Change the Way You Use Energy – Waste Less, Spend Less Money

step two to energy savingsStep Two for New York Homeowners

After applying for the comprehensive home energy assessment and receiving the Approval Letter and Reservation Number  from NYSERDA, the next step is to select a participating Home Performance Contractor for the assessment .

Contractors participating in NYSERDA’s residential programs have completed training in energy assessments and are certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BPI, a national resource for building science technology, sets standards for assessing and improving the energy performance of homes.

All contractors provide a turnkey solution – from assessment to implementation of work. They either do the work themselves or use a subcontractor. NYSERDA requires residents to use a Home Performance contractor in order to benefit from a FREE/reduce cost assessment as well as subsidies and financial incentives such as Assisted Home Performance or Smart Energy Loans.

Before Speaking to a Home Performance Contractor

  1. Be aware of any issues your home may have such as: lack of insulation, cold-drafty rooms, freezing pipes, ice damming or high energy costs so you can properly communicate those issues to the contractor.
  2. Do not give out your reservation number provided in the approval letter until you are satisfied with your choice of contractor. After you select a contractor, they will claim your reservation number and schedule your assessment
  3. NYSERDA encourages residents to use the same Home Performance Contractor to perform the assessment and also to implement the suggested energy upgrades. This helps expedite the completion of your project.

Ready to Select a Home Performance Contractor?

A full list of Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Participating Contractors are listed here at NYSERDA

You can enter your zip code to see the participating contractors in your area or if you have a contractor in mind, you can also search for them by name to see if they participate in the program.

Tips on Choosing a Home Performance Contractor

Participating Contractors are specially trained professionals that use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and comprehensive analysis to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Participating Contractors are insured and are subject to NYSERDA quality reviews.

Some questions to ask before making your selection:

  • What are the contractor’s areas of expertise?
  • How many projects have they completed so far?
  • Can they provide you with a few references of jobs finished near you?
  • How quickly can they come to your home to do the energy assessment?
  • How soon can they provide you with a report and work scope based on the assessment?
  • Can they provide you with multiple options for the work recommended?
  • Would they sit down with you and explain the different options for work and financing?

Once you have made your  contractor selection, you schedule your home energy audit.

Have the Contractor Complete the Home Energy Audit Assessment

The Home Energy Audit assessment will take 2-3 hours depending on the size of your home. The assessment will consist of a visual inspection, health and safety tests and energy efficiency tests. Gather a summary of the past year’s energy usage from your utilities in advance of the assessment and give them to the contractor during the assessment.

After the audit is done, your HP Contractor will then provide to you an energy assessment report and a list of energy efficiency improvements for your consideration.

 

Then you are ready to move on to step three:

step three to energy savings

Customize A Plan to Lowered Your Energy Bills