Air Sealing

One of the easiest and most cost effective ways to increase your home’s comfort and energy efficiency is to seal its air leaks. Air sealing your home reduces drafts, controls moisture, keeps out pollutants and improves overall comfort.

Energy Trust incentives

Electrically and Gas heated homes: $1 per CFM* reduction; Up to $400

Air Leakage Test: $50

Blower door test required.

Want to save even more? See the Home Comfort Bonus Package to learn how to you can qualify for a cash back bonus!

For additional air sealing guidelines see our Weatherization Specification Manual.

Just follow 3 easy steps to obtain your incentives and start saving.

Step 1- Establish your eligibility.
Oregon residential customers who heat their homes with energy from Portland General Electric, Pacific Power, NW Natural or Cascade Natural Gas are eligible to participate.

Homes that heat with oil, propane, kerosene, butane or wood can conduct their own energy audit and apply for cash rebates for installed weatherization measures through the Oregon Department of Energy's SHOW (State Home Oil Weatherization) program.

If you are eligible, schedule a FREE Home Energy Review to identify energy saving opportunities in your home. Or consider a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR^® assessment for comprehensive recommendations.

Step 2- Trade ally contractor performs air sealing. A blower door test will measure the air leakage of your home before and after air sealing is performed. We recommend you work with a trade ally contractor that specializes in air sealing. You must use a trade ally contractor that is currently listed on our Web site. We suggest you invest in mechanical ventilation to precisely control incoming air.

Step 3- Sign and submit form. Submit your contractor's invoice with Form 300A within 120 days of initial measure installation to:

Home Energy Solutions
P.O. Box 847
Portland, OR 97207
or fax to: 1-866-516-7592

 

Please allow six to eight weeks for incentive processing and payment.

Energy Trust Energy Saving Tips!

Air sealing is one of the most effective ways to save energy, but airtight homes need mechanical ventilation to maintain good indoor air quality. Talk with your heating contractor about installing an energy recovery ventilation system to bring fresh air into your home at controlled intervals, regulate humidity and minimize energy loss.

Home Comfort Bonus Package
$150 bonus in addition to program incentives!

Home Comfort Bonus Package insulation requirements and details:

• Complete air sealing measure plus
• Upgrade all 3 thermal insulation measures (attic/ceiling, floor, and wall), per program specifications and requirements
  • If all insulation needs upgrade, all must be completed plus air sealing to receive bonus.
  • If two areas need insulation, both must be completed plus air sealing to receive bonus.
  • If one area only needs insulation, no bonus provided.
  • If one thermal insulation measure already meets program specifications and requirements, then only two thermal insulation measures (plus complete air sealing measure) are required to qualify for the bonus. For air sealing, final building airflow must equal 8 Air Changes per Hour @ 50Pa (ACH). A lower final ACH is allowed if approved mechanical ventilation is installed.

* CFM stands for cubic feet of air leakage per minute. The blower door test establishes the baseline of leakage, then the contractor seals the leaks and redoes the blower door test. Energy Trust pays $1 for each CFM that is reduced based upon the difference between the first and second tests. Incentives subject to change.

Photo Top: Installer Dave Sparks of Alpha Energy Savers uses a blower door test to identify leaks.