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A Home Energy Score is the U.S. Department of Energy’s 1–10 rating of how efficiently a home uses energy. HVAC Inspections Los Angeles offers official Home Energy Score assessments through the statewide Home Energy Score California program, delivered by Matt Alba, a certified Home Energy Score Assessor. You get the score, a step-by-step upgrade plan, and an HVAC inspector’s read on what to fix first.
Key takeaways
- The score runs from 1 to 10. A 10 is expected to use less energy than 90% of U.S. homes; a 5 is about average; a 1 uses more than 85% of U.S. homes.
- It rates the house, not the household. Thermostat habits and family size are held constant so any two homes can be compared fairly.
- The assessment is an in-home walk-through of about 45 to 90 minutes.
- Eligible Southern California Edison and SoCalGas customers may get $250 off the cost of the score.
- Matt Alba is a certified Home Energy Score Assessor, and every score comes with an HVAC inspector’s read on what to fix first.
What is a Home Energy Score?
The Home Energy Score is a U.S. Department of Energy rating that estimates a home’s yearly energy use on a 1–10 scale, after accounting for local climate. The DOE compares it to a miles-per-gallon rating for a car: it describes what the home itself is built to use, not how one family drives it.
To keep the comparison fair, the scoring tool holds occupant behavior constant. That means two homes on the same street can be compared side by side, and a buyer can see how efficient a house is before moving in. Because the score reflects total energy use, a larger home can score lower than a smaller one even with efficient equipment.
| Score | What it means (DOE) | What we would usually look at first |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Uses more energy than most U.S. homes. A 1 uses more than 85% of them. | Attic insulation, air leaks, duct leakage, and the age and sizing of the heating and cooling system. |
| 4–6 | Around average. A 5 performs like a typical U.S. home. | The next best upgrade, often ducts or a heat pump, done in the right order. |
| 7–9 | Better than most homes. | Targeted upgrades: water heating, remaining leaks, controls. |
| 10 | Expected to use less energy than 90% of U.S. homes. | Keeping equipment maintained. A 10 can often still be improved. |
What you receive
Every assessment produces an official Home Energy Score Report generated by the DOE’s scoring tool. It includes:
- Your official 1–10 score, based on an in-home walk-through by a certified assessor.
- Estimated energy use, cost and greenhouse gas emissions for your home.
- A personalized upgrade pathway, starting with weatherization and building toward electrification, with the score your home could reach if the recommended improvements are made.
- Rebate and program information that may apply in your area.
- An HVAC inspector’s read on the results. The report can tell you that heating and cooling is costing you. We can tell you why, and whether the answer is a repair, a tune-up, duct work or a replacement.
Why get your score from an HVAC inspector?
Heating, cooling and ductwork are where most home-upgrade money goes, and where the costliest mistakes happen. In Los Angeles we regularly find oversized equipment, starved return air, ducts leaking into attics and garages, and new systems connected to old, undersized ductwork.
HVAC Inspections Los Angeles is a licensed HVAC contractor (CA C-20 #1075723) that already performs detailed escrow, insurance and forensic HVAC inspections across Los Angeles County. Matt Alba is NATE and NCI certified. So when your report recommends sealing ducts or moving to a heat pump, we can explain what that means for your house, what to do first, and what to skip.
If your score points to new heating or cooling equipment, we can size it properly with an ACCA Manual J load calculation instead of guessing from square footage.
Home Energy Score vs. HERS/ECC testing vs. an HVAC inspection
These three get confused often, and they answer different questions.
| Home Energy Score | HERS / ECC verification | HVAC inspection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | How efficient is this whole home, and what should I upgrade? | Does this installation meet California’s Title 24 energy code? | What condition is the heating and cooling system in, and is it safe? |
| Required? | Voluntary | Required for many permitted HVAC changes | Voluntary; common in escrow and for insurance |
| Who sets the standard | U.S. Department of Energy | California Energy Commission | Inspector’s own standard of practice |
| What you get | 1–10 score and upgrade roadmap | Pass/fail compliance record | Written findings with photos ($595 per system) |
When a Home Energy Score makes sense
- You are planning a remodel or upgrade and want to spend where it counts.
- You have comfort problems: hot upstairs rooms, drafts, uneven temperatures.
- You want lower heating and cooling bills.
- You are selling and want to show buyers how efficient the home is.
- You are buying and want to know what the home will need.
- You want to cut your home’s carbon footprint.
How it works
- Book your assessment. Call or email us. We check your utility bills first so you know whether the $250 discount applies.
- Home walk-through (about 45–90 minutes). We record roughly 50 details about the home: size and construction, attic and crawlspace insulation, windows, air sealing, ducts, and the heating, cooling and water-heating equipment.
- Get your score report. Your official score, upgrade pathway, and the funding programs that may apply.
- Plan your upgrades. We walk you through the recommendations and help you put them in the right order.
The standard assessment is visual and does not include diagnostic testing such as a blower door or duct leakage test. Where a home needs measured numbers, we can discuss adding testing.
Common recommendations
- Adding attic insulation and sealing air leaks
- Sealing leaky ductwork
- Moving to efficient heat-pump heating and cooling
- Switching to efficient electric appliances, such as a heat-pump water heater
Rebates for several of these upgrades change often. See our guide to LADWP heat pump rebates and our current rebates page.
Help with the cost: who may qualify for $250 off
The statewide Home Energy Score California program is funded by Pacific Gas and Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, SoCalGas and Southern California Edison, and utility ratepayers, under the California Public Utilities Commission. It is administered by the Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) with Earth Advantage.
Under the program, $250 per scored home is paid to the assessor and passed to the homeowner as an instant discount. To be eligible, the program lists:
- A single-family detached home or side-by-side duplex, and
- Service from PG&E, Southern California Edison, SoCalGas or SDG&E. Community Choice Aggregator customers still count.
Home Energy Score California brochure
The two-page Home Energy Score California brochure explains the 1–10 scale, the four steps to a score, what the report includes, and when a score is most useful, with our contact details to book.
Read our announcement: why we added Home Energy Score assessments.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Home Energy Score assessment take?
Most walk-throughs take 45 to 90 minutes, including the attic, any crawlspace and the exterior.
Is this the same as a home inspection or an HVAC inspection?
No. A Home Energy Score rates the energy efficiency of the whole home on a standard national scale. Our HVAC inspection goes deeper into the condition and safety of the heating and cooling equipment. Many clients want both, and we can do them in the same visit.
Is a Home Energy Score the same as a HERS rating?
No. HERS/ECC verification is California Energy Commission testing that confirms an installation meets Title 24 energy code, usually after a permitted HVAC change. A Home Energy Score is a voluntary DOE efficiency rating with an upgrade plan.
Do I qualify for the $250 in Los Angeles?
You may if your home is a single-family detached house or side-by-side duplex and you are a customer of Southern California Edison, SoCalGas, PG&E or SDG&E. Many LADWP-electric homes still qualify through SoCalGas gas service. We confirm eligibility before booking.
Will a low score hurt my home’s value?
A score is a starting point, not a grade. It shows where the home stands today and the score it could reach with the recommended upgrades, which is useful for owners, buyers and sellers.
Do I need to be home?
Someone needs to give access to the attic, equipment and living areas during the walk-through.
Can condos and townhomes get a score?
The DOE scores single-family homes, townhouses and duplexes, not multifamily buildings or mobile homes. The California $250 incentive is limited to single-family detached homes and side-by-side duplexes.
Which areas will you serve?
Los Angeles County, with the South Bay as our home base in Hermosa Beach, and Ventura County.
Book your Home Energy Score
Get your official score, your upgrade roadmap, and an HVAC inspector’s advice on what to do first. We confirm your $250 eligibility before we book.
HVAC Inspections Los Angeles · Matt Alba · 1105 6th St, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 · (310) 465-3822 · matt@hvacinspectionslosangeles.com · CA License #1075723
Home Energy Score® is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy. Learn about the statewide program at HomeScoreCA.org and the national score at the DOE Home Energy Score site. Incentive terms are set by the program and may change.
