save a little on your electric bill, a home energy audit is a great place to start. A professional audit will provide a thorough assessment of the energy consumed by your home, so you can get an idea of where you’re wasting energy and what changes you can make to save money. An auditor will go through your home, room by room, and make suggestions to help you save energy. He or she will also typically perform a blower door test and a thermographic scan to seek out air leaks and ensure your insulation is up to par.

While a professional audit will provide you with the most accurate information, it can also be a bit pricey. (An audit can cost $300 to $500.) If you want to find savings without spending a dime, a DIY audit is a great alternative.

Although a DIY audit doesn’t guarantee savings, it can point you to areas of your home where improvements are needed. Follow these steps to get started.

Seek out and seal air leaks

Take note, this is probably the most important component of any DIY energy audit. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average home has enough leaks to add up to a 2 foot square whole. That’s like leaving a window open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Reducing these air leaks could provide as much as 30 percent energy savings—not to mention make your home more comfortable.

Start by looking for obvious air leaks both inside and outside your home. Inspect doors and windows, scan your baseboards for gaps, and seek out cracks near siding, faucets, electrical outlets and your foundation. Grab a tube of caulk and a caulking gun from your local hardware store to seal these unwanted energy wasters.

Not all leaks are visible to the naked eye, so if you’re really serious about ridding your home of air leaks, try this DIY version of the blower door test.

1. For safety, turn off all combustion appliances, such as a gas burning furnace or water heater.
2. Then make sure all windows and doors are shut. If you have a fireplace, make sure the flue is closed as well.
3. Next, turn on all the exhaust fans in your home—bathroom fans, stove vents and your clothes dryer. You want to suck as much air as possible out of the house.
4. Finally, light an incense stick and walk around the perimeter of each room. Slowly move the stick near common leak sites, such as electrical outlets and your baseboards. If the smoke wavers, you have an air leak.
5. Make a note of each air leak as you go through your home and fill them with caulk once you’re finished.

Check your insulation

Insulation serves as a barrier between the temperature inside your home and the temperature outside. In the heat of the summer or the cold of the winter, the level of insulation in your home plays a big role in the total cost of your electric bill. Even if you have a newer home, there may not be an adequate level of insulation.

The easiest place to begin your insulation inspection is in the attic. According to Energy Star the recommended insulation levels for a South Texas attic is between an R-Value of 30 and an R-Value of 60. To find out if your insulation is adequate, measure its thickness. Insulation that’s R-30 or greater will be at least 11 inches thick if it is made of rock wool or fiberglass and 8 inches thick if it’s made of cellulose. If your insulation isn’t thick enough, consider adding more insulation for energy savings.

Checking the insulation levels inside your walls isn’t as easy. Unless you want to cut and patch a hole in your wall, you’ll have to inspect the insulation through an electrical outlet on an exterior wall.

• To be safe, it’s important that you turn off the breakers to any outlets in your wall.
• Test the outlet by plugging in a lamp or other electric device.
• Once you’re sure power is completely turned off at the outlet, unscrew the plate cover.
• Insert a screw driver or stick into the open space between the wall and the socket.
• If you feel some resistance, then you have some insulation.

Unfortunately, this test doesn’t allow you to see how much insulation is in your walls. A thermographic inspection is the only way to tell if the insulation in your walls is sufficient. However, it isn’t necessary to have a professional auditor do this test either. You can purchase a thermal leak detector for less than $50. It will show you temperature variances in your home, so you can easily find drafty spots or areas where your insulation isn’t adequate.

Inspect your ducts

Heating and cooling is most likely your largest energy expense, especially when it’s very hot or cold outside. Unfortunately, your air conditioning and heat often escapes as it travels through your air ducts. According to Energy Star, 20 to 30 percent of the air that moves through your ducts is wasted due to leaks.

Make sure your air ducts are working properly to save money electric bill. Although not all of your duct work can be easily seen, inspect what is visible at least once a year. Make sure seams are properly sealed. Also take note of any dirt streaks, which are a sign of air leaks. Seal all problem areas with metal tape or duct mastic.

Check your lighting

Lighting makes up about 10 percent of the average electricity bill. Although it may not seem like much, the cost to light your home really adds up over the course of a year. Take stock of the light bulbs in your home. If you’re still using incandescent lights, it may be time to upgrade. Compact Florescent light bulbs (CFLs) and LED lights use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer.

However, these bulbs are a bit more expensive. If you can’t afford to upgrade the lighting throughout your home, focus on one or two of the most frequently used bulbs. According to Energy Star, one LED bulb will save you $80 over its lifetime. As your other lights burn out, replace them with more efficient models and watch the savings add up.