Looking at a home as a system, with many different parts that work together, makes it easier to recognize what is causing high energy bills, hot or cold drafts, or even health issues.

Schedule a home energy assessment to discover your own home’s energy-saving opportunities. After you complete your assessment, you will receive a customized report with expert recommendations that can help lower your home’s energy costs by 20% or more.

Why Get a Home Energy Assessment?

An in-person energy assessment can help your household:

Identify specific ways you can save energy. An assessment ends any speculation about where you might be losing energy and can help you figure out exactly how and where to start saving.

Prioritize energy-saving opportunities. Your assessment report can help you prioritize what changes need to happen first to maximize efficiency.

Get access to expert recommendations. Your Trade Ally contractor will provide guidance on how to improve the efficiency of your home and recommend the best upgrades and products to get you there.

Learn more about available rebates. Your Trade Ally contractor can also connect you with Focus on Energy rebates. Save on efficient heating and cooling equipment, smart thermostats, insulation, and more.

Getting Ready

While it is not difficult to prepare for an in-person energy assessment, here are a few helpful tips to keep in mind.

On the day of your assessment, please secure any pets and be ready to open or close doors and raise blinds, open curtains, etc. It is also a good idea to have general information about your home available, such as square footage and the year your house was built.

Follow these other simple tips to take full advantage of your home energy assessment and begin your energy efficiency journey.

Make a List and Gather Your Information

Ahead of your assessment, make a list of any existing problems you would like your Trade Ally contractor to explore further. This might include things you have noticed, like condensation, drafty rooms, or condensation marks along ceilings and walls. Maybe you have had issues with your heating and cooling not working as effectively, or with ice dams in the winter.

In addition to energy efficiency, your Trade Ally contractor also has experience with home health and safety solutions. Be sure to list any health concerns you may have, such as indoor air quality or pest issues.

Other specific information you will want to have ready for the day includes:

• A general idea of your average thermostat settings for summer and winter.
• Utility bills from the last year (access online or ask your utility to provide them).
• The types of lighting you currently have in use (incandescent, LEDs, or CFLs).

Prepare for Your Assessment
Your Trade Ally contractor will likely want to analyze all areas of your home. If there are special considerations or areas you want avoided, be sure to communicate that to them.

Get ahead of any potential messes or blockages for your contractor. For instance, if you have a fireplace, you might want to empty the ash or cover it with wet newspaper to help prevent a mess when the blower test is conducted. You should also clear away any belongings or furniture to allow access to crawlspaces, attic space, or access hatches. Do the same for boilers, furnaces, water heaters, etc.

Find Your Ally

A home energy assessment can help you discover ways to use less energy and save more on energy bills. It is also an investment in your household’s comfort and health.

Using your report, your Trade Ally contractor can help you prioritize efficiency upgrades before pricing out the work, presenting a contract, and completing improvements.