Home Sealing

Sealing your home’s envelope (outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors) is often the most cost effective way to improve energy efficiency and comfort. A skilled Trade Ally can save you up to 20% on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10% on your total annual energy bill) by sealing and insulating, according to estimates from Energy Star.

Central Hudson offers a rebate of up to $600 for having your home professionally sealed by a Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified Trade Ally after a blower door test. The blower door test is one of several special diagnostic tools BPI certified Trade Allies use to pinpoint and seal hidden air leaks. To qualify for this rebate, your home’s primary heating source must be electric or natural gas.

To pursue this rebate, contact one of the following BPI certified SavingsCentral Trade Allies:

Energy Management Solutions	Newburgh, NY	(845) 357-1771	Tino Baguio tinobaguio@reducepowercost.com
Home Energy Consultants	Pleasant Valley, NY	(845) 635-8302	Ron Samuelson HEC@SaveEnergyNY.com
Malcarne Contracting	Rhinebeck, NY	(845) 876-6889	Joseph Malcarne info@malcarne.com

How does the $600 rebate work?
Call one of the SavingsCentral Trade Allies and ask for the Central Hudson Home Sealing Rebate. The Trade Ally will start with a home energy audit with a blower door test for your home. Central Hudson’s rebate is for up to six hours of air sealing for your home.

What are the benefits of home sealing?

• Sealing leaks will make your home less drafty
• Six hours of home sealing could save $400 - $600 annually on your electric or natural gas heating costs
• In addition to heat loss in the winter, sealing leaks will prevent heat gain in summer and maximize your home’s cooling system
• Home sealing is a good option if you want to maximize the efficiency of your existing heating or cooling systems instead of investing in a new one.

Why do I need a Trade Ally?
Many air leaks and drafts are easy to find because they are easy to feel — like those around windows and doors. But holes hidden in attics, basements, and crawlspaces are usually bigger problems. Having these leaks professionaly sealed will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing energy bills.

Is it dangerous to have my home sealed?
Homeowners are often concerned about sealing their house too tightly; however, this is very unlikely in most older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house. If you are concerned about how tight your home is, your Trade Ally can measure your home's actual leakage. If your home is too tight, your Trade Ally might recommend more ventilation.

After the home sealing project, the BPI-certified Trade Ally will check to make sure your combustion appliances (furnace, water heater, and dryer) are venting properly.

What is a blower door?
A blower door is a variable speed fan, mounted in a doorframe, used to pressurize and depressurize a house to measure air leakage.