What is the Comfortable Home Rebates program?
Comfortable Home Rebates is a whole-home, deep retrofit program. The program uses building science principles and is primarily focused on building enclosure and Heating and Cooling (HVAC).
Participation requirements:
- Have Electricity or Natural Gas Distributed by PG&E to the Service Address (rebates are only available for measures with fuels provided by PG&E)
- Live in a detached Single-Family Residence or 2-4 Unit Complex
- Have lived in the home for at least 12 months
- Plan to stay in the home for at least the next 2 years
- Have not gotten a smart thermostat rebate from PG&E in the previous 12 months
- Have not participated in any PG&E rebate or rate-payer funded energy saving programs in the past 12 months such as ESA (Energy Savings Assistance)
- Customers in the 9 Bay Area counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma) should work with BayREN’s Home+ program.
Eligible upgrades include:
Attic Insulation:
Insulation in your building enclosure works the same way it does in your refrigerator! The “box” is insulated on all sides to maintain the temperature inside the box. Insulation keeps heat out in the Summer and heat inside in the Winter. It is one of the lowest cost, highest performing improvements you can make to your home. Insulation works far better if Air Sealing is installed first.
Air Sealing:
If you leave a cooler open in the summer, the ice is going to melt. California homes have so many leaks that the average is the same as having a 3-foot-by-3-foot window open all year. Do Air Sealing BEFORE insulation and get a far better results for your investment like long-lasting dust and pest control.
Heat Pump Space Conditioning:
HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems do more than just heat or cool a space. When properly installed and working, HVAC systems draw air through filters to remove dust, dirt, and allergens; heat or cool the air; remove excess humidity from the air; and direct that conditioned air into your home.
Duct Sealing / Duct Replacement
For ducted systems, it is important to have tightly sealed ducts to minimize waste. Leaking ducts can not only result in higher utility bills but can also allow contaminants like mold, dust, and pollen into your ducts, and ultimately your home. Sometimes older systems are just not serviceable anymore and ducts need full replacement. Many times, the system was just flat wrong when it was new! If you want even temperatures and a comfortable home, new and better designed duct work systems are crucial to the success of your improvement project.
Heat Pump Water Heating
Heat Pump Water Heaters are FOUR TIMES more efficient that the best gas burning units, and COST LESS TO RUN. These units use the exact same technology as your refrigerator and just as reliable. If you have solar now, or will later, a Heat Pump Water Heater is the only logical choice.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are great for telling your equipment when and how you want it to operate. Make sure to take a few minutes and set it up properly with your phone. Smart thermostats can help prevent black-outs and brown-outs when lots of homes enroll in a “Demand Response” program like PG&E’s SmartAC, which reduces demand when the grid is stressed. Check out our programming guide for smart thermostats.
Whole House Fan
Whole House Fans work great when the air outside is cooler than the air in the house. They can cool your home using a lot less energy than an air conditioner uses. Talk to your contractor to see if a Whole House Fan can help in your home, and how to use it.