HYANNIS – Through its no cost energy assessments, Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) is offering homeowners and tenants a simple, cost effective way to improve the energy efficiency of their homes while reducing their energy costs at the same time.
As part of each assessment, homeowners and tenants may qualify for several home energy upgrades at no cost to them or their landlords.
These include new, no cost refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and combustible heating systems.
The process begins with a baseline assessment conducted by one of HAC’s auditors.
The baseline assessment will determine what additional measures can be taken to help a resident reduce their kilowatt usage.
Your single-family home may also qualify to be evaluated for additional weatherization measures such as:
- Added attic and/or basement insulation;
- Air sealing to close gaps in attic floors and basement ceilings, eliminating conditioned air from escaping the home;
- Access door weatherstripping to seal air leaks;
- Improving ventilation;
- Replacing current incandescent light bulbs with energy efficient LEDs;
- Replacement of inefficient refrigerators and/or freezers;
- Replacement of qualifying dehumidifiers;
- Replacement of qualifying window air conditioners.
All of the above offerings are available for multi-family properties, but are subject to multi-family qualification criteria.
For more information, please have your property manager contact HAC’s Energy and Repair Department.
Assessments are offered to single-family and multi-family homes for residents who are approved for fuel assistance, a discounted utility rate, or those who are income-eligible for these programs.
Those making at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Barnstable or Dukes County, as well as the town of Wareham, are eligible.
Once qualified, HAC’s Energy and Repair Department uses funding provided by the Department of Energy, NGRID, Eversource, and the Cape Light Compact to provide energy assessments and efficiency measures for low-income residents on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Wareham at no cost to the homeowner and tenant.
The benefit of a HAC Energy assessment is that it targets high-energy consumption, incomplete insulation, and excessive air infiltration in the structure of the home.
Implementing these energy saving measures can help reduce electric usage, conserve heating fuel and money.
The results will increase the home’s comfort year-round by keeping it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
In conjunction with home energy assessments, HAC offers the repair or replacement of combustible heating systems.
Depending on the situation, HAC will cover a portion and may cover the entire cost to repair or replace these systems.
Also available through special funding by the Department of Energy Resources is the installation of supplemental heating systems.
This air source heat pump and pellet stove benefit is limited to homeowners who heat with electric or oil, and receive fuel assistance for the current year.
To find out if you’re eligible and to schedule a no cost energy assessment or heating system evaluation:
- Residents of Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard should contact Cape Light Compact at 1-800-797-6699.
- Residents of Wareham should contact HAC at 508-771-5400, ext. 123.
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