A lot of homeowners put it off. Here’s why they shouldn’t.
‘Home energy audit’ sounds like something that involves clipboards, complicated equipment, and a bill at the end.
In practice, it’s usually one of the least stressful home appointments you’ll ever schedule. And for homeowners dealing with high bills, cold rooms, or aging equipment, it’s often the single conversation that changes everything.
Here’s exactly what to expect.
What a home energy audit actually is
A home energy audit is a professional assessment of how your home uses and loses energy.
The goal isn’t to sell you anything. It’s to understand your home: where heat is escaping, whether your equipment is performing the way it should, and what upgrades would actually make a difference.
At Great Lakes Weatherization, the audit also serves as the first step in determining what programs may be available to help cover the cost of improvements.
What we look at
Every home is different, but a typical assessment covers:
- Attic insulation levels and air sealing at the ceiling plane
- Basement and crawlspace conditions, including rim joist insulation
- Heating and cooling equipment , age, condition, and performance
- Ductwork , whether heated air is actually reaching the rooms it should
- Windows, doors, and exterior penetrations
- Ventilation , moisture issues, bathroom fans, kitchen exhaust
- Any comfort complaints you’ve noticed , rooms that are always cold, floors that feel drafty, bills that don’t make sense
What the visit looks like
Most assessments take between 90 minutes and three hours, depending on the size and age of the home.
We start with a short conversation about what you’ve noticed , which rooms bother you, whether your bills have changed, how old your equipment is. This tells us where to focus.
From there, we walk the home. We’ll look at the attic, the basement or crawlspace, the mechanical room, and the main living areas. We may use diagnostic tools to identify hidden air leaks and test how well your ductwork is actually delivering heat.
We’re not there to find things to fix for the sake of it. We’re looking for what would actually improve your home.
What you need to do to prepare
Very little. A few things that help:
- Make sure an adult is home for the full visit
- Clear access to the attic hatch, basement, and utility equipment
- Pull up a recent utility bill if you have one handy
- Jot down any comfort issues you want to mention , cold rooms, drafts, areas that never feel right
What happens after the audit
After we’ve seen the home, we walk you through what we found. We’ll explain what’s causing the problems you’ve noticed, what improvements would make the biggest difference, and which programs may help cover the cost.
There’s no pressure to commit to anything. The audit gives you information , what you do with it is up to you.
For homeowners who want to move forward, we handle the program applications, coordinate the work, and see the project through from start to finish.
Where we work
- Grand Rapids and West Michigan
- Holland and the Lakeshore
- Marquette and the Upper Peninsula
- Metro Detroit
- Many additional Michigan communities
The audit is where everything starts.
If your home is uncomfortable, expensive to heat, or you just want to know what’s actually going on , this is the right first step.