Energy Audit

Awareness & Understanding

Energy waste costs Utah families real money — and it adds to air pollution along the Wasatch Front. Start by learning what an energy audit actually is. Visit Rocky Mountain Power's website (rockymountainpower.net) and explore their home energy resources. Watch a short video or read their energy-saving tips page. Then walk through your home and count how many lights or electronics are left on when no one is using them. You're ready for the next step when you can explain what an energy audit is and name two common sources of wasted energy in a home.

Research & Investigation

Now investigate your home's energy use more closely. Use Rocky Mountain Power's free online Home Energy Audit tool at rockymountainpower.net to get a breakdown of where your household uses the most energy. You can also search "DIY home energy audit" on the U.S. Department of Energy's website (energy.gov). Compare your home to Utah averages. Where does most of your energy go — heating, cooling, lighting, appliances? Write down your top three findings. You're ready for the next step when you can identify the top two energy users in your home and explain why they use so much.

Planning & Preparation

Build your own energy audit checklist using what you've learned. Walk through every room and check: Are lights LED or old incandescent? Are windows drafty? Are devices plugged in even when off (phantom load)? Are heating and cooling vents blocked? Use a free template from energy.gov or create your own. Write down at least ten items you find and rank them from easiest to hardest to fix. Then pick two or three changes your household could realistically make this month. You're ready for the next step when you have a completed checklist with a prioritized action plan.

Taking Action

Put your plan into action. Make the changes you identified — switch off phantom loads by unplugging chargers, replace one incandescent bulb with an LED, seal a drafty window with weatherstripping, or adjust the thermostat schedule. Rocky Mountain Power offers rebates for some of these upgrades — check their current Utah rebate offers online. Track your changes in a log: what you did, when, and what you expect to save. You're ready for the next step when you've made at least two real energy-saving changes and documented them.

Leadership & Expansion

Share your audit with someone else. Teach a neighbor, family member, or classmate how to do a basic energy audit using the checklist you built. Help them identify one or two quick wins in their own home. You could also present your findings to a class or community group, or submit a tip to a school newsletter. Consider contacting the Utah Clean Energy nonprofit (utahcleanenergy.org) to learn about youth energy programs. You're ready for the next step when you've helped at least one other person identify an energy-saving opportunity in their home.

Impact & Reflection

Look at your energy bill from before and after your changes, or estimate the savings using Rocky Mountain Power's online calculators. How much energy (and money) did your household save? Write a short reflection: What was the biggest surprise? What was hardest to change? How does reducing energy waste connect to air quality and climate along the Wasatch Front? Share your results with your family or post them in a community space. You're ready for the next step when you can quantify at least one real or estimated impact from your energy audit.