My best advice is, if you live within the SMUD service territory and are a SMUD customer, you should access their website and check out the Home Performance Program. There are many great incentives and rebates available.

PG&E also has great rebates and incentives.

Hope this helps.

Doug
Air Tek Home Performance

In Sacramento County, CA, there are several programs currently offering rebates for home envelope improvements, such as air sealing and insulation. The combination of air sealing and insulation is often one of the most cost-effective ways to lower heating and cooling costs.

The Energy Upgrade California program offer rebates for energy efficiency improvements through a collaboration with PG&E and SMUD utilities. You can choose between one of two upgrade packages offered through the program. The Basic Upgrade Package offers a rebate of $1,000 and requires air sealing, attic insulation, duct sealing, hot water pipe insulation, a thermostatic shut-off valve, heating equipment safety testing, Carbon Monoxide monitor installation and low flow showerhead installation. These seven measures combined reduce energy consumption by an average of 10 percent. The Advanced Upgrade Package offers a rebate ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 depending on the increase in energy efficiency. Upgrade recommendations are customized based on a $99 energy assessment (with a value of $500) and may include a wide range of energy efficiency improvements, such as upgrading your insulation, heating and cooling equipment or windows. To be eligible for the rebate, you must use a participating contractor for improvements.

Additionally, PG&E offers insulation rebates of $0.15 per square foot of attic insulation and $0.50 per square foot of wall insulation. To be eligible for attic insulation rebate, you must be a PG&E customer, existing insulation levels must be R-19 or less, and final insulation levels must be R-38 or greater. To be eligible for wall insulation rebates, existing walls must not have any previous insulation and final insulation levels must be R-13 or greater. You can install insulation yourself and still qualify for the rebates; however, new construction and floor insulation projects do not qualify.

SMUD also offers energy efficiency rebates up to $9,000 through their Home Performance program. You must first have a $99 energy assessment and then use the results of this assessment to prioritize necessary upgrades. As with the Energy Upgrade California Program, you can choose between two upgrade packages. The Basic Package's recommendations may include air sealing, weather stripping, attic insulation, hot water system insulation, and a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. The Comprehensive Package's recommendations may include the installation of a thermal or cool roof radiant barrier, duct sizing and sealing, wall and floor insulation, and air conditioner, furnace, water heater or window upgrades in addition to the upgrades listed above. Rebates vary depending on your energy efficiency increase. For example, a 10 percent increase in energy efficiency is eligible for a rebate of $1,500; whereas, a 50 percent increase is eligible for a rebate of $9,000.