Home Energy Spotlight: How home energy audits help lower your monthly bills

To save energy and money at home, experts recommend starting with weatherization improvements like adding insulation, and sealing places where air can enter and escape. After weatherizing, the best next step in your energy-saving journey is to schedule a professional home energy audit. Fortunately, Energy Trust incentives and new federal tax credits are available to make these audits possible and offset the costs for those eligible.

A home energy audit is essentially a checkup for your house. An energy auditor or assessor will inspect your home room by room with specialized tools that monitor temperatures and moisture. Ultimately, this gives you a look at how well your home uses energy and where it’s being wasted.

During the inspection, the auditor will:

• Examine your home’s heating and cooling systems while looking for any inefficiencies

• Check for gaps or other problems in the ductwork

• Review the number and locations of air registers and monitor the temperature in every room

• Check the amount and quality of insulation in your home’s attic and walls

• Look for any potential air leaks near outlets, fixtures, doors, windows and fireplaces

• Assess windows and doors for excess condensation

• Check indoor air quality

• Inspect your thermostat

The auditor will also examine your monthly energy bills over the last year and use that data in a detailed report on the characteristics of your home and what steps you can take to lower energy use.

There are incentives available through Energy Trust of Oregon for many of the common recommendations made in home energy audits. Those eligible for incentives are customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista. Incentives are available for:

• Heating and cooling

• New windows

• Smart thermostats

• Upgrading Insulation

• Upgrading to a more efficient water heater

These cash incentives can also be combined with new home energy federal tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act. Depending on the upgrades you make, you may be eligible for thousands of dollars in tax credits per year.

You can also receive a $150 tax credit to offset the cost of qualifying home energy audits. To qualify for this tax credit, you must use a certified home energy auditor. You can find a certified auditor through Energy Trust’s Trade Ally Network, which includes contractors around Oregon and Southwest Washington who can do your home’s energy audit and help you take full advantage of Energy Trust’s incentives.

About Energy Trust of Oregon

Energy Trust of Oregon is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping communities thrive through clean, affordable energy for all. We offer services and cash incentives to help more than 2 million customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural, Cascade Natural Gas and Avista in Oregon and Southwest Washington save energy and generate clean power. Together, we are advancing a clean energy future that builds resilience, promotes equity and supports economic vitality. Learn more at energytrust.org/residential/incentives