DIY Energy Walk-Through Checklist for Ohio Businesses
The short answer
Before paying for a professional audit, walk your building with this checklist. In about an hour you'll find the no-cost fixes (schedules, setpoints, equipment left on) and a short list of projects worth pricing. Do one walk-through during business hours and one after closing — the after-hours walk usually finds the most waste.
For what a professional audit includes (ASHRAE levels, cost, what to expect), see commercial energy audits.
1. Start with the bill (10 minutes)
- Utility name (investor-owned, municipal or co-op) and rate schedule
- Who supplies generation, at what price, and when the contract ends
- Monthly kWh and peak kW for the last 12 months — any unexplained jumps?
- Estimated reads, late fees or unusual charges
2. Lighting
- Remaining fluorescent, metal-halide or incandescent fixtures
- Lights on in unoccupied rooms, storage areas or daylight zones
- Exterior and sign lighting on during daytime (check photocells and time clocks)
3. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- Thermostat schedules match actual hours (including weekends and holidays)
- Heating and cooling running at the same time in adjacent zones
- Dirty filters, blocked coils, economizer dampers stuck
- Rooftop units all starting at once in the morning (demand spike)
4. Refrigeration (if applicable)
- Door gaskets, strip curtains and auto-closers working
- Condenser coils clean; defrost schedules sensible
- Anti-sweat heaters running continuously
5. Compressed air and motors (if applicable)
- Audible leaks during a quiet period
- Compressors running with production off
- Fans and pumps throttled with dampers or valves (candidates for VFDs)
6. Plug and process loads
- Equipment left on overnight (printers, displays, vending, kitchen equipment)
- Space heaters under desks
- Chargers (forklift, EV) starting at shift change
7. The after-hours walk
- What's still running at night, and does it need to be?
- Compare overnight kW in your interval data with the number you'd expect
What to do with the results
| Finding type | Action |
|---|---|
| Schedules and settings | Fix this week — free |
| Maintenance (filters, gaskets, leaks) | Fix this month — low cost |
| Equipment upgrades | Price them with ROI math |
| Bill or contract problems | Review supply options — procurement basics |
FAQ
How long does a DIY energy audit take?
About an hour for a small building, plus a short after-hours walk.
Do Ohio utilities offer free business energy audits?
General business efficiency programs, including audits, largely ended at Ohio's investor-owned utilities in 2024–2025; check with your utility or a private auditor.
What's the most common finding?
Equipment and HVAC running outside business hours.