Whether you're buying a new home or updating your current home for a sale, energy efficient homes are money savers in addition to being more environmentally friendly.

When you're looking to purchase a new home, it's a good idea to ask the seller for copies of their monthly utility bills. This can give you a general idea of how energy efficient the home is, in both summer and winter. You should also check how old the heating and cooling systems are. They become less efficient with age and may also need to be replaced soon.

There are also a variety of tests available to see how energy efficiency your potential new home is. For example, the blower door test measures a home's rate of air leakage. The duct blaster test measures how airtight forced air duct systems are. Both tests show the location of leakage, if there is any, and estimate efficiency loss.

Ask me about other ways to determine how energy efficient your home is!