Beat the Heat: How to Do a Pre-Summer Home Energy Audit

By Bridget Coila

June 02, 2025

Soaring summer temperatures and an increase in activity can send your electricity bills sky-high. Letting your indoor air temperatures drift into sweltering sauna territory isn't an option, though.

This May Also Interest You: What Is a Home Energy Audit?

Instead, consider conducting a pre-summer home energy audit before the heat hits. Identifying ways to manage high temperatures inside your home could help you save on electrical costs during the warmest months of the year.

What Is a Home Energy Audit?

A home energy audit is essentially a home energy checkup for summer. You can hire a professional to complete a pre-summer energy efficiency audit or complete a home energy inspection yourself.

What Are the Benefits of a Pre-Summer Home Energy Audit?

One of the biggest benefits of a summer home energy audit is that it keeps you cool for less money. Comfort and cheaper electric bills are big motivators, but they aren't the only benefits of preparing your home for summer heat. Using less electricity during the summer also makes your home more eco-friendly, since you aren't consuming as much power during those hot summer months.

What Is Measured or Evaluated During an Energy Assessment?

Here are some of the things measured in a home audit before summer:

Energy bills and energy usage patterns
Visible condition of the home exterior
Energy efficiency of home appliances
Inspection and maintenance of your HVAC system
Home interior conditions, including areas that are cooler or warmer than the rest of the house
Home insulation
Potential air leaks at common leak points, such as doors and windows

Perform an Energy Audit in Your Own Home: A Comprehensive Checklist

Here are the steps to complete your own pre-summer home energy audit:

Before you begin a physical walk-through, check your energy bills to see if any patterns emerge and to get a baseline level of your typical energy usage.
Start your physical energy audit with a visual inspection of your home exterior and interior. Look for obvious damage, including cracks and weathering. Check windows, doors, the HVAC system, siding and roof shingles or tiles. Write down any potential problems or areas to check more closely.
Focus on air leaks. You can feel for leaks at the edges of windows, along baseboard gaps and around lighting fixtures. If you aren't sure whether a leak is present, you may need to depressurize your home by turning off all appliances and exhaust fans. Then, slowly move a candle or incense stick near the edges of each possible leak site.
Seal any holes or leaky seams with caulk or weatherstripping. Repair cracks or holes in your home foundation or structure.
Clear the area around exterior vents to allow better ventilation.
Inspect the visible insulation in your attic and check for gaps around pipes and ductwork. Also look at basement insulation, and make sure your water heater and hot water pipes are insulated. You might need an infrared thermographic device to determine the location and condition of hard-to-reach wall insulation.
Change your air conditioner filters to optimize performance, and check for signs of damaged ductwork.
Replace older light bulbs with modern, efficient bulbs. Consider installing sensors, timers or dimmers to minimize the use of interior lighting.
Update your windows for summer heat. If you're due for a window replacement, choose energy-efficient glass that helps block out heat. Window coatings or treatments also reduce the amount of sunlight getting into your home. Use blinds, shades, curtains, awnings and exterior shutters to block out sun during the hottest parts of the day.
Assess your appliance use, and unplug devices that aren't currently in use. An upgrade to a newer, more efficient appliance could reduce overall energy usage as well.

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Summer Energy Saving Tips

Once your home is as efficient as possible, you might consider ways to reduce your energy usage beyond adjusting structural elements. Maintaining your air conditioner at a slightly higher temperature than normal could offer energy savings. Using ceiling fans or box fans to keep cool instead of lowering the AC temperature often saves you money.

Avoid using the oven on hot summer days, and wait until after sundown when it's cooler to use heat-generating appliances such as the washing machine and dishwasher. Lower your water heater temperature to save on the cost of heating water.

Keep lights off when not in use, and consider alternatives to using indoor appliances. Try cooking outside on a grill instead of on your indoor stove, or hang laundry on a line outside instead of using the dryer.

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