Prudential Connecticut Realty – one of the largest real estate firms in Connecticut – and Victory Energy Solutions are expanding their recently announced home energy audit program into Massachusetts.

An energy audit uses several techniques to determine how a home uses and loses heat and power, to discover areas where improvements can be made. Technicians make some fixes straightaway – replacing light bulbs and the like – and also estimate the savings generated by bigger jobs, like replacing old water heaters, for which subsidies are often available. 

One of the reasons for expanding the program was that the available subsidies and grants in Massachusetts are far more extensive than in neighboring Connecticut, said Jeff Spiegel, marketing director for Prudential Connecticut Realty. In Connecticut, the audits cost $75. In Massachusetts, the audits are free to the homeowner through a state program called "Mass Saves."

"Mass Saves will pay for up to eight hours of air sealing in the home, and up to 75 percent of the installation costs for new insulation, up to $2,000," Spiegel said. Homeowners can also get zero percent interest loans to make more substantial improvements, such as replacing outdated HVAC equipment with more energy efficient appliances.

Raquel Kennedy, principal for Victory, said partnering with a real estate company to promote the audits was a natural fit.

"Number one, it makes the home much more marketable," Kennedy said, explaining that the savings can amount to several hundred dollars a year off energy bills. "It’s important for homeowners to look at this as way of life." 

Homeowners wishing to have an audit done can arrange for one through a hotline sponsored by Prudential Connecticut Realty. The firm has no offices in Massachusetts, but does have several near the border between the two states and sells homes in the commonwealth. The program will cover the entire state of Massachusetts.