Energy Makeover: Evaluating your own home

How do you improve energy efficiency in an older house? Sarah, a PGE employee and single mom of two, is finding out. She’s working to make a 55-year-old, 1,500-square-foot, all-electric home more comfortable and efficient — and we’re following along as she tackles each step.

Taking stock

When Sarah bought her home in 2014, a pre-purchase inspection flagged several common energy issues: minimal insulation, outdated ceiling heat and aging aluminum windows.

“I was surprised at how much energy we used the first month — it was double what I had estimated,” she said.

She knew she needed a clear picture of her home’s energy use before investing in improvements.

The free Home Energy Assessment

Sarah started with Energy Trust of Oregon’s free Home Energy Assessment. Today, you can do the same kind of assessment on your PGE Account Dashboard. In just a few minutes, she answered questions about her home’s size, heating system, water heater and more.

The tool gave her:

• A snapshot of her home’s current energy use

• Customized recommendations to help her save

• A link to qualified contractors who could connect her with Energy Trust cash incentives

Sarah’s top 4 takeaways

• Big savings were possible: By making a few key upgrades, Sarah could reduce her home’s energy use by nearly 50% — and save around $2,750 over three years.*

• Heating was a top priority: Replacing her outdated ceiling heat system would deliver the biggest energy savings.

• Small changes added up: Her custom action plan suggested:

  • Adding attic insulation

  • Sealing air leaks

  • Switching to LED lighting

  • Upgrading or removing the second refrigerator

  • Improving water-heating efficiency

• Rethinking priorities: Sarah thought new windows would be the first priority, but they didn’t show up in her recommendations.

“I was pleasantly surprised to discover that, in my case, sealing air leaks and adding insulation would save more than new windows — and probably cost less too,” she said.

Balancing efficiency with practicality

Sarah used the energy assessment as a guide but also factored in comfort and budget.

“I’ll probably buy cellular shades before replacing the windows,” she said. “They’ll help block drafts, add privacy and give us some immediate comfort while we save for bigger projects.”

Evaluate your own home

Looking to take stock of your home’s energy use? Here are a few quick tips:

• Start with a free online Home Energy Analysis.

• Know that heating and cooling systems are often the largest energy users in your home.*

• Water heating typically comes second.*

• Insulation makes a big difference — and most homes built before 1980 are under-insulated.*

• Energy upgrades may be more affordable thanks to incentives and rebates.

Find more ways to save energy at home and follow along with Sarah’s journey in our Energy Makeover series.

*U.S. Department of Energy