Say you’ve decided to cut your energy bills. First question “Where do I even start?” Second question, usually about three seconds later “What’s it going to cost me?”
A home energy assessment is the smartest first move, because it swaps guesswork for an actual picture of where your house is losing energy and which upgrades deserve your money. And for a lot of Massachusetts homeowners, the price of that first step turns out to be a pleasant surprise. Here’s what an assessment is, what it costs, what’s in it, and how to turn the results into real savings.
What an Assessment Is
It’s basically a physical for your house. (Some people call it an energy audit.) A trained technician doesn’t poke at one system and leave. They’ll crawl through the attic and poke around the basement. They’ll check the doors and windows, the insulation, the ductwork, the heating and cooling equipment, and every air leak they can find. Then comes the real job working out how all of it behaves together.
Why bother with the whole house? Because the pieces lean on each other. Put a new furnace in a leaky house and you’re mostly heating the outdoors. Insulate without looking at the ducts and you’ve done half a job. The assessment shows how it fits together, so you can spend in the right order.
At the end you’ve got a plan in hand. Which fixes make the house more comfortable, healthier and cheaper to run? And what goes first?
So, What Does It Cost?
For many Massachusetts homeowners, nothing.
The Mass Save® Home Energy Services program gives eligible homeowners a no-cost home energy assessment. We’re a participating Mass Save home performance contractor, which is how we can do them across Cape Cod, the South Shore and the South Coast.
Now for the fine print, because there is some. Mass Save is sponsored by Massachusetts gas and electric utilities and energy efficiency providers, and program requirements and restrictions apply. Most homeowners and plenty of renters qualify, but confirm that when you schedule. Finding out at the door is no fun. Offers and incentives also change, so check current details at MassSave.com/HEA or give us a call.
And if you don’t qualify for a program, or you want a different kind of evaluation, independent energy audits generally carry a fee. It varies with the size of your home and how much testing is involved, so get a firm quote up front.
Which means the real cost of a program assessment is mostly your time. The visit is the start of a plan, not a sales commitment, and knowing exactly where your house loses energy is worth a lot.
What Happens During the Visit
People like to know what they’re signing up for before they book. Our What to Expect page walks through the process, but here’s the general idea.
The technician walks the house inside and out. Attic, walls, basement or crawl space how much insulation is actually there? Doors and windows get a draft check. Then comes the sneaky stuff, the spots where air likes to escape, like around pipes and wiring, the rim joists, and the attic hatch.
Then comes testing. A visual check only gets you so far, so technicians use diagnostic methods to find air leaks and heat loss you can’t see with your own eyes. That way the recommendations come from evidence, not hunches.
Your heating and cooling equipment is part of the picture too. Our HVAC system assessment looks at how the system is performing and how to get the most out of it, including whether leaky or underperforming ducts are wasting conditioned air.
There’s a safety side, too. A good assessment looks at the health and safety factors tied to how your house breathes, because tightening a home should never cost you air quality or safe combustion. That’s one reason trained, experienced technicians matter.
Afterward you’ll know what makes the most sense for your house. Maybe air sealing. Maybe insulation, duct sealing, a thermostat upgrade or new equipment. Maybe a couple of those. What you do, and when, is up to you.
Where the Savings Actually Come From
The assessment itself doesn’t save a dime. The fixes do, and it’s usually the same handful over and over.
Air sealing and weatherization usually comes first. Close up the gaps that let your heated and cooled air walk out the door and the comfort difference is often something you can feel. Older Cape Cod houses have plenty of them. Insulation works alongside it, warm house in winter, cool in summer, and you can go traditional or look at spray foam insulation, which seals small gaps while it insulates.
Leaky ducts mean you’re paying to condition air that never reaches a room. Aerosealing ductwork fixes that from the inside, even in spots nobody can reach. A better thermostat is the small one it keeps you from heating and cooling when nobody needs it. New equipment is the big decision, and it comes last. Get the house itself in good shape first, then you can size and choose heating and cooling equipment with confidence.
Why that order? Seal and insulate first and the house needs less heating and cooling, which can change what equipment you end up buying. Do it backwards and you may pay for a bigger system than you needed.
Incentives and Financing
The assessment may be free, but what about the work it recommends? Massachusetts has a few programs that can help.
Eligible insulation and air sealing work can qualify for Mass Save® incentives. Amounts and rules vary and change from time to time, so get current details. Mass Save also has HEAT Loan financing that can spread out the cost of qualifying energy upgrades, and our Heat Loans and Rebates page explains how it works.
Applying for incentives can feel like a chore. As a participating contractor, we help with the paperwork so you can focus on the results. One customer recently called the experience easy and said our team takes care of all the paperwork.
One more thing worth knowing. Under the program, incentives and quality assurance come from the Mass Save sponsors and lead vendors, while the home performance contractor is responsible for the work performed and its warranties.
So, Worth It?
Yes. Especially when it costs little or nothing.
You get clarity, for starters, because you’ll know exactly where the house is losing energy. You also get priorities, so you don’t spend money on upgrades that miss your biggest problems. Those drafty rooms, the cold floors, the bedroom that’s never the right temperature targeted fixes often calm all of it down. Sealing and insulating properly also cuts down on the dust, moisture and outdoor pollutants coming in. And less energy used means more money in your pocket and a smaller carbon footprint.
Landlords and owners of rental properties can get something out of it too. Less wasted energy makes a property more comfortable and more attractive to tenants.
Why People Call Us
High Efficiency Energy Solutions is a home performance contractor serving Cape Cod, the South Shore and the South Coast. Our technicians look at the whole house, and since no two homes are alike, our recommendations are matched to your property and your goals. We know what the weather around here does to a house. And from that first assessment to the finished project (air sealing, insulation, duct sealing, HVAC guidance), it’s one call. We aim to beat your expectations from the first consultation through the final installation.
Book Your Assessment
Ready to find out where your house is losing energy and how much you could save? Contact us to schedule your assessment.
Call 774-205-2001, email Scheduler@highefficiencyenergysolutions.com, or visit our contact page. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at 378 Route 130, Sandwich, MA 02563. You can also learn more on our Energy Assessment page.
Eligibility requirements and restrictions apply, and Mass Save® offers are subject to change or cancellation.