Whether you're in a sunny climate with mild winters or battling snow-covered landscapes, weatherizing your home is a smart way to shield it from the elements. Insulation, in particular, plays a key role in keeping your home comfortable year-round while cutting down on energy waste and costs.
Weatherizing your home is about creating a strong barrier that keeps the indoors comfortable and the outdoors at bay.
"You have what's called a thermal building envelope," Jonnell Carol Minefee of Solar Tyme USA explained to Wirecutter. "It's like a cocoon, if you will — it keeps the outside environment out and the inside environment in."
This "cocoon" is vital because heating and cooling make up roughly 50% of electricity use in the average American home, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A poorly sealed home leaks air, forcing HVAC systems to work overtime and driving up energy bills.
Fortunately, weatherizing can be both simple and affordable. For many homeowners, it involves DIY-friendly upgrades like adding insulation to attics and roofs, sealing leaks in HVAC ducts, and applying weather stripping to drafty doors and windows.
Regardless of whether your weatherization is an easy fix or needs more extensive work, the Home Electrification and Appliances Rebate Program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act, offers up to $1,600 to help homeowners make essential weatherization upgrades.
This rebate can cover improvements to insulation, air sealing, and ventilation — upgrades that not only protect your home but can also save you up to $283 annually on energy costs.
The program is designed to assist low-to-moderate-income households (defined as those earning less than 150% of the area median income), making energy efficiency accessible to more people.
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The best way to determine your home's weak spots is by scheduling an energy audit. Many utility companies cover the cost and maintain lists of approved contractors, which also makes you eligible for utility rebates or other assistance programs.
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Definitely 👍 If you've already sealed up your home or want to go a step further, electrifying your home, vehicle, and appliances can lead to even greater savings and environmental benefits. Switching to electric systems helps cut utility costs, reduces pollution, and supports cleaner energy usage.
Rewiring America offers free tools to guide you through tax incentives, find contractors, and make upgrades more affordable. Learn more about these resources here.
Don't wait to take advantage of these programs. With the future of these incentives uncertain, upgrading your home now could save you thousands in the long run — and make your home more resilient no matter the climate.
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