Insulate and Air Seal Your Home

Summary: Airsealing, Insulation

Description

Many of us live in underinsulated, leaky homes. There is a lot of air sweeping into and through our homes, making them uncomfortable and expensive to heat and cool.

Insulating and sealing drafts in your home will most likely cost you very little and save you a lot, while making your home cozier! 

Sign up for a no-cost home energy assessment and an energy specialist will visit to see if your home is properly insulated and air leaks are sealed. The specialist will also connect you with approved insulation and air-sealing contractors, and advise you about financial incentives to help cover the cost.

Insulating and air-sealing is an important first step for those planning to install heat pumps, so plan this action soon!

To get started, click on Steps To Take, or go to Deep Dive to learn more.

Deep Dive

Financial incentives

Mass Save, a sponsored energy-efficiency program, will reimburse customers 75% of the costs incurred for insulation under the home energy assessment program. If you had an assessment in the last two years and already have a Mass Save insulation recommendation, you can still qualify for the incentive. Check with the company that did that assessment to see if you qualify; if you do, the incentive will be applied to the existing assessment.

Mass Save also subsidizes approved air-sealing work. It offers a 0% loan program for financing HVAC and energy-efficiency measures. The energy specialist will give you more details during the assessment.  

Tips on improving energy efficiency

There are many energy-efficient improvements you can make beyond insulation and air-sealing. Mass Save has additional incentives for home renovations and additions, as well as 0% loans for greater energy-efficiency measures. Here are some ideas for improvements:

1. Convert to an electric heat pump heating and cooling
2. Convert to an electric heat pump water heater
3. Replace upper level recessed light fixtures with insulated ones
4. Install a draft stopper for your chimney
5. Use insulation products not covered by the MassSave program
6. Change to electric induction cooking. The Milne Public LIbrary has a single-burner induction stove kit you can borrow to try it out.
7. Carry out advanced air sealing through blower door directed air sealing
8. Weather strip or replace drafty windows
9. Add heat recovery ventilation to improve air quality and preheat fresh air entering your home

Steps to Take

1. Sign up for a no-cost home energy assessment. Your energy specialist will evaluate your needs and connect you with a contractor to complete the job.

2. Get started immediately! If you know your home requires insulation and air-sealing, you can skip the assessment and select an independent contractor through Mass Save’s Direct Weatherization program — and still benefit from incentives.