Whether you’re committed to a living a greener lifestyle or just want to cut back on your monthly bills, a home energy audit is a great first step to take. An audit can help you identify areas in your home that are wasting energy, so you learn how and where to make improvements that will increase your home’s energy efficiency and put money back in your pocket. But, how much will it cost to get this valuable information? Here’s a look at the price of home energy audits:

Professional Audits

The cost of a professional home energy audit can range from $250 to $650, depending on the area you live in and the size of your home. Before you get an audit, talk to your electricity company to determine if they offer any rebates. A lot of companies will give customers up to $100 in exchange for completing a home energy audit.

After an audit is performed, you will receive a list of recommended upgrades that will increase your home’s energy efficiency. If you choose to make any of these upgrades, you may qualify for federal tax credits that will also reduce the overall cost of your efforts to live a greener life. For example, if you add insulation or install new energy efficient windows, you may receive up to 10% of the cost under the Residential Energy Efficient Tax Credit.

Your utility company may have offered to do a free energy audit for your home, but keep in mind these are not as thorough as actual home energy audits. Utility companies usually do not have the same equipment or dive as deep into your home’s issues, so you will not get the same results.

Do It Yourself

Instead of paying for a professional home energy audit, you always have the option of doing it on your own for free with the help of the HomeSelfe app. HomeSelfe will walk you through the home energy audit process room-by-room and prompt you with questions that will help determine how your home is using energy. Within just a few minutes, you will have a customized report that details where your home is wasting energy, how you can improve your home’s energy use, and what rebates are available to you in your area.

Don’t worry, the HomeSelfe app is easy to use for everybody, not just those who are knowledgeable about energy efficiency. As long as you can answer questions such as “Do you have a programmable thermostat?” you won’t have a problem completing your home energy audit.

Whether you choose to have it done professionally or do it yourself, there are a few things you should know. Before you begin, make a list of any problems you may have noticed in your home such as drafty temperatures or condensation on the windows. You should also gather all of your energy bills from within the last year so you know how they have varied from month to month. If possible, try to write down the ages of all of your major appliances, such as the refrigerator, washing machine, dryer, and water heater.

Once you have all of this information, you’re one step closer to a more energy efficient home!