Odds are that if all of the online energy audits are recommending that you add insulation to your Oakland home, you probably do need to add insulation. But there is a lot more to home energy efficiency than a single upgrade. In fact, insulation upgrades should be paired with air sealing to maximize the overall effectiveness of the insulation – kind of like wearing a windbreaker over your sweater.

An in-home energy audit would determine all of the areas on your home that are in need of air sealing through a blower door test. These tests depressurize your home by blowing air out your front door, which then pulls air in through the smaller leaks around your windows, doors and outlets. By putting a colored smoke in the air, you can easily identify these leaks. This is just one example of many tests energy auditors perform.

Typically, energy audits in the Oakland area cost around $600. However, the average homeowner who follows through with upgrades can save $2,700 within three years on their utilities. We also have an online energy audit tool that may have more suggestions for you than insulation. Feel free to check it out along with our energy audit page.

Updated July 19, 2010