Home energy audit: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What home energy audit is

A home energy audit inspects a house with tools such as blower door tests and thermal cameras to find air leaks, insulation gaps and inefficient equipment. The auditor then explains which upgrades will make the most difference for comfort and energy use, so you can decide what to fix first.

Signs you need it

  • Certain rooms are always cold or hot, or the upstairs and downstairs temperatures are far apart
  • Your heating or cooling runs constantly, and the bills keep rising without a clear reason
  • Drafts come through around windows, doors, outlets or the attic hatch on windy days
  • Your home is older and has little or no insulation in the attic, walls or floors
  • You are planning a renovation, a window replacement or a new heating system and want to know where the money and the effort will matter most

What the pro does

  • The auditor interviews you about the home's comfort problems, the bills and the equipment, and reviews the past utility records
  • They walk the house and inspect the attic, the crawl space or basement, the walls and the rim joists for gaps and missing insulation
  • They run a blower door test to measure the air leakage of the house, with the pressure readings recorded
  • They use a thermal camera to find cold spots, missing insulation and air leaks, and mark the areas on a report
  • They check the heating, cooling, water heater and ventilation equipment for age, condition and efficiency
  • They deliver a written report that ranks the upgrades by effect, with the air sealing and insulation work listed first where it applies

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • Size of the house and the number of levels, rooms and the attic or crawl space to inspect
  • Type of testing included, such as only a visual walk-through or a full blower door and thermal scan
  • Access to attics, crawl spaces and mechanical rooms that are blocked or hard to enter
  • Whether a follow-up visit is needed to check the work after the upgrades are made
  • Whether the audit includes equipment testing, such as combustion or duct tests
  • Whether the report includes a detailed list of upgrades or only a summary
  • Utility bill analysis and the years of records the auditor reviews

What a written quote should spell out

  • Scope of the audit, with the blower door test, the thermal scan and the equipment checks listed
  • Areas inspected, such as attic, crawl space, walls and mechanical room
  • Report format and what it will include, such as ranked upgrades and photos
  • Follow-up visit or re-test after upgrades, and whether it is included
  • Who explains the report to you and how questions after the audit are handled
  • Any certification or program requirements the audit must meet, named specifically

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Will you run a blower door test and a thermal scan, and will you show me the readings?
  • Which areas of the house will you inspect, and which will you not be able to reach?
  • How do you rank the upgrades, and what effect do you expect from the air sealing alone?
  • Does your report cover the heating, the cooling and the water heater, and how do you judge their condition?
  • Do you recommend products or contractors, and do you receive any fees from them?
  • Will you come back to check the work after the upgrades are made?
  • Can you explain the report in writing so I can share it with a contractor?

Red flags

  • They recommend a large equipment replacement before the air sealing and insulation are assessed
  • They will not run or show the blower door readings
  • They are paid by a single contractor and do not disclose it
  • Their report is a list of generic tips with no measurements from your house

What you can do yourself

You can keep a log of your utility bills, note the rooms that are uncomfortable and when, and check for drafts with the back of your hand or a thin strip of tissue near windows and outlets. You can also seal visible gaps with caulk where the work is safe and reachable. Do not open a combustion appliance, a furnace or the electrical panel for the audit, and call a licensed trade for any gas or electrical concern.

Licenses and permits

Home energy auditing is often offered without a state license, but some programs and some states require certification or a specific credential for the work. Ask the auditor which credential they hold and check with your state or local energy office for the program rules that apply to your audit.

Home energy audit questions

What does a blower door test tell me?

It measures how much air leaks through the building envelope under a set pressure difference. The result shows the leakage level, and the auditor uses it with the thermal scan to find where the leaks are.

Should I air seal before I replace my furnace?

Often yes. Reducing air leakage and adding insulation can change the heat load, which affects the size of the equipment you need. Ask the auditor to show the order of upgrades before you buy equipment.

Will the audit tell me if my attic insulation is enough?

The thermal scan and the attic inspection show where the insulation is thin, missing or disturbed, and the report can list the recommended depth. Ask the auditor how they determined the recommendation.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

Edit history

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More construction and design guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request home energy audit