How do I go about retrofitting my cold old home?
Faith waugh
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
Help I live in a very cold old home, don’t have a lot of money to go around, however I would like to have it retrofitted , I am so overwhelmed by all the info on Mass save and National Grids website I don’t know where is the first place to turn.
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Replies
Faith,
For a homeowner like you, the first place to turn is probably the low-income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). If you live in Massachusetts, check out this link to a web site with information on the program:
http://www.mass.gov/hed/community/energy/weatherization-assistance-program-wap.html
Here is a link to a web site that provides contact information for the local agencies in Massachusetts that can help you apply for this program:
https://hedfuel.azurewebsites.net/
The Weatherization Assistance Program will provide air sealing work and will add insulation (as well as other measures) to homeowners who meet the program's income thresholds. There is no cost for these services to eligible families.
Faith,
If your income is high, you may not be eligible for the free services provided by the Weatherization Assistance Program. However, you may be eligible for a subsidized home energy audit through your electric utility or gas utility. Check your utility bills for a phone number; call the utility and ask if they provide any type of energy audit for homeowners.
If that doesn't work, you might want to hire the services of an energy auditor certified by RESNET or BPI. You can find these experts by visiting these web sites:
RESNET
Building Performance Institute
Finally, there is lots of information available on the GBA web site. Start with this article: Energy Upgrades for Beginners.