Is your home taking all your energy? The answer may depend on who you ask, and where in your home you're actually looking.

According to the Natural Resources Defense Council Blog, the U.S. Department of Energy made great strides toward eliminating the waste of energy in homes across the country. During the final week of 2015, it issued rulings concerning ceiling fans and lights, as well as boilers and refrigerators.

Will this actually make a difference? Many of the standards that were implemented in 1987 did, saving consumers $60 billion on their utility bills in 2014 alone, and cutting emissions by 2.3 billion tons in the same timeframe.

The rules finalized in 2015 will only spur more energy savings and cuts to toxic emissions.

In terms of houses across the U.S., which areas or items waste the most energy?

Heating and cooling use the most energy, at 39 percent,  for items such as furnaces and boiler circulation points. The second highest use of energy, 23 percent, isn't a particular room or type of accessory, but rather a range such as cooking appliances, exterior lights and pool heaters. The third largest use of energy is water heating at 13 percent.

As appliance standards continue to emerge, the savings for homeowners are being tracked. Annual savings for households across the nation top out with the kitchen and laundry room, both a little over $9 billion.

If you're interested in making a change in your home, consider scheduling an appointment with Alban Inspections. By scheduling an energy audit, homeowners can determine what changes may be best for energy efficiency. Starting with small changes can make big differences down the road.

Learn more on our website.