What should be the first step in making a home more energy-efficient?

Conducting an energy audit is the essential first step in making a home more energy-efficient because it provides a comprehensive assessment of the home’s current energy use and inefficiencies. An energy audit identifies where energy is being wasted, whether through poor insulation, inefficient appliances, or air leaks, allowing homeowners to prioritize improvements that will have the greatest impact on energy consumption and costs.

Without this important baseline understanding, homeowners may make changes that are not effective or may invest in solutions that do not address the root causes of energy inefficiency. Other options, such as going solar without proper preparation or ignoring energy bills, do not provide the necessary groundwork for informed decisions about energy efficiency. Additionally, reducing the size of a home is not always practical or beneficial and does not inherently improve energy efficiency unless it addresses specific issues identified in an audit.