What happens during a Mass Save home energy assessment?
A Mass Save Home Energy Assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of the energy performance of a home, conducted by a trained energy specialist. The assessment is designed to identify areas where energy efficiency improvements can be made, and to provide recommendations and incentives for making those improvements.
The assessment has four parts:
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- Combustion Safety Test – During this portion of the assessment the home energy specialist will check the carbon monoxide levels and flue draft of each fuel-burning appliance in the home. This is to ensure the home will remain safe after air-sealing measures are taken.
- Insulation and Air Sealing Inspection – The home energy specialist will inspect the basement, attic, and wall insulation for upgrade opportunities. A good energy specialist will also identify opportunities that are fully paid for by Mass Save such as hatch covers and recessed light covers.
- Installation of Instant Savings Measures – At this point, the home energy specialist will provide and install new programmable thermostats, high-efficiency shower heads, and smart power strips.
- Reporting – Lastly, the home energy specialist will submit all of the findings to Mass Save. Based on the assessment, the energy specialist will provide a report detailing recommended energy efficiency upgrades, along with estimated costs and potential savings. The report may also include information about available rebates and incentives to help offset the cost of the upgrades.
How much does a Mass Save home energy audit cost?
Free – homeowners don’t have to pay anything for the assessment. Mass Save covers the cost of the assessment to try and encourage homeowners to make energy-saving improvements. They also cover the cost of instant savings measures including no-cost shower heads, thermostats, and power strips. If homeowners were to pay for the assessment themselves it would cost between $225 and $400.
What is Mass Save?
Mass Save is an initiative sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and a group of Massachusetts utilities to help residents, businesses, and institutions save energy and money. The program provides a range of services, incentives, and rebates to help customers reduce their energy consumption and lower their energy bills.
Mass Save offers a variety of programs and services, including free home energy assessments, rebates for energy-efficient appliances and lighting, insulation and air sealing incentives, and financing for energy-efficient upgrades. Mass Save is a valuable resource for Massachusetts residents looking to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce their energy costs.
How long will Mass Save home energy audits take?
Between 1 and 2 hours. Depending on the size and age of your home it will take between 1 and 2 hours to complete your energy assessment. If recommendations for air sealing and insulation improvements are made, those improvements will be scheduled for another time and may take 1 to 3 days to complete.
What happens after the Mass Save home energy audit?
Following completion of your home energy assessment, you will receive a custom home energy report with all applicable rebates and incentives. If a home qualifies for home efficiency upgrades from Mass Save the total cost is generally between $1,000 and $8,000 but can in some cases be much higher. Luckily for Massachusetts residents Mass Save pays for between 75% and 100% of the total cost.
In some cases, changes to the home must be made in order to make any insulation upgrades like removing attic flooring. In those cases, the cost of those changes is the responsibility of the homeowner.
Mass Save incentives include the following:
- No-cost weatherization work including air-sealing leaks
- 75% off insulation improvements
- Up to a $10,000 rebate on whole home heat pump installations
- Eligibility for a 0% HEAT Loan
How do you select a Home Energy Specialist?
It is very important to select a qualified home energy specialist to conduct your home energy audit. Mass Save will only pay for homeowners to receive home energy audits every two years. An unqualified auditor could miss
The best way to figure out if a home energy specialist is qualified is to ask them if they are certified by the Building Performance Institute. Mass Save requires that home energy specialists be certified but many companies don’t strictly follow this rule.
Mass Save also inspects the work of 50% of audits and insulation projects. If you don’t believe that your auditor or insulation company is qualified to do the work you can request that your home be inspected by Mass Save.
