PNW Home Energy Audit: A Guide to Saving Money in OR & WA

The PNW Home Energy Audit

Your Guide to a More Efficient Home

Waking up to a crisp morning with fog settling over the Willamette Valley or watching the sunset behind the majestic Mount Rainier is a quintessential Pacific Northwest experience. We live in one of the most beautiful regions in the country, but that beauty comes with its own unique climate challenges. From damp, chilly winters that seem to last forever to surprisingly warm summer days, our homes are constantly working to keep us comfortable. But is that hard work costing you more than it should?

If you’ve ever looked at your winter heating bill and felt a shock, or noticed certain rooms in your house are always too cold or too hot, you’re not alone. Homes across Oregon and Washington, from the bustling streets of Portland to the waterfront views in Seattle, are silently losing energy and money. The solution? A comprehensive home energy audit.

At Sunbridge Solar, with over 15 years of experience as Oregon and Washington’s top-rated solar installation experts, we believe that energy efficiency is the crucial first step toward energy independence. Before you even consider solar panels, understanding where your home is wasting energy can lead to significant savings and a more comfortable living space. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about conducting a home energy audit in the Pacific Northwest.

What is a Home Energy Audit?

Think of a home energy audit as a complete physical for your house. It’s a top-to-bottom assessment that pinpoints where your home is losing energy, identifies inefficient appliances, and provides a clear roadmap for improvements. An audit reveals the hidden culprits behind high utility bills—the small air leaks, the inadequate insulation, and the outdated systems that are working against you.

For PNW homeowners, an audit is particularly insightful. Our region’s specific climate—characterized by high moisture levels and moderate but persistent cold—creates unique challenges. An energy audit can tell you how well your home is equipped to handle a damp Portland winter or a breezy day on the Puget Sound. It moves you from guessing what the problem is to knowing exactly where to invest your time and money for the best returns.

Why Your PNW Home Needs an Energy Audit

The benefits of a home energy audit extend far beyond just identifying problems. It’s about creating a more comfortable, valuable, and sustainable home.

• Slash Your Energy Bills: This is the most immediate and impactful benefit. By identifying and sealing air leaks, improving insulation, and optimizing your heating and cooling systems, you can significantly reduce your monthly energy consumption. The savings can be substantial, often paying for the cost of the improvements over a short period.
• Boost Your Home’s Comfort: Are you constantly battling drafty rooms? Is the area near your beautiful picture window overlooking the Columbia River Gorge always chilly? An energy audit finds the source of these comfort issues. By addressing them, you can enjoy consistent temperatures throughout your home, year-round.
• Increase Your Property Value: In today’s market, energy-efficient homes are in high demand. A home with documented low energy costs and efficiency upgrades is a major selling point. In fact, cities like Portland require a Home Energy Score before a house can be listed for sale, a testament to its importance.
• Improve Indoor Air Quality and Health: Sealing your home to prevent energy loss has the added benefit of controlling the flow of air. This helps keep pollutants, allergens, and excess moisture out. For the damp PNW climate, controlling moisture is crucial for preventing mold and mildew growth, creating a healthier living environment for you and your family.
• The Perfect First Step to Going Solar: Understanding your home’s energy usage is fundamental to designing the perfect solar energy system. By making your home more efficient first, you may be able to install a smaller, less expensive solar panel system. An audit provides the baseline data we at Sunbridge Solar use to create a tailored residential solar solution that meets your newly optimized energy needs.

Conducting Your Home Energy Audit: DIY vs. Professional

You have two main paths for conducting a home energy audit: doing it yourself or hiring a professional.

The Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Audit: A Weekend Walkthrough

A DIY audit is an excellent starting point for any homeowner. It doesn’t require expensive equipment and can be done over a weekend. It’s all about careful observation and knowing what to look for. Here’s a checklist to guide you:

1. Locate Air Leaks: Air leakage is a major source of energy loss. On a windy day, close all your windows and doors. Light a stick of incense and carefully pass it around the edges of windows, doors, electrical outlets, plumbing fixtures, and any other openings. If the smoke wavers or is blown into the room, you’ve found a leak. These can be sealed with caulk and weatherstripping—simple, inexpensive fixes that offer a great return.
2. Inspect Your Insulation: Head up to your attic. Is the insulation level below the top of your floor joists? Can you see the joists easily? If so, you likely need more. Proper insulation is like a warm hat for your home, crucial for those cold nights when the wind howls off the Cascades. Check for even distribution and make sure it’s not damp or compressed.
3. Check Your Heating and Cooling Systems: Look at your furnace filter. If it’s dirty, replace it. A clogged filter makes your HVAC system work harder, using more energy. Check the ducts for any obvious tears or disconnections. In the PNW, having an efficient heat pump or furnace is non-negotiable for winter comfort.
4. Evaluate Your Lighting: Walk through your home and count how many incandescent bulbs are still in use. Replacing just five of your most-used bulbs with ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs can save you over $75 a year.
5. Look at Your Appliances and Electronics: Older refrigerators, freezers, and water heaters can be significant energy hogs. Note their age and condition. Also, be aware of “phantom loads”—devices that draw power even when turned off. Think TVs, computers, and chargers. Plugging these into a power strip that you can switch off is an easy fix.

The Professional Energy Audit: A Deeper Dive

While a DIY audit is a great start, a professional audit uses specialized tools and expertise to provide a much more detailed and accurate picture of your home’s performance. For homeowners in Oregon and Washington, organizations like the Energy Trust of Oregon provide resources and can connect you with certified professionals. Similarly, utilities like Puget Sound Energy offer programs and guidance.

A professional auditor will typically perform:

• A Blower Door Test: This is the gold standard for finding air leaks. A powerful fan is mounted in the frame of an exterior door to pull air out of the house, lowering the pressure inside. This makes it easy to find even the smallest leaks as outside air is drawn in through them.
• Thermographic Scan: An infrared camera is used to see what the naked eye can’t—heat. The camera reveals patterns of heat loss, showing exactly where insulation is missing or where cold air is infiltrating your walls, ceilings, and floors.
• Combustion Safety and Efficiency Testing: The auditor will check your furnace, water heater, and other combustion appliances to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently, not leaking harmful gases like carbon monoxide.

Following the assessment, you’ll receive a detailed report prioritizing the most cost-effective upgrades for your home. This report is your action plan for a more energy-efficient future.

Common Energy Problems in PNW Homes

With our expertise in the region, we’ve seen it all. Homes from Eugene to Bellingham often share common issues:

• Under-Insulated Attics and Crawlspaces: This is the number one issue we see. Heat naturally rises, and without a thick blanket of insulation in the attic, it escapes right out of your home. Crawlspaces are often neglected, leading to cold floors.
• Leaky Ductwork: Your HVAC ducts are the arteries of your home’s heating and cooling system. If they run through an unconditioned space like a crawlspace or attic and have leaks, you could be losing 20-30% of the air you paid to heat or cool.
• Single-Pane or Old Windows: While they may offer a lovely view of the Space Needle or the Portland skyline, old windows are notoriously inefficient and a major source of heat loss.
• Inefficient Heating Systems: Many older homes still rely on outdated and inefficient heating systems. Upgrading to a modern high-efficiency heat pump can provide both heating and cooling at a fraction of the cost.

From Audit to Action with Sunbridge Solar

An energy audit is the first step. The next is taking action. This is where Sunbridge Solar comes in. While we are renowned for our residential and commercial solar installations, our philosophy is rooted in holistic energy solutions. We help you use the results of your energy audit to make smart, effective upgrades.

And when you’re ready to achieve true energy independence, we’re here to design and install the perfect solar system for your newly efficient home. With our 10-year craftsmanship warranty and 25-year product warranties, you can be confident in your investment. Our turnkey solar installations are fast—typically completed in just 2-3 days—and hassle-free.

We handle everything from the initial design to the final setup, including guiding you through the numerous solar incentives available in Oregon and Washington. Whether you need a residential system, a commercial solution, battery backup for power outages, or a complete off-grid solar setup, our qualified team uses the latest technology to deliver reliable, clean energy.

Frequently Asked Questions