Energy Audit FAQ
- How does an energy audit work?
- What does it cost and are any financial incentives available?
- Can I do it myself?
- What should I keep in mind if I’m hiring a contractor?
- How much money and energy will I save?
- Are there any other benefits?
Professional auditors use a variety of techniques and equipment to determine the energy efficiency of a structure. They inspect homes inside and out, use equipment such as blower doors and infrared cameras, and look at energy bills—all with the goal of determining how you can save money and energy.
Energy audits are a great tool, but it’s important to remember that audits alone don’t save energy. Once the audit is over, you need to take action and implement recommendations in order to see results.
For more information:
Learn how a blower door test works.
Learn how infrared cameras can show where energy is being lost.
The cost of an energy audit will depend on the size and type of your home.
A number of financial incentives and programs for energy audits are available. See the Energy Action Planner for additional information on financial incentives in your area.
If you feel comfortable doing the work yourself and would prefer to save the contractor’s fee, you can certainly do it yourself. Check out the links below to learn how. Keep in mind that do-it-yourself work may not qualify for incentive programs offered in your area.
For more information:
Learn about do-it-yourself and professional home energy audits.
Check out the ENERGY STAR® Home Energy Yardstick.
Try a web-based do-it-yourself home energy audit tool.
For general tips, including what to ask a potential contractor, how to compare bids and how to monitor quality, please visit the How to Hire a Contractor page.
In addition to the general tips in our How to Hire a Contractor page, you may need to consider some specific issues when hiring a contractor for this particular kind of work. Here are some additional things to keep in mind:
- Many companies specialize in energy audits and can complete one for you quickly and efficiently.
- Before contracting with an energy auditing company, keep the following in mind:
- Get quotes from more than one provider; make sure the quotes include any certification information.
- Audits can include various levels of tactics and equipment that affect the accuracy of the audit. Ask your contractor which level of service they provide, what the pricing is for each, and what would be most suitable for your home. Make sure that each quote includes the same work so you can compare apples to apples. The various levels can include things like:
- Walk through and visual inspection
- Online modeling audit tools
- A blower door test
- Infrared cameras
- Ask how the audit report will be presented and what it will include. For example, will it include photos, modeling software results, a written report, comparisons to other similar homes, a checklist, etc.? Ask to see a sample. Decide what format will be most helpful to you and require it by making sure it is included in the contract. We recommend you require, at a minimum:
- A concrete inventory of recommended measures
- Personalized prioritization of those recommendations based on cost effectiveness and your home’s specific needs
- Instructions for things you can do yourself
- An indication of which measures might qualify for an incentive program
- Ask your contractor how they will ensure that the work is compliant with any incentive program requirements you may qualify for.
- There aren’t any required certifications or licensing by law in the state to do this work, but you should check with the Industry Certifications & Training page to familiarize yourself with the types of industry certifications you may see when you are doing your search. Will you be able to tell me the HERS Rating of the home?
For more information:
To search a list of contractors in your area provided by the Better Business Bureau, visit the Energy Action Planner, right on this site.
Learn about do-it-yourself and professional home energy audits.
The amount of energy and money you will save depends on what problems are found in your energy audit—and what steps you take to fix those problems. Your auditor should be able to tell you which recommendations are most cost effective in your report. You can also come back to RechargeColorado.com to determine what incentives are available for your recommended measures, and use the Energy Action Planner to help you with your projects.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that homeowners can typically save up to 20% of heating and cooling costs and about 10% of total energy costs with proper insulation and air sealing.
In addition to helping you identify where inefficiencies are costing you money and energy, an energy audit can help you:
- Prioritize the most cost-effective improvements
- Know how your home’s energy use compares to other similar homes in your area
- Assess the presence of dangerous gases, like carbon monoxide, in your home
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