Cotton Electric Cooperative provides free home energy audits for members to help them decide the most economical ways to improve their home's energy-efficiency.

An energy audit, which is performed by the cooperative's power use advisor, consists of a thorough inspection of your home's foundation, floors, walls, doors, windows and attic.

During an energy audit, careful measurements are taken of your home's insulating factor and heat loss areas such as doors and windows and others.

Or, if you are planning on adding-on to your home, building a new one, or adding new air conditioning or heating equipment, your cooperative's power use advisor can visit with you one-on-one to discuss the energy saving improvements best suited for you and the size of equipment needed for your home.

After conducting an on-site energy audit, Cotton Electric Cooperative's Power Use Advisor then uses a specially-designed computer program to calculate how energy improvements, such as adding insulation, storm doors and windows, and a more efficient heating and cooling system can help reduce kilowatt hour waste. Basically, an audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time as it helps to pinpoint where your home is losing energy.

A thorough explanation of the results is then returned to the member, which will discuss the energy-saving improvements that are best suited for your home.

The next time you have a problem or question concerning utility costs, whether you're building a new home or improving the one you're still in, call Cotton Electric Cooperative and ask your power use advisor for expert advice.

You may also want to try the Touchstone Energy online home energy audit.