Home Energy Upgrade Priority Calculator
Not sure what to tackle first? Answer a few questions about your home's energy use, comfort, and goals to get a prioritized list of areas to investigate.
Approximate monthly electricity bill
Are cooling costs a concern?
Uneven room temperatures or poor comfort?
Suspected air leakage or insufficient insulation?
HVAC age (if known)
Recent HVAC maintenance?
Roof condition
Are you interested in solar?
Main goal
A few minutes to your answer
- 1
Answer home questions
Tell us about your bills, comfort, HVAC, insulation, and goals.
- 2
Get priorities
We'll suggest 2–3 areas to investigate first, based on your answers.
- 3
Review questions
See what questions to ask a qualified professional for each area.
- 4
Explore tools
Link to the most relevant calculators or request a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
What Should You Upgrade First in Your Florida Home?
In Florida's hot-humid climate, the priority order is air sealing first, then attic insulation, then HVAC right-sizing, then solar. This sequence matters because Florida homes lose cooling through air leaks and underperforming attics before equipment efficiency becomes the bottleneck. Fixing the envelope first reduces the load your HVAC and solar system must handle.
The Florida Energy Upgrade Decision Tree
Use this logic to prioritize your upgrades:
| If This Describes Your Home | Do This First | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Built before 2000, no wall insulation, leaky windows | Air sealing + attic insulation | Envelope losses drive 20–35% of energy waste; fix before equipment |
| HVAC over 12 years old, bill over $200 | HVAC replacement (right-sized) | Old units waste 10–25%; but right-size AFTER envelope fixes |
| Home under 10 years, well-insulated, bill still high | Solar | Envelope is already efficient; solar offsets remaining load |
| Any age, ducts in hot attic, uneven room temps | Duct sealing first | Florida attic ducts can reach 130°F; leaks dump money into attic |
| Planning solar but roof is 12+ years old | Roof replacement first | Replacing roof after solar costs $3,000–$6,000 in detach/reinstall |
Critical Note: Doing solar before fixing your envelope means you'll need a larger, more expensive system to offset the same load. Fix the leaks and insulation first, then size solar to what's left.
Why Florida's Priorities Differ from National Advice
Most energy efficiency advice assumes a cold-climate home where heating dominates. In Florida's Climate Zone 2, cooling and dehumidification dominate your bill year-round. This changes the ranking:
- Windows matter for Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), not insulation value. Look for SHGC ≤ 0.25, not high R-value.
- Attic radiant barriers outperform wall insulation in Florida's cooling-dominated climate.
- Duct location is critical. Ducts in vented attics lose efficiency year-round.
- Heat pump water heaters excel because they cool and dehumidify while heating water.
What Changed in 2026: Federal Credits Ended
Critical update: The Section 25C Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Section 25D Residential Clean Energy Credit were terminated for expenditures after December 31, 2025.
This means:
- No federal credit for HVAC, insulation, or windows installed in 2026+
- No federal credit for solar or batteries installed in 2026+
- Florida's HEAR and HOMES rebate programs may launch in 2027 for income-qualified households
Planning implication: Prioritize upgrades with the strongest standalone payback (air sealing, duct sealing, attic insulation) since they no longer benefit from federal credits.
Learn More About Each Upgrade
Related Tools
Fix Your Envelope First, Then Size Solar
Fix your envelope first, then size solar. Air sealing, insulation, and duct sealing reduce your cooling load — which means you can install a smaller, cheaper solar system.