How Hiring an Energy Inspector Can Save You Money

But they're costly and not the slam-dunk investment that many people believe them to be. These high-performance windows often carry Energy Star approval. Energy Star estimates that upgrading from old single-pane glass can save homeowners $125 to $450 a year. But replacing double-paned windows like mine might save as little as $25 a year -- not much of a return on an investment that can run into thousands of dollars for a whole house. Off-the-shelf low-e replacement windows run from $120 to $180 apiece at Lowe's (LOW Quote). Custom replacement windows can cost around $1,000 apiece or more.

Heat and Hot Water

Our water heaters, replaced a couple of years ago, and our boiler, replaced in 1997, are about as efficient as they come. But that doesn't mean there was no room for improvement in our heating.

Neither the water heaters nor the heating and hot water pipes that wind through our unfinished, unheated basement are insulated. Wrapping them with duct insulation, which we can buy at Home Depot(HD Quote), would keep more heat and hot water inside the pipes until it makes its way up into our bathrooms, living rooms and bedroom, where we want it. He estimated it would cost about $165 to install and save us about $200 a year.

Sealing a poorly hung window and weather stripping basement doors -- also a minimal investment -- would keep more cold air out of the basement, making the living space above it that much warmer.