At Renew Boston, we talk a lot about getting started with your weatherization by completing a no-cost home energy assessment. But what happens at an energy assessment? This post will give you a portrait of what a typical assessment might entail.
First of all, it’s important to note that Massachusetts residents living in or owning 1-4 unit buildings are eligible for a no-cost home energy assessment. Your income and location will determine who performs your assessment, and what rebates or services you are eligible for. For this post, however, we will be focusing on Boston residents specifically.
If you make 60% of the estimated state median income or less (qualifying for fuel assistance, SNAP benefits, section 8 housing, WIC, etc), your assessment and weatherization work would be performed through your local CAP agency. In Boston, call ABCD to get started at 617-348-6000. If you make above 60% of the estimated state median income, you may be eligible for MassSave® rebates, sponsored by your gas and electric utility or energy efficiency service provider. In Boston, that would be either National Grid or NSTAR. Renew Boston’s contractors work within the MassSave Home Energy Services program and can perform your energy assessment if you are in this category.
Although this post is designed to be helpful to owners, landlords, and renters of 1-4 unit buildings, the following description will focus on an assessment in a typical single-family home. If you live ina 2 to 4 unit building, note that Renew Boston’s Landlord-Tenant Coordinator, Meredith Geraghty, can help your building get through the process in a coordinated and efficient way, so the whole building can get the maximum benefits from weatherization (Meredith can be reached at 617-524-3950 x 128, or Meredith@renewboston.org). Also, check out Boston’s Whole Building Incentive.
Next Step Living is Renew Boston’s home performance contractor, and will perform your energy assessment
Whether you schedule your no-cost energy assessment with Renew Boston contractor Next Step Living, or through calling MassSave at 866-527-7283, your assessment will most likely be scheduled on a weekday between the hours of 8am and 6pm, but some Saturday appointments are available. On the day of your assessment, an Energy Advisor will visit your home.
The first thing your Energy Advisor will look for are any health & safety issues that would make it dangerous to weatherize your home. Think of your home like an envelope: if the Advisor is looking for ways to seal it up so the heat doesn’t escape, they will want to make sure that you won’t be sealing anything unhealthy or hazardous into the home along with the heat. The Energy Advisor will check your heating system for carbon monoxide leaks, will suggest you get a licensed electrician’s input if any wiring is “knob and tube” (an old type of wiring that is a fire hazard when insulating your home), and will check your home in general for ventilation, asbestos, and mold/mildew danger.
Checking heating system safety and efficiency
These are called “preweatherization issues” and the most common ones cost the homeowner $300-500 to mitigate, which is a modest price to pay when compared with the size of the potential insulation rebate (up to $2000) and the savings that weatherization typically generates on energy bills over time. If there are any pre-weatherization barriers at the time of the assessment, your advisor will follow-up with additional information on how to remediate those issues so that you can move forward.
Heating system upgrade rebates are available too!
If your home is clear of health & safety hazards, the Advisor will check your heating system’s efficiency to see if a heating system upgrade might save you a lot of money (typically, a good system is over 82% efficient, and the Advisor can tell you all about rebates to upgrade!). The Advisor will also look for opportunities to provide air sealing and insulation for the home. They may remove electrical sockets on the walls and prod the interior spaces with a wire or other device to check for insulation, or they may use an infrared camera, pictured here, to see where heat is escaping and air sealing and/or insulation is needed. Many people believe their windows are a problem, but in most cases the home would actually benefit more from insulation and air sealing around the windows. The Advisor will also check the attic and basement for insulation, because these are places where the bulk of heat escapes the home.
As your Advisor goes through your home, they may install applicable instant savings measures. Energy efficient CFL lightbulbs, shower and faucet aerators (which help you save water), and a programmable thermostat are some examples of instant-savings measures. New this year, you may be eligible for one LED bulb installed in your home.
All in all, the assessment takes about 2 hours. At the end of your assessment, your Advisor may review your options with you and present you with a weatherization contract, or they may have another specialist contact you at a later date to discuss a contract. There are many rebates available for energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, you may qualify for a ZERO interest HEAT Loan sponsored by the utilities and energy efficiency service providers to cover insulation work, heating system upgrades, and other eligible upgrades.
We hope this article has been helpful in describing your no-cost home energy assessment. Every home is different, and there’s no better way to find out what your home may be eligible for than by getting an assessment. Sign up today.
Don’t live in Boston? Call 1-866-527-7283 to schedule your no-cost assessment through MassSave.