We recently posted about the importance and advantages of having properly installed and sufficient insulation in your home. It’s one aspect of home energy and overall efficiency that can’t be overstated. We discussed different areas in the home to focus on for insulation improvements and outlined some tips to keep in mind during the process. Fortunately, there are a number of rebate and incentive programs in our area right now that could make now the best time to improve your home’s insulation and overall efficiency.
As mentioned above, insulation is one of the best ways to increase the overall energy performance and rating of your home. Not only will a more efficient home cut down on those expensive monthly energy bills for heating and cooling your home, it can also help you put money instantly back into your pocket. One way this can happen is with a rebate from the Community Power Works program being offered to Seattle residents for projects quoted prior to August 1st and completed by September 15th. In partnership with the city of Seattle, this program offers rebate incentives to homeowners who are able to increase the efficiency of their homes through home improvements such as insulation upgrades.
The program is very simple—the more energy you save, the larger your rebate. An approved Community Power Works contractor, like BelRed, can help determine the best ways to help you improve your home’s overall Energy Performance Score (EPS) and, as a result, your total energy % savings for projects. A home EPS is a home’s equivalent of miles-per-gallon ratings on cars. Once the energy percentage savings for a home improvement project is calculated, a rebate for specific projects will be put into effect. Here’s how the savings break out for the Community Power Works program:
· Energy savings of 10-14% — $200 rebate
· Energy savings of 15-20% — $950 rebate
· Energy savings of 21-30% — $1,500 rebate
· Energy savings of 30+% — $1,900 rebate
The savings for insulation home improvement projects don’t stop there. The Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD) is currently offering huge cash incentives for insulation projects. If contracted through a PUD registered contractors, such as BelRed, insulation projects can now result in savings of up to 50% up to a specific dollar amount in certain areas of the home. For example, PUD offers a 50% cash incentive on wall insulation projects up to $1,000, attic insulation up to $1,200 and floor insulation up to $1,800! This program also offers cash incentives on improved insulation in a home’s ductwork and overall heating systems. This program certainly makes this a great time to invest in new insulation if necessary in your home.
A third program is currently being offered in our area by Puget Sound Energy (PSE). Similar to the PUD program mentioned above, this program offers 50% instant rebates on insulation projects up to a $2,000 total. Also similar to the PUD program, the rebate program amount limits are broken out differently based on the area of the home in which the improvements are occurring. It’s important to note that this program is only eligible to residents who receive their natural gas or electricity through Puget Sound Energy.
Insulation is one of the easiest ways to increase comfort, conserve energy and save money for homeowners. Especially now, improvements to your home’s insulation can also save you some big bucks up front, not just in the long term. If you’re interested in learning ways to cut down you insulation improvement bills through rebates and incentives, don’t hesitate to reach out to us today before these great offers expire.
