One of the most effective means of reducing your heating and cooling bills year-round is by ensuring that you have a modern, energy efficient home. Many homes use far more electricity and natural gas than necessary for heating and cooling purposes due to poor insulation, air leaks, and particularly the use of older, inefficient HVAC systems and water heaters.
However, we understand that the cost of upgrading your home, especially the installation of a new air conditioner or furnace when your old one still works, is prohibitively expensive for some households. This is why Gilmore Heating Air & Plumbing is proud to participate in energy efficiency rebate programs offered by PG&E and SMUD.
Through these programs, you get paid by your energy provider for installing home upgrades that improve the energy efficiency of your home. Some of these rebates can actually be quite sizeable, and a single household can claim multiple rebates. Read on for more information on how to claim your rebates while working with Gilmore Heating Air & Plumbing.
SMUD’s Home Rebates & Energy Solutions Offers
SMUD understands just how much it costs to heat and cool inefficient homes. This is why they offer a wide range of rebates, with gas-heated homes being eligible for up to $5,000 in rebates, while electric-heated homes being eligible for up to $8,000 in rebates.
If you check out SMUD’s Energy Solutions page, you can see a list of some of the biggest rebate options they have. The amounts of most of the rebates depend upon the amount spent and other factors. While we cannot fulfill all of the services they offer rebates for, we are eligible contractors for most of them, including the following:
- HVAC Replacement (AC and/or Heat Pump): $500 to $850
- HVAC Downsizing ($100 per ½ ton reduction): $300
- Attic Insulation: Up to $2,000
- Wall Insulation: Up to $1,000
- Crawlspace Insulation: Up to $500
- Duct Sealing: Up to $500
- And much more.
To take advantage of these upgrades, you’ll need to start by contacting us by calling 888-868-2316, or sending us a message through our appointment request form. We’ll need to have an evaluator come out and survey the condition of your home, and then sit down with you and put together an upgrade plan featuring multiple upgrades.
You cannot apply for a rebate by simply getting a single upgrade and applying after the fact. The upgrades must be performed as part of a comprehensive plan put together by our experts, and then submitted to SMUD for a pre-approval. Failing to get pre-approval will disallow you from taking advantage of the rebate program.
PG&E Energy Upgrade California Home Upgrade Program
The PG&E Energy Upgrade California Home Upgrade is very similar to SMUD’s program in terms of what it offers and how it works. Homeowners who take advantage of the basic home upgrade option are eligible for up to $2,500, as long as they install three or more of the listed upgrade. Those who participate in the advanced home upgrade can qualify for up to $5,500 in benefits.
Some of the basic upgrade rebates available include:
- Attic Insulation & Plane Air Sealing: $500
- Efficient Gas Furnace (95% AFUE): $400
- Efficient Gas Furnace (92% AFUE): $350
- Floor Insulation $400
- Wall Insulation: $400
- Duct Replacement: $350
- Duct Sealing: $200
- High Performance HVAC Install: $200
To maximize your savings, take advantage of some of the advanced home upgrade options, which include optimizations like a cool roof, interior and exterior efficient lighting, and more. For more details, check out PG&E Home Upgrade FAQ, or contact Gilmore and make an appointment to meet with one of our home upgrade evaluators.
As with the SMUD program, to obtain a rebate from PG&E, it’s necessary to have us come out and perform an energy assessment of your home, and then develop an upgrade plan that is approved by PG&E.
Also, be sure to speak with one of our representatives if you’re interested in financing your upgrades. There are many assistance programs available through Gilmore, your energy company, and even the state of California. Talk to us for more information!
