If you have particularly troublesome problems in your home that prevent optimal energy efficiency, it cancreate a frustrating affair. These issues most commonly arise out of poor insulation, leaky or drafty seals on doors and windows and sometimes a lack of proper wiring or equipment. If you’ve tried all the most common home electricity-saving tips and still can’t seem to bring your bills down, it might be time for a home energy audit.

A home energy audit could save you a good amount of trouble and money by pinpointing exactly where your house leaks. A professional audit looks at just about everything in the house, but there are two main components.

First, the audit company places a calibrated blower (called a “blower door”) in one of your primary entry points. The unit blows air out of the house, sucking air through the leaks, so they can determine how much leakage there is.

Second, a complete audit will include an infrared photo of your home that shows the temperature of the home’s surfaces so that you can identify areas where heat is escaping.

Typically, the audit will look for a wide range of problems and make a wide range of recommendations, such as more insulation, weather stripping, storm windows, insulating blinds, furnace tune-ups or replacement with a more efficient furnace. The auditor might also suggest recalibrating the thermostat, putting a timer on water heaters, and so on. The more thorough the audit, the more detail it will have and the more suggestions will come of it.

An exhaustive audit from a premium audit company could be expensive, but you can save money by getting an audit without all the ‘extras’ and special options. Go online and compare prices and services. Find out what companies offer which type of services, check reviews and look at audit pricing plans and what they cover.

It wouldn’t hurt to check with your home electricity utility company too. They may offer a free or low-cost audit for customers. Also check with your state’s energy department to learn whether you might be eligible for energy efficiency programs or if you could get reimbursed for all or part of the cost of a professional audit.