Frequently Asked Questions

The fee for an assessment with a standard report is $550, regardless of the home's square footage. If your property is in a BayREN rebate-eligible area (excluding Berkeley and Palo Alto), the net cost is $300 after applying the $250 BayREN rebate.

We service single-family homes and side-by-side duplexes. We are not able to perform assessments for multi-unit dwellings.

A standard HES report is typically completed and approved within 3–4 business days after the on-site visit. City-mandated reports — such as Berkeley BESO or Piedmont Pre-Sale HES — can sometimes be delivered sooner, within 1–3 business days.

You can schedule a convenient time directly using the Schedule an Inspection button at the bottom of this page. Booking is handled through Google Calendar — no account required.

The assessment evaluates your home's energy efficiency based on U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) standards. Key items include:

• Building envelope dimensions, ceiling heights, and all windows
• Insulation levels in the attic and crawlspace
• Photographs of the exterior, interior, foundation, HVAC, water heater, electrical panel, major appliances, and any existing solar PV system

The on-site assessment usually takes less than 2 hours to complete.

The official DOE report includes your current energy cost and score, plus estimated costs and scores if you were to perform Weatherization Upgrades (insulation and air sealing) and Full Home Electrification. In addition to the official report, we provide a separate document with more detailed recommendations and analysis — because the standard report has space limitations.

Please ensure clear access to:

• Attic and crawlspace access points (hatches)
• The floor space directly beneath the attic hatch
• The water heater, heating system, and major appliances

We ask clients to fill out a brief questionnaire before the assessment to help us better understand your concerns. Sharing your PG&E login or providing a download of the last 12 months of utility data is also helpful for understanding your energy cost situation.

We do not provide these tests directly, but we can refer you to external specialists if you'd like them performed.

A Blower Door Test measures total air leakage but does not pinpoint specific leak locations. For older homes, the HES simulation software's default assumptions for air leakage are generally quite accurate.

These tests are most valuable after a retrofit project to verify the quality of the work. However, if you suspect a specific major air leak — such as a severe draft — we recommend asking the assessor to use a smoke pencil to visually identify it during the visit.

Yes — we offer 4D ThermoScan, a specialized diagnostic service using a 360-degree automated infrared scanner called eneye. It identifies thermal anomalies in rooms that feel uncomfortable, pinpointing insulation gaps, air leaks, and moisture issues room by room.

This service has been offered in beta, with the cost covered by the BayREN rebate — meaning no additional charge to the client during that program period. Learn more about 4D ThermoScan →