Home energy audit and weatherization assistance
The U.S. Department of Energy says its Weatherization Assistance Program provides weatherization services to approximately 32,000 homes every year using DOE funds, and that the households save on average $372 or more every year, according to a national evaluation. Since 1976 it has helped more than 7.2 million families.
What an audit is
An energy audit is a look at how a home uses energy and which fixes pay back. The most exact definition we can cite is the one DOE writes into its weatherization rule, 10 CFR Part 440, which every state program must follow.
The rule is built around money. Section 440.21(d) says each material or package installed must be cost-effective, meaning it must “result in energy cost savings over the lifetime of the measure(s), discounted to present value, that equal or exceed the cost of materials, installation, and on-site supervisory personnel”. The audit must then rank the measures with the most cost-effective first.
| What the audit procedure must do | Wording in the rule, shortened |
|---|---|
| Compute the cost of fuel saved per year | Uses the climate data of the area, with a base temperature for heating or cooling degree days that matches when equipment must run |
| Find existing energy use | From actual energy bills or by generally accepted engineering calculations |
| Address heating and cooling needs | Significant needs must be covered |
| Use advanced diagnostics where DOE allows | Techniques DOE has found consistent with sound engineering practice |
| Identify health and safety hazards | Hazards to be abated under the state's DOE-approved procedures |
| Treat the home as a whole system | Look at the heating and cooling system, the air exchange system, and the occupants' living habits and needs |
| Fit the dwelling type | Approval for each major type: single-family, multi-family and mobile homes |
| Rank the measures | Highest cost-effectiveness first, after adjusting for interaction between measures |
Source: 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.21(e) and (f), retrieved 2026-10-02. Retrieved 2026-10-02. CSV, 8 rows.
Two more details. Each home must get a new audit that takes account of any earlier energy improvements. And a state must send its audit procedures to DOE for approval every five years.
What weatherization covers
Weatherization is the work done on the home under the program. The rule lists the materials that may be bought with program money in its appendix A, which we did not read: no data on that list. The DOE page puts the goal in one line: the program “reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensuring their health and safety”.
The rule has a low-cost list for small jobs. Section 440.20 names inexpensive materials such as water flow controllers, furnace or cooling filters, weatherstripping, caulking, glass patching and insulation for plugging leaks. A maximum of 10 percent of a subgrantee's allocation, and not more than $50 in materials per home, may go to these low-cost jobs unless DOE approves more.
The rule also sets a spending limit. Section 440.18 says the average spent on labor, materials and related items must not exceed $6,500 per home weatherized in the state, and $3,000 per home for a renewable energy system, and that DOE adjusts both every year. The $6,500 is the figure as written in the rule; the current limit is higher, and we do not have it: no data.
Who can get it
Section 440.22 gives three routes. A home is eligible if the household income is at or below 200 percent of the poverty level; or a household member received cash assistance under Title IV or XVI of the Social Security Act, or state or local law, in the 12 months before the decision; or, if the state chooses, the household qualifies for LIHEAP at a level of at least 200 percent of the poverty level.
Section 440.16 says each program must give priority to the elderly, persons with disabilities, families with children, high residential energy users, and households with a high energy burden. See energy burden explained for the last one.
Renters can qualify. A subgrantee may weatherize a building with rental units where the owner gives written permission and at least 66 percent of the units (50 percent for duplexes and four-unit buildings) are eligible or will become so within 180 days. The rule also has tenant protections on rent increases after the work.
How states carry it out
DOE funds the work through states. The HHS LIHEAP Clearinghouse also reports weatherization paid with LIHEAP money. In the fiscal 2024 snapshots, 47 states reported 49,705 households with LIHEAP-funded weatherization. Massachusetts had the most at 7,386. These numbers are separate from the DOE program counts.
| State | Households with LIHEAP-funded weatherization, FY2024 | Weatherization income limit listed, % of poverty level (FY2022 survey) |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 7,386 | 297 |
| New York | 6,368 | 238 |
| California | 4,808 | 223 |
| Ohio | 4,023 | 209 |
| Illinois | 2,984 | 200 |
| Wisconsin | 2,439 | No data |
| Minnesota | 2,346 | No data |
| Michigan | 1,280 | 209 |
| Alabama | 983 | 200 |
| Iowa | 977 | 200 |
Source: HHS ACF LIHEAP Clearinghouse state snapshots (households FY2024) and the FY2022 state survey (income level, four-person household), via data/help_state.json. These are LIHEAP-funded weatherization counts, not the DOE program. The ten largest states. Retrieved 2026-10-02. CSV, 51 rows.
The income limit column is what each state told HHS in the FY2022 survey, as a percent of the poverty level for a household of four. Some values are above 200, and the survey summary does not say why: no data on the basis. Check your own state’s page: see the help pages, for example Massachusetts help page or New York help page. DOE also runs a How to Apply page: energy.gov/cmei/scep/wap/how-apply-weatherization-assistance.
An audit you can do first, our scenario
ENERGY STAR says sealing air leaks around the home and adding insulation can help provide “up to a 10% savings on your annual energy bills”. It lists simple fixes such as weather stripping on doors and caulking around windows, and bigger jobs such as sealing leaks and adding insulation in the attic. That is a ceiling from ENERGY STAR, not a promise for your house.
Assumptions (our scenario): a home with the U.S. average use of 863 kWh a month at 17.30 cents has an energy-only bill of about $1,792 a year. Ten percent of that is $179. We use it only to show the scale of an “up to” claim for electricity. Homes that heat with gas or oil have other bills, and DOE’s $372 is a separate number for low-income households, so the two should not be compared.
The DOE rule lets an audit take existing energy use from actual energy bills, and you can start there too. Pull 12 months of bills, note your kWh, and compare with the state average below.
| State | Average kWh per home per month | Home price 2025, cents per kWh | Typical monthly bill, energy only |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 1,202 | 12.57 | $151 |
| Mississippi | 1,156 | 14.03 | $162 |
| Tennessee | 1,154 | 13.18 | $152 |
| Alabama | 1,143 | 16.10 | $184 |
| Florida | 1,104 | 15.24 | $168 |
| Texas | 1,096 | 15.47 | $170 |
| Maine | 550 | 27.78 | $153 |
| California | 503 | 32.54 | $164 |
| Hawaii | 495 | 40.59 | $201 |
Source: EIA retail sales: average annual sales over customers, divided by 12 (the latest year in the file), and the 2025 price. The six highest and three lowest states. Use it as a yardstick for your own bill, not as a target. Retrieved 2026-10-02. CSV, 51 rows.
The table gives state averages as a yardstick. If your use is well above your state’s, look at heating, cooling and water heating first. The seasonal bills guide shows when use peaks, and the heat pump vs gas guide compares fuels. Cooling load is covered in heat waves and air conditioning costs.
Where to look next
If you pay too much of your income for energy, start with the burden ranking and the help pages by state. For equipment and incentives, see the incentives page, the heating page and the appliance cost pages. For the other half of the meter, see demand response.
What this page cannot tell you
We have no data on how many households apply, how long the wait is, or what a given state spends per home today. The $372 and 32,000 figures are DOE’s, from a page published on 2024-11-26 that we read on 2026-10-02. The rule text is the eCFR current version on that date, and rules change. For your home, ask your state weatherization office or an auditor, not this page.
Key facts and where they come from
| Fact | Value | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes weatherized a year with DOE funds | Approximately 32,000 | DOE Weatherization Assistance Program page, energy.gov/scep/wap (published 2024-11-26) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Average yearly savings per household, national evaluation | $372 or more | DOE Weatherization Assistance Program page, energy.gov/scep/wap (published 2024-11-26) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Families helped since 1976 | More than 7.2 million | DOE Weatherization Assistance Program page, energy.gov/scep/wap (published 2024-11-26) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Jobs supported | 8,500 | DOE Weatherization Assistance Program page, energy.gov/scep/wap (published 2024-11-26) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Income test for eligibility | At or below 200 percent of the poverty level | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.22(a) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Base average spending limit per home | $6,500, adjusted yearly by DOE | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.18(a) and (c) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Average limit for a renewable energy system | $3,000 per home, adjusted yearly | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.18(b) and (c) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Low-cost jobs cap | 10 percent of allocation, not over $50 in materials per home | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.20(b) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Share of rental units that must be eligible | 66 percent (50 percent for duplexes and four-unit buildings) | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.22(b) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Audit procedures re-approved by DOE | Every five years | 10 CFR Part 440, Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons, ecfr.gov, Sec. 440.21(i) | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| Savings claim for air sealing and insulation | Up to 10% on annual energy bills | ENERGY STAR, Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR, energystar.gov | retrieved 2026-10-02 |
| States with LIHEAP-funded weatherization households, FY2024 | 47 | HHS LIHEAP Clearinghouse state snapshots, via data/help_state.json | FY2024 |
| Households with LIHEAP-funded weatherization, FY2024 | 49,705 | HHS LIHEAP Clearinghouse state snapshots, via data/help_state.json | FY2024 |
| U.S. average home price | 17.30 cents per kWh | EIA retail sales, 2025 | 2025 annual |
Related guides
Questions
What is the Weatherization Assistance Program?
A DOE program that reduces energy costs for low-income households by improving the energy efficiency of their homes while ensuring health and safety. It serves approximately 32,000 homes a year with DOE funds.
How much do households save?
DOE says households save on average $372 or more every year, according to a national evaluation of the program.
Who is eligible?
Households at or below 200 percent of the poverty level, or with a member who got certain cash assistance in the past 12 months, or, if the state chooses, who qualify for LIHEAP at a level of at least 200 percent (10 CFR 440.22).
Can renters get it?
Yes, in some cases. The owner must give written permission and at least 66 percent of units (50 percent for duplexes and four-unit buildings) must be eligible or become so within 180 days.
Does a measure have to pay for itself?
Under the DOE rule, each measure must save energy cost over its lifetime, discounted to present value, that equals or exceeds its cost (10 CFR 440.21(d)).
What does ENERGY STAR say about air sealing?
That sealing air leaks and adding insulation can provide up to a 10% savings on annual energy bills. On the U.S. average bill in our scenario, that is at most $179 a year.
Is there a cap on spending per home?
The rule says an average of $6,500 per home in the state, adjusted yearly by DOE, and $3,000 for a renewable energy system. The current adjusted figure is not on the pages we read.
Where do I apply?
Through your state weatherization office or local agency; DOE has a How to Apply page. Our state help pages list LIHEAP contacts, and 47 states reported LIHEAP-funded weatherization in fiscal 2024.