Home energy audits are essential to making your home truly affordable, comfortable, and sustainable. Our Home Energy Performance Division conducts home energy audits in accordance with and above Building Performance Institute (BPI) standards and we participate in the NYSERDA Energy Smart program. These Home Performance with Energy Star Comprehensive Home Assessments involve first gathering information about building construction, existing insulation, air infiltration, and HVAC systems, then calculating building heat loss and understanding home energy usage, and finally recommending improvements. The results of a home energy audit are essential to the proper sizing of heating and cooling equipment and/or renewable energy systems. Efficiency improvements are typically the most cost effective way to reduce energy usage and costs, and improve the comfort and safety of your home.

Types of Audits

• Standard Audit $500, Includes analysis of home construction and energy use, modeling of this information in the NYSERDA approved software, thermal imaging, water testing, and presentation of the Energy Star Assessment Report including cost/benefit analysis of improvment recommendations to projected costs and energy savings.

• Second Level Audit $750, Includes all of the basic audit features, and distribution system operational efficiency analysis, room-by-room heat loss and heat gain analysis, AirAdvice and RadonAdvice testing, and electrical service inspection.

• Third Level Audit $1,000, Includes all of the second level audit features, and advanced air diagnostics.

For a complete list of our available audits and more details, please see a summary here.

Important Diagnostic Services

Thermal Imaging Diagnostics, Water Testing, Forced Air Duct or Hydronic System Seasonal Calculated Operational Running Efficiency (SCORE), Room-By-Room Heat Loss and Heat Gain, AirAdvice and RadonAdvice, Electrical Service and Loads Inspection, Advanced Air Diagnostics

Process

Our home energy audit process typically has the following general initial steps:

Initial Free Home Energy Visit - One of our Comfort Advisors meets with you, discusses your needs, does some preliminary diagnostic testing, and reviews your energy bills to determine the potential opportunities for energy reduction and solutions.

Home Energy Audit - BPI Certified Halco Auditor performs diagnostic tests (including the blower door and thermal imaging), health and safety tests, and measures up building components for computer modeling. This data is then analyzed to determine your heating and cooling loads, and areas for improvement are focused on.

Audit Report Completed and Presentation Meeting Scheduled - Based on our analysis, different improvements ranging from air-sealing, to insulation in existing walls, attic, and basements spaces, to new high-efficiency equipment are recommended. A report and set of recommendation are completed and an appointment is scheduled to present them. This report includes economic and energy saving analysis of all improvements, and from there, you are free to choose how to improve your home.  

Available Incentives and Financing

State Rebates

NYSERDA's Energy Smart Program will cover 10% of the total project cost up to an incentive of $3,000, or 50% of the total cost with up to a $5,000 incentive.

Federal Tax Credits

The federal government currently offers a 30% tax credit for home energy efficiency improvements. The amount is capped at $1,500, and the credit can be used over a two year period.

Utility Rebates

Presently there is up to $1,000 per eligible measure available from the state's major utilities, including NYSEG, RG&E, and National Grid

State Low-Interest Financing

As an alternative to the rebate program, NYSERDA offers low-interest financing at a bought down rate of 5.99%.