An energy audit costs $436 on average, but it can cost between $212 and $700 depending on your home’s size and the audit level.
If your rooms are drafty in the winter and hot or humid in the summer, you may have an unexplained energy loss in your home. Second to striking up conversations with your neighbors to discuss your energy bills, you can save by using a home energy audit to detect problem areas around the house.
Most home energy audits cost between $212 and $700, or $436 on average, but some tests run for as little as $100 or as much as $2,400. However, there are new incentives for homeowners who want to book an energy audit. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act's Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit covers the cost of home energy audits up to $150.
Energy audit costs can depend on the size of your home, the type of audit, your location, and more. You may also be able to defray all or some of the cost of an energy audit by taking advantage of available credits and rebates. An energy-efficient home is good for both your bank account and the environment, so there are several available programs to help keep costs affordable.
A home energy audit costs anywhere from $0.08 to $0.50 per square foot, though most energy auditors will offer you a flat rate based on the size of your property and the types of tests needed to conduct the audit.
Your auditor may choose any or all tests, depending on your needs. Some of these prices might be discounted as part of a packaged deal, so be sure to check with your energy auditor to receive an accurate estimate. Here’s a breakdown of the types of tests that may be performed and their average costs:
| Test | Cost |
|---|---|
| Blower Door Test Cost | $350 |
| Duct Testing Cost | $100 |
| HERS Test Cost | $375 |
| HERS Certification Cost | $200 |
| Infrared Imaging Cost | $200 |
Most energy auditors charge by the job rather than hourly. The average labor cost for an energy audit ranges between $100 and $700, depending on the extent and type of audit. Auditors may work alone or in teams, but the price generally remains the same.
The average cost nationwide for an energy audit is $436, but prices can depend on where you live. The following prices reflect the average rates in a few popular cities across the U.S.:
| City | Cost |
|---|---|
| Austin, TX | $700 |
| Boston, MA | $550 |
| Chicago, IL | $450 |
| Denver, CO | $275 |
| Miami, FL | $750 |
| New York, NY | $800 |
| San Francisco, CA | $300 |
Drastic differences in the cost of an energy audit by city may be due to the average size of the home and the local going rates. For example, the average home size in San Francisco is just 1,150 square feet, while the average home size in Austin is just over 2,000 square feet.
If your auditor finds areas of concern, they may recommend additional testing. Many auditors will add additional tests to an audit for a reduced fee when they’re already auditing your house. Additional tests can give you a more complete picture of your home’s energy efficiency and allow you to make changes and upgrades.
There are so many areas of your home that an energy auditor can evaluate, making it hard to add up all the tests to estimate the total cost.
Thankfully, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) created three levels to make it easier to get an idea of what kind of audit you need based on your property. And, though the ASHRAE levels are for commercial energy audits, residential energy auditors often use the levels as a template for their audits.
Below are the three standard levels of an energy audit:
Also known as a simple audit, the level 1 energy audit is at the lower end of the price range. An 1,800 square foot home will fall between $150 and $200, or between $0.08 and $0.12 per square foot for this type of exam.
In a level 1 audit, your auditor will perform a brief walk-through of your home and review your utility bills to see if there are any obvious signs of an energy problem. They will also provide you with a cost and savings analysis for measures you can take to fix any issues, though any complex or less obvious issues will warrant a more thorough audit.
The level 2 ASHRAE energy audit is a more in-depth survey of the energy usage in your home and runs between $200 to $650, or $0.12 to $0.35 per square foot, for an average 1,800-square-foot home.
This level looks closely at your past utility bills to evaluate how your house uses natural gas and electricity. You’ll receive a detailed financial report that helps you gauge the best financial decisions for cost savings.
As the most comprehensive energy audit, a level three energy audit will run for approximately $650 to $900, or between $0.36 to $0.50 per square foot, for an average 1,800-square-foot home. Though this audit is most commonly conducted in commercial areas, you may want a level 3 audit if you suspect your home might require technical renovations to make it more energy-efficient.
Keep in mind that these estimates are for the average home size. For smaller or larger homes, anticipate spending less or more, respectively.
Energy audits are the first step toward making your home more energy-efficient, so they’re often accompanied by projects to increase energy efficiency. A more energy-efficient home can improve your home’s appraisal value, so completing the recommended work identified in the audit can really pay off.
Some common projects after an energy audit include:
Replacing insulation: Updating insulation costs an average of $1,000–$2,600.
Window replacement: Installing new windows averages between $3,400–$11,800.
Upgrading heat pumps: A new, more efficient heat pump can run from $4,200–$8,000.
Credits and rebates are also available to help you save on projects to help you save energy costs. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) has opened up new avenues for saving money on energy-efficient home projects. The IRA’s Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit allows homeowners to claim credit for 30% of what they pay to install upgraded heat pumps, insulation, breaker boxes, biomass stoves, and other energy-saving systems with an annual cap of $2,000. The credit also covers the cost of home energy audits up to $150 and electrical panel upgrades up to $600.
In addition, The High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Act (HEEHRA) lets homeowners take advantage of rebates for certain electrification projects. These rebates cover between 50% and 100% of the material and installation costs for projects like heat pump HVAC systems and insulation upgrades up to $14,000, depending on the household’s income level.
Unless you’re a trained professional, walking around in search of energy-wasting issues in your home can feel like walking aimlessly through a maze.
Though you can get away with a basic DIY energy audit by caulking your windows, doorways, and foundational cracks and searching for glaringly obvious culprits, it’s very much a trial-and-error type of project that will likely cost you more time and effort in the long run without the energy savings you’d get with a comprehensive assessment.
We recommend you hire a local energy auditor to do the job. Your local pro will advise you on other local companies who can efficiently repair or replace issues in your home, helping you save the most on your energy bills.
On August 4, 2023, the IRS issued a notice stating that starting in 2024, a home auditor must be certified by the Department of Energy in order for taxpayers to qualify for the Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit for home energy audits. This change indicates that it will be easier to have an audit conducted and approved prior to the end of 2023, as the number of approved auditors will decrease significantly thereafter.
There are a few ways to save on the cost of your home energy audit. If your household is considered a low-income household, then you might qualify for a free energy audit through the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program. If you don’t qualify for this program, check with your local utility company or government to see if there are rebate programs available to help you save.
Some states and utility companies may also offer discounted or free energy audits. Check with your utility company or state’s energy resource department to find out if you qualify for any energy audit program savings.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We survey real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
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The best way to find an energy auditor is by looking up local businesses with excellent reviews, researching the company’s methods and certifications, and scheduling a consultation to determine if they’re a good fit. The most reputable companies are HEP-certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI) and may cost slightly more than a company that isn’t certified.
If you plan to take advantage of the rebates offered by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, you will need to select a home energy auditor from the Department of Energy’s certified list starting in 2024.
A home energy audit depends on the level and type of tests you want to be conducted, but the audit generally includes a visual inspection, a review of your utility bills, mechanical testing, and a list of recommendations to improve your energy usage.
After your audit has been conducted, reach out to professionals who can further assist you with the repairs that your auditor recommended for your home. That way, you can get started making your home more energy-efficient.
