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What is the Home Performance Program?
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The Home Performance (HP) Program is designed to identify opportunities for immediate and longer-term energy and cost savings in your home. Under the HP program, an Energy Advisor will visit your home and provide, at no cost to you, a Home Energy Assessment (HEA). While there, the Energy Advisor also will install free energy savings measures, such as low-flow shower heads. After this assessment, you will receive the HEA report providing information about your home, energy saving tips, and recommendations for additional savings—savings that can be achieved through Appalachian Power HP rebate opportunities.
- Who is eligible for the Home Performance Program?
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The Home Performance program is available to residential properties served by Appalachian Power in its Virginia service territory. This includes single-family homes, mobile homes, condominiums, townhomes, and duplexes. Non-owner-occupied homes, where the electrical service is in the occupant’s name and with a signed agreement to participate from the owner, are also eligible.
Apartments and commercial customers are not eligible.
Homes with both electric and gas heating or appliances can receive an assessment but may only qualify for rebates for select additional measures (outside of those installed with the HEA).
- Do I qualify for a Home Energy Assessment and the free measures and rebates if I buy my electricity from a supplier other than Appalachian Power?
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No, to qualify for the Home Performance Program, you must be an individually metered residential customer of Appalachian Power with an active account in Virginia.
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I am a commercial customer. Can I get an upgrade of my HVAC equipment?
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The Home Performance Program is open to residential customers only. You may be eligible to participate in the Small Business Direct Install or Business Energy Solutions programs. Please contact a Customer Service Representative at 1-833-402-2221 for more information.
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What is an energy assessment?
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A home energy assessment (HEA) can help you understand the whole picture of your home's energy use, comfort, and safety. An energy assessment can help you understand how much energy your home uses and evaluate what steps you can take to improve efficiency. Under Appalachian Power’s Home Performance program, a professionally trained Energy Advisor will come to your home and gather information on the current condition of the home, air conditioning and heating systems, appliances and how you use energy in the home. All information will be analyzed and presented to you at the time of the assessment.
- Why would I want to do a Home Energy Assessment?
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A home energy assessment is a great first step to making energy-saving improvements in your home. This assessment will determine where your home is inefficient and how to prioritize problem areas and fixes that will improve the comfort of your home, while saving energy and money in the process.
In addition to the free energy savings measures installed during this visit, you also may qualify for rebates for more expensive measures, such as insulating your attic, if you use a contractor within our network.
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Is a Home Energy Assessment worth it?
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Yes, an HEA is provided at no cost to you and will identify and address making the home more efficient overall. Did you know that heating and cooling can make up approximately 40% of your electric bill? For every air or duct leak you seal, you keep the warm or cold air produced inside your home from leaking to the outside, saving you money in heating and cooling bills and improving your comfort level.
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How do I sign up for a Home Energy Assessment?
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Customers can sign up through our online portal or by calling our call center at 833-402-2221 and speaking with a customer service representative.
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What can I expect from a Home Energy Assessment?
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The Home Performance Energy Advisor will review the history of your home, such as age, construction type, square footage, and evaluation of systems and appliances.
The Energy Advisor also will conduct a visual assessment, which may include going into the attic and examining dark corners of your roof and basement carefully.
They will use the buildup of moisture as a measuring stick — if there’s condensation on the inside of your house, chances are you’ve got an energy leak.
The Energy Advisor also will check your insulation, which may reveal weaknesses in the barrier and, in some cases, a lack of insulation altogether. An inspection of your heating and/or cooling systems will be performed to determine whether duct cleaning or tune-ups are needed.
Throughout most of this time you will be very much involved and are encouraged to accompany the Energy Advisor as your home is inspected top to bottom. This allows you to bring problems to the attention of the Advisor and allows the Advisor to identify concerns as they proceed.
Following the thorough walk-through and installation of energy savings measures, the Advisor will sit down with you and review the findings. You will receive a Home Energy Assessment (HEA) report via email and most importantly, you will have recommendations on how to reduce energy and stay comfortable at home.
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What will the Home Performance Energy Advisor assess as part of the Home Energy Assessment?
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The Home Performance Energy Advisor will assess attic insulation, duct systems, air sealing, wall insulation, heating and cooling systems, appliances and electronics, water heating, refrigerator and windows and doors.
Appalachian Power wants to make you aware of how much energy is being wasted in your home, and what you can do to reduce your energy consumption.
A Home Energy Assessment takes stock of the energy consumption in your home. It’s one of the first steps you can take to understand your home’s energy usage, airflow and the functionality and efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. The Energy Advisor will also take photos of the key areas of your home to document any needed energy improvements.
- Where will the Energy Advisor need access to during the Home Energy Assessment?
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The Home Performance Energy Advisor will need access to every room in the home (excluding closets, unless there is a hole in the closet wall allowing outside air to infiltrate into the interior of the home), the exterior of the home, the attic, and the basement and/or crawlspace.
The Energy Advisor will also take photos of the key areas of your home to document any needed energy improvements.
- What do homeowners need to do to prepare for a Home Energy Assessment?
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The homeowner will need to relocate items that may prohibit access to the areas listed above. We also ask that all pets are restrained for their safety, as well as the safety of the Energy Advisor.
- How long will the Home Energy Assessment take?
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The Home Energy Assessment should take between one and a half to two hours for the average home.
- Who conducts the Home Energy Assessment?
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Appalachian Power has qualified Energy Advisors who will conduct the Home Energy Assessments (HEAs) and perform the installation of appropriate energy efficiency measures at no charge.
- I will not be available for the visit. Can someone else be there instead?
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Yes, but the agreement to participate must be signed by you when you apply online. Your designee must be present during the duration of the Home Energy Assessment.
- Are there any charges (or hidden charges) involved with the Home Energy Assessment?
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No, the Home Energy Assessment, along with the direct install measures, are free of charge to eligible Appalachian Power customers.
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Will the improvements be made the same day as my Home Energy Assessment?
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Yes, the Home Performance Energy Advisor will install energy saving measures, such as faucet aerators, during this in-home assessment. Recommendations for more extensive follow-up energy conservation measures, if you choose to do them, can be scheduled by you with an approved Appalachian Power contractor.
- What is the Home Energy Assessment Report?
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The Home Energy Assessment Report provides the details of the Home Energy Assessment, details immediate savings opportunities, as well as recommended opportunities for greater savings. The report includes details of the areas evaluated and a recommended list of what to do to make an individual home as energy efficient as possible.
- When will I receive my Home Energy Assessment (HEA) report?
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The Home Performance Energy Advisor will review the report with you immediately after the in-home Home Energy Assessment is completed.
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I heard the program is free but there are references to rebates. Is it not free?
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The Home Energy Assessment (HEA) is free, as is the installation of various measures such as low flow shower heads, pipe insulation, and hot water tank wraps for electric hot water heaters. The HEA report will identify other opportunities to save energy, including adding attic insulation or installing a ductless mini-split heat pump*. Appalachian Power offers rebates for these measures to reduce the overall cost to the customer.
*If you have applied for a mini-split rebate through the Home Performance Program, you are not eligible for a mini-split rebate under the Efficient Products Program.
- Do the rebates for the additional measures go to the contractor or the customer?
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The rebate is paid directly to the customer.
- How do I apply for a rebate?
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The Program contractor who installed the measure(s) will submit for the rebate(s) on your behalf.
To initiate a Home Energy Assessment, click here or call 1-833-402-2221 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.
- Can a landlord who owns several homes enroll more than one home in the Home Performance Program?
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Yes, if each home qualifies, and both the landlord and tenant sign the Agreement to Participate.
- Can I use any contractor or only a participating contractor in the Home Performance Program?
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No, the Home Performance program requires the work to be completed by a contractor who has provided the necessary documentation and registered with the Program. Appalachian Power has built a Quality Contractor Network for customers to identify potential contractors who can perform work eligible for rebates.
- Can I install any measures qualifying for a rebate?
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No, self-installed measures are not eligible for rebates in the Home Performance Program. All installations must be conducted by a participating Home Performance Program contractor.
- I just purchased a home, and the previous owner may have participated already. Can I still participate?
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Yes. Participation is defined by the account number.
To initiate the Home Energy Assessment, click here or call 1-833-402-2221 to speak with a Customer Service Representative.