Free Home Energy Upgrades in New York, NYS Clean Heat, Empower+ New York

We have all witnessed some significant increases in the costs of energy. And, there is no doubt that we are all also quite worried about what the future holds in this regard, which has led us towards becoming more aware of our power spending, and towards trying to turn our homes into energy efficient places. But, we are not the only ones. Policy makers have also recognized the importance of this, which is why they have started offering some incentives and programs for homeowners who are looking to boost energy efficiency in their properties.

Read about the benefits of this: https://www.energysage.com/energy-efficiency/why-conserve-energy/

The Importance of Energy Efficiency

Anyway, before we start talking about the specific programs that provide New Yorkers with the opportunity to reduce power consumption and transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, we have to make sure that you understand the importance of this in the first place. This way, you will get a better idea about why it is that you should even bother investing in home energy upgrades. So, without any more ado, let me quickly explain the importance of it.

First of all, when you switch to some more sustainable and efficient solutions, that will reflect on your bills, which is undeniably a huge plus. To put it simply, those bills will be much lower, which will lead to significant monthly savings. And, there’s no doubt that we all like the sound of that.

Another great thing here is that energy-efficient systems usually provide for more comfortable homes all year-round. This is because they allow you to maintain consistent temperatures.

Furthermore, we cannot fail to mention that these types of upgrades will certainly improve the value of your property, which will be great if you decide to sell it at one point, because you’ll not only be able to find buyers faster, but also get a better deal. Apart from all of that, these kinds of upgrades will also be good for the environment, which is something that we all, collectively, have to keep in mind.

What Is the NYS Clean Heat Program?

Having covered the importance of energy efficiency, we can now proceed to talking about some of the specific programs that incentivize New Yorkers to switch to these more sustainable solutions. To put it differently, there are programs that offer Free Home Energy Upgrades and New Yorkers can take advantage of those when trying to make their properties more energy-efficient. One of those is called the NYS Clean Heat Program.

What is it exactly, though? Well, in short, it is a state-wide incentive that has the goal of encouraging homeowners to start using some more energy-efficient cooling and heating systems – in this case, heat pumps. Compared to the traditional systems, heat pumps are more environmentally friendly, and they provide people with a better opportunity to control and maintain the desired temperatures in their homes, thus allowing them to lower their bills. This particular program, thus, offers rebates and incentives to those residents of New York State who want to upgrade their heating and cooling systems with heat pumps.

There are several types of heat pumps that are covered by this program, including the air-source, the ground-source heat pumps, as well as the heat pump water heaters. Now, what kind of a portion of all your costs will be covered by this incentive depends on the actual size of your home and the general installation needs. But, it can add up to quite a lot, and it can even turn out to be completely free in some cases, such as for low-income households that wind up being eligible for these solutions.

What Is the Empower+ New York Program?

Before we get to the part of helping you check whether you are actually eligible for these programs, and whether you qualify for the incentive, we have to talk about a different initiative, called Empower+. This initiative is particularly focused on providing completely free of charge upgrades to those low income households that qualify. So, people can get no-cost home improvements that will ultimately lead to further savings down the road. Go here to get an even better idea about what it entails.

Within this program, there are a lot of energy efficiency services that households can get for free. For example, you can upgrade your home’s insulation, which is definitely a crucial step towards improving its energy efficiency. You can insulate your attic, walls, as well as other areas, and can get free air-sealing services. Furthermore, the program offers you an opportunity to upgrade your old appliances, your lighting, as well as your heating systems. All of this leads towards creating a more comfortable environment, while also lowering your power bills, and the best part is that a lot of people can get it all for free.

How to Qualify?

Now that you are familiar with the NYS Clean Heat Program, and the Empower+, you have undeniably understood their importance, as well as the benefits of using one of those initiatives to your advantage. The only thing is, you may not know how to qualify for one of these programs, or how to even check if you are eligible. So, let us now discuss that in a bit more details.

Within the NYS Clean Heat Program, most homeowners will be eligible for some kind of rebate, but the amount will vary based on the income level, as well as on the specific heat pump being installed. To check if you qualify, you should contact your utility provider and schedule an energy audit. After that, provided that you qualify, you’ll be connected to a contractor that can install the heat pump.

Things are a bit different when it comes to the Empower+ incentive, because it is focused specifically on low-income households. Meaning, thus, that you have to meet specific income requirements which are set forth based on the Federal Poverty Level, and which depend on the actual size of your household. You can visit the NYSERDA website or directly contact the Empower+ New York program to check if meet the actual income guidelines, after which you can schedule a home energy assessment and then get the upgrades if you wind up being eligible.