Are you interested in how your home performs? Schedule an appointment with an experienced NEC home energy auditor and find out today. The auditor will visit your home and offer practical solutions to help you save energy and keep cash in your bank account.

You will learn about your home's energy systems and about the latest in energy tax credits, utility rebates, grants and financing, and other incentives that will make energy improvements easy and affordable.

A home energy audit lasts about 1.5 hours. Your auditor will analyze your utility bills, discuss any of your specific concerns with you, and examine the following areas of your home:

• Furnace or boiler
• Air conditioner
• Insulation
• Air leaks
• Water heater
• Refrigerator, freezer, range, and other appliances

Your auditor will use diagnostic equipment to check your home for efficiency, safety, and performance. When scheduling your audit you may choose to include a blower door test, which helps to identify air leaks. You may also select an infrared camera inspection, which will pinpoint hidden gaps in your home's insulation.

You will receive a list of the specific energy saving steps recommended for your home with their expected costs and savings potential. The NEC will follow up to help you implement these recommendations.

If you are an Xcel Energy customer, you have several audit options. For $30, a basic educational audit is a great way to learn about your home's energy profile. A $60 blower door audit locates critical air leaks, and includes all of the features of the basic educational audit.  For $100, an infrared + blower door audit pinpoints insulation gaps and air leaks, and provides a solid profile of your home's energy performance.

To request an audit through Xcel Energy, please phone 1-800-895-4999. If you are not an Xcel customer but would like to request an NEC audit, email Tara at the NEC today.