Maryland Home Energy Audit: What to Expect, and Which One to Book First

Published October 27, 2026 · Maryland Energy Rebates guides · Program details change; check current terms with your utility.

A home energy audit is the step most Maryland rebate programs quietly depend on. Whole-home incentives, many heating upgrades and the income-eligible programs all start with someone looking at the house first. The confusing part is that your utility offers two things that both get called an "audit": a short walk-through at no extra cost, and a full diagnostic assessment with a participating contractor. Here is how each works, so you book the right one.

The two kinds of home energy audit in Maryland

Under EmPOWER Maryland, the state's largest utilities run efficiency programs that include free or discounted energy audits, weatherization and efficient appliances. For most households that means two options:

• Quick Home Energy Check-up (QHEC). A visual walk-through of about an hour by a utility-authorized contractor, with a few energy-saving products installed on the spot and a short report afterwards. BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power offer it at no additional cost to residential customers, once every five years per address.
• Home Performance with ENERGY STAR assessment. A longer, instrument-based audit by a participating contractor, ending in a detailed report that lists improvements and the incentives you may qualify for. This is the audit that unlocks the whole-home insulation and air-sealing programs.

Never had either? Start with the check-up. Already decided on insulation, air sealing or a heating upgrade with a program incentive? Go straight to the Home Performance assessment, because those programs generally require it before the work.

What happens at a Quick Home Energy Check-up

The three utilities describe the visit almost identically on BGE's, Pepco's and Delmarva Power's program pages:

• A walk-through of about an hour. The energy analyst checks insulation levels, air leakage, the heating and cooling system, windows and doors, lighting and appliances, and the water heater. You walk with them, so bring your questions.
• Products installed while they are there. With your permission, the analyst may fit LED bulbs, faucet aerators, efficient-flow showerheads, water-heater pipe insulation, door sweeps and weatherstripping, smart power strips and, in some homes, a smart thermostat (not every home qualifies; the analyst decides on site).
• A report afterwards. You receive a written report, by email or post, with recommendations for cutting energy use. It doubles as a shopping list for the bigger programs.

Pepco and Delmarva Power also offer a virtual check-up by phone or video, which suits renters. Only contractors on the utility's authorized list can perform the check-up, so if someone knocks offering a "free utility audit", check that list first.

A timing note for 2026

BGE's page currently says the last day to receive a check-up in 2026 is November 30, with appointments requested by November 6, while it awaits a decision from the Maryland Public Service Commission on extending its programs into 2027. Pepco and Delmarva Power post their own cut-off dates. If you want this year's visit, request it early and check current terms with your utility.

What happens at a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR assessment

This is the audit people picture: a contractor with equipment, not just a clipboard. The ENERGY STAR home performance assessment page lists five parts: an interview about comfort problems and how you live in the house, a review of past energy bills as a benchmark, a visual evaluation of the envelope and mechanical systems, safety checks with diagnostic testing, and a prioritized list of improvements.

In Maryland the utilities run it through participating contractors. Pepco's Home Energy Assessment page says the visit may include:

• An air-leakage test of the whole house, usually with a blower door fitted to an exterior doorway.
• Infrared camera images showing where insulation is missing or thin.
• Safety testing for carbon monoxide and natural-gas leaks.
• A ventilation check, because sealing a house tighter without enough fresh air can cause moisture and indoor-air problems.
• A detailed report with recommended improvements, estimated energy savings and the incentives available for eligible measures.

BGE's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program works the same way: pick a participating contractor, schedule the audit, and the report shows which improvements may qualify for incentives. BGE charges a fee for this audit and notes that income-qualified households may get it at no additional cost; the current fee and terms are on BGE's page.

Who may qualify

Pepco's rules are a good template, though check your own utility's page. The assessment is for Maryland residential customers with an active account, in a single-family home, townhouse, row home or a building of one to four units that is a primary residence. Tenants can take part with the landlord's written permission. You must use a participating contractor, and the offer applies whichever electricity supplier you use, because the program follows the delivery utility on your bill. See our How to Qualify page.

If your income is limited

Income-eligible households do not have to choose. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development runs the EmPOWER limited-income energy efficiency program, which starts with an energy assessment and can cover improvements such as insulation, lighting and water-heater measures with no out-of-pocket cost for households within the income limits. Check current terms with your utility and with DHCD, as the limits are updated.

How to prepare, and what to do with the report

• Have the last 12 months of bills or your online account ready, and clear access to the attic hatch, basement or crawl space, water heater and furnace.
• Write down the rooms that are too hot, too cold or drafty, and when. The interview is where the auditor learns what to test.
• Ask whether the assessment is required before any work you are planning, and get the answer in writing. Many incentives are lost by doing the work first; our How to Apply page explains the order of operations.

Read the report in this order: safety items first, then air sealing and insulation, which ENERGY STAR treats as the foundation for every later upgrade, and only then equipment such as a heat pump. Note which incentives need a participating contractor or have a deadline, and confirm them on your utility's program page before signing a contract. Our insulation and heat pump pages explain the common measures, and the Utility Programs page links to each utility's current offers.

Frequently asked questions

Is a home energy audit free in Maryland?

The Quick Home Energy Check-up is offered at no additional cost to residential customers of BGE, Pepco and Delmarva Power, because EmPOWER programs are already funded through a charge on your bill. The fuller Home Performance assessment may carry a fee depending on the utility and your income; check the program page for current terms.

Do I need an audit before I can get a rebate?

It depends on the program. Whole-home programs normally require the assessment first and a participating contractor for the work; some equipment incentives and marketplace discounts do not. Confirm with your utility before buying anything, and keep the report and every invoice together.