Any homeowner's familiar with Dominion Home Energy Rebate/Energy Efficiency Program?

Submitted by SpicyyySalsaaa t3_z8v0px in rva

I have no insulation in my attic and I've really got 3 options before it gets too cold.

I'm using a ton of kWh with heat, it's almost blowing all day long, and I'm only keeping it at 66°,which is a bit chilly.

HVAC is new as of 2017 and works well, heat blows hot and AC blows cold, it's just horribly inefficient.

My 3 options I've found to get some insulation to try and become more energy efficient are DIY, pay a contractor, or use the home energy/assessment program from Dominion.

They offer a ton of incentives for things other than insulation such as LED bulbs, air sealing, duct sealing, etc.

Has anyone used the home assessment and gotten any rebates and made their home more energy efficient?

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JoeMorrisseysSperm t1_iyewock wrote

the dominion incentives are meh. The savings from quality installed insulation are fantastic. And you’re saving your hvac from an early death. ** just make sure you ask them to do as much air sealing as possible, especially tops of wall joists

I have a 1700 square-foot ranch. It had shitty old fiberglass insulation (and not enough of it) installed in the 80s. We paid $300 a month for heating or AC on peak months and we were constantly uncomfortable.

I paid Vance insulation $3k to remove old insulation, install cellulose with roof decking baffles and block off some gable vents. Now we pay $180-210 on peak months.

We have way fewer mice and insects, our hvac runs fewer hours, the temperate air is more evenly distributed across the house, and we’re saving energy. And we’re comfortable.

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jracka t1_iydvzw4 wrote

Insulation is easy to do yourself, watch a couple youtube videos and you are good. Just wear proper ppe. Also check/change your air filters. Also check the ones you are using. People might disagree with me but I never use the 1900 MPR filters. They restrict too much air flow.

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notslackingatworkno t1_iyer7n0 wrote

Hard disagree here. I have a very high tolerance for bullshit grunt work, and a proclivity for doing things myself instead of spending money, but redoing insulation in an attack is a bridge too far for me. I've done it on previous homes, and it's worked and made the difference I was hoping for, but it was brutal fucking work.

You'll end up spending a whole weekend balancing on your hands and knees on ceiling joists, trying to crawl through a stuffy attic carrying a giant piece of fiberglass, having to position that piece into place, and then repeat that process a hundred times.

It's totally doable to DIY, but if you've got the money this is definitely a task worth outsourcing.

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JoSchmoe t1_iyevtpj wrote

Cellulose blown in fiber is a little easier to deal with. The grunt work is creating ventilation for the soffits.

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guiltyofnothing t1_iye76et wrote

Seconding this. It’s not fun but it’s totally doable if you’re a newbie.

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JoSchmoe t1_iydrq6r wrote

I don’t have experience with the rebate but I have some diy experience with insulating the attic and prepping the soffits for said insulation. The insulation does make a difference. Let me know if you have any questions.

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Dniceddave14 t1_iyereht wrote

I have experience, I used to actually work for a contractor that was partnered with dominion. We performed home energy assessments. We replaced led light bulbs for free, and wrapped the copper lines for the HVAC systems. But we didn’t install insulation though. I’m not sure if other contractors provide more or not.

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gordonglover t1_iydhdnp wrote

The Energy Efficiency program will also give Dominion the authority to go into your thermostat and control it as they wish.

If your system is relatively new and you are getting it inspected quarterly, I would see look at insulating the attic.

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oedipus_wr3x t1_iye0cdu wrote

Please don’t spread misinformation. There’s one rebate program that can take over your thermostat, but that’s not a requirement to take advantage of the other parts of the energy efficiency program.

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SpicyyySalsaaa OP t1_iydm0pg wrote

Oh damn, I don't think I want that. I mean my thermostat is my thermostat lol.

System is relatively new, little over 5 years. Just had it inspected and all is well, functions as it should.

I really just think no insulation in the attic is killing me, especially in the winter. Will probably just go DIY this weekend and knock it out and see the results on electric bill and gauge it that way before calling a professional.

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oedipus_wr3x t1_iydzuoy wrote

There’s one rebate program that takes over you thermostat sometimes, but that’s not required or anything. Insulation and air sealing is the way to go, but there’s no harm in getting a professional opinion first with the efficiency audit. They’ll tell you what to prioritize, and you’ll get some free swag.

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RulerOfTheRest t1_iydpbiu wrote

If you're using fiberglass insulation, make sure to wear long sleeves and gloves, those glass fibers are itchy when they imbed themselves in your skin. A mask would be a good idea too. And make sure you only stand on the joists, anything else and you'll find yourself in the room below.

You may want to put an order in for at Lowes or the Home Depot sooner rather than later because a lot of people like to tackle these projects over the weekend, and you might want to have it delivered, especially if you have a large attic because it takes up a lot of space. Overall, you should notice big improvements in having your attic insulated...

Good luck!

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fl_man_in_rva t1_iydorvt wrote

I helped a friend do the blow in insulation in his attic. It is very easy to do with two people. I don't remember what improvement he saw, but it was significant. There is some prep work to make sure you don't block your soffets.

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