Heat loss inside a house can cost a homeowner a bundle, but experts advise technology can be used to find ways to curb that loss.

An energy audit by a private company can cost about $350.

"It's designed to tell them the smartest places to spend the money to get the biggest bang for their buck," said Eric Bjornson from Sundial Building Performance.

Along with private compamines, Manitoba Hydro also offers energy audits and rebates, as well as how-to-videos to do some of the work yourself, which could also help save a homeowner money.

Many companies use thermal imaging technology to help homeowners focus in on areas with heat loss. Thirty per cent of outside air enters a home through gaps around windows and doors.

Ryan Dalgliesh trains technicians on how to best detect heat loss in a home. He said that next to an attic, header spaces in a basement can be leaky and should be filled with caulking, if needed, to fix them. He also said if you have fibrous insulation, make sure it isn't turning black.

"That is a perfect sign air is whipping in and out of that insulation. It's just becoming an air filter," said Dalgliesh.

More information is available online on Manitoba Hydro and Sundial's sites at:

http://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/small_changes_add_up/how_to_videos.shtml

http://www.sundialbp.ca/

 - with a report from CTV's Eleanor Coopsammy