6 Ways to Get Value From a Home Energy Assessment

1. What a standard assessment is

A surveyor records construction type, insulation, heating, glazing and controls, largely by visual inspection and assumption.

The result is a rating and a list of recommended improvements with indicative costs and savings.

It is a standardised model rather than a measurement of your actual consumption.

2. Reading it critically

Assumptions are made where evidence is not visible — wall construction, insulation presence, cavity fill — and defaults are conservative.

Providing evidence of work already done can change the rating substantially, so keep certificates and photographs from previous improvements.

Savings figures are modelled on standard occupancy, not on how you actually live.

3. Prioritising the recommendations

Cheap measures with fast payback come first: draughtproofing, loft top-up, hot water cylinder insulation, controls.

Expensive measures need weighing carefully: solid wall insulation, glazing replacement, heating system change.

A recommendation appearing on the list does not mean it suits your building, particularly for older or solid-wall properties where moisture behaviour matters.

4. More detailed assessment

A retrofit assessment or thermal imaging survey costs more and identifies where heat is actually escaping in your specific house.

Thermal imaging is best done in cold weather with the heating on, and reveals missing insulation, thermal bridges and draughts.

For anything expensive, this is worth doing before committing.

5. Grants and schemes

Support for insulation and heating exists in many areas, with eligibility based on income, benefits, property type or rating.

Some schemes require an assessment and approved installers, so check the requirements before starting work.

Schemes change frequently; check current provision rather than what was available previously.

6. Measuring the effect

Compare annual consumption before and after rather than month to month, since weather dominates short-term variation.

Keep a simple record; it is the only way to know whether the money achieved anything.

Final Thoughts

An assessment is a standardised model rather than a measurement of your house. Do the cheap measures first, and get a more detailed survey before committing to anything expensive.