Do You Need an Energy-Waste Sleuth?

Such inspections usually take two to three hours, and after they are complete, Van Buren compiles a list of recommendations to improve the home's efficiency, with an eye toward cost-effectiveness.

TerraLogos, a Baltimore company, does not perform any of the upgrades, but it connects clients with prescreened contractors.

Whale said his motivation for the audit was primarily financial -- "ever so slightly ecological as well."

Of Van Buren's initial suggestions, Whale said, one idea that intrigued him was replacing his aging water heater with a tankless model when the old one goes.

Residents of older houses usually reap the greatest benefits from energy audits, said Doris Ikl¿, president of CMC Energy Services of Bethesda, which sells the Home Energy Tune-Up software that many auditors use, among other energy consulting services.

But that doesn't mean new houses are perfect. "Even the new stuff can be pretty bad," Van Buren said.

Homeowners may not need to pay for every test to benefit. In particular, Ikl¿ said she doesn't consider the blower door test worthwhile for every homeowner, given the cost it adds to the inspection. "You'll pay twice as much for the audit" if it's included, she said, and it will just have to be repeated by the professional leak sealer if you hire one.

Homeowners interested in hiring an energy auditor should use the same diligence they would in hiring any contractor, including checking references, Callahan said.

Friends and family members are one source of referrals. Another possibility: local utility companies. Even if they do not conduct residential energy audits themselves, they may have a list of recommended local contractors.

If you used a home inspector when you bought your house, find out whether he or she conducts energy audits, as well. Many do so for an additional fee, Callahan said. An energy audit can be particularly cost-effective when tacked on to a regular home inspection during purchase, Ikl¿ said.

The Residential Energy Services Network is primarily concerned with energy ratings, not audits, but many of its inspectors also provide auditing services. Its Web site, http://www.natresnet.org, includes a list of certified raters searchable by state.

One of those local raters is David Brosch, owner of Green Homes Blue Sky. His University Park company performs energy audits as part of an overall look at the environmental impact of a house. "The health and safety of people is as important as energy savings," he said.

No matter how potentially beneficial the recommendations are, they won't produce any savings unless homeowners follow them.

It's like going to the doctor, said Tom Jewell, energy conservation coordinator for Dominion Virginia Power. "If you don't go fill the prescription and take the medicine, it won't do any good."

Having a professional come in is sometimes what it takes to motivate people to act, Callahan said.

The Rev. Frances Brown, co-owner of a D.C. home where Callahan's group performed an audit and recommended upgrades for free last year, said it was worthwhile for her family. Extended family members are living in the home now, and there have been significant drops in their monthly utility bills -- about $100 a month in January and February, she said. And the difference in comfort was immediate, she said.

Go for it, she urged others. "It saves so much money."