Home Charlottesville homeowners can address home insulation needs with new online tool
Environment, Local

Charlottesville homeowners can address home insulation needs with new online tool

Chris Graham
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According to Energy Star®, 90 percent of U.S. homes are under-insulated. The Charlottesville Department of Utilities is offering residents a free online tool to address how their homes meet their insulation needs.

Open to homeowners, and renters with landlord approval, the Attic Insulation Self-Assessment is available to all Charlottesville Utilities customers. Eligible homes include single-family, duplexes, and townhomes, with a focus on older homes.

The Attic Insulation Self-Assessment is 100 percent free to use, and can be accessed via smartphone, tablet or computer.

Customers interested in the self-assessment can access it through a customized online portal. The self-assessment gathers basic information about the customer and their home and provides easy step-by-step instructions on completing and submitting the assessment.

Once submitted, staff from the Local Energy Alliance Program will analyze the information about the customer’s attic and provide a free preliminary evaluation for attic insulation. The evaluation includes guidance to help maximize the attic’s energy efficiency potential, and a preliminary cost estimate for any recommended upgrades.

If the customer decides to pursue the recommended upgrades, they will then schedule an in-person evaluation with LEAP to determine the exact work needed and the final cost.

A 30 percent federal insulation tax credit is available, as well attic insulation-related rebates from Charlottesville Utilities for qualified customers.

More information on the Attic Insulation Self-Assessment, including accessing the self-assessment portal or any of Utilities’ other energy efficiency resources, can be found at www.charlottesville.gov/utilityincentives.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].