Duct sealing and duct insulation

Choose a Qualified Trade Ally from the Wattsmart Vendor Network

• The Wattsmart Vendor Network (Network) is a collaboration between Pacific Power and local contractors, distributors, manufacturers, engineers, architects, and other vendors to promote sales and incentives for the installation of energy-efficient equipment.
• Advantages to participating in the Network include: improved visibility, program support and training, access to incentive-specific calculators, qualified business leads, marketing support, and notification of program updates.
• Become a Wattsmart Vendor.

Ensure the single-family home qualifies:

• Must be an existing single-family home; a multifamily home or new construction is not eligible for this incentive. For manufactured home duct sealing projects, view the application.
• Primary heating sources that are gas, oil, propane, wood, or other non-electric sources do not qualify.

Requirements for both measures:

• Customer must hire a contractor who is a qualified Trade Ally from the Wattsmart Vendor Network. Find approved vendors: pacificpower.tradeally.com. Projects completed by contractors not on this list  are not eligible for this incentive.
• Work completed must comply with all building codes and standards.
• Must have a minimum of 10 linear feet of exposed ductwork located in unconditioned space.
• Home’s primary heat source must be either a ducted heat pump or an electric forced air furnace.
• Existing ducts must be unsealed.
• All services must be provided in accordance with the specifications in the Washington Technical Specifications Manual.
• All physically accessible ducts located in unconditioned space must be sealed.
• A functioning carbon monoxide alarm is required when a combustion appliance is present within the confines of the structure.

Additional requirements for duct sealing + duct insulation:

• Pre-existing duct insulation levels may not exceed R-2 and must be replaced with at least R-8.
• All physically accessible ducts located in unconditioned space must be insulated.
• Services must result in final duct insulation of R-8 or greater.
• Duct sealing + duct insulation must be performed in the same project, with insulation installed after the ducts are sealed.

Additional program requirements:

• Home may qualify for either duct sealing or duct sealing + duct insulation, but not both.
• When applying for duct sealing + duct insulation, separate trade allies may perform the two services; the trade ally listed in section 2 of the application will receive the trade ally incentive
• Incentives are limited to one-time installations within the qualified space of the home and may not exceed the total cost of the project
• Homes that have previously received an incentive through the program do not qualify for additional incentives if replaced.
•  Application must be submitted within 90 days of purchasing your new energy-efficient product.
• Incentive may not exceed the total cost of the project.

Required documents:

• Incentive Application, complete and signed*
• Itemized receipt or contractor invoice must include:
  • Date work initiated
  • Date work completed
  • Trade ally business name
• Third Party Payment Addendum (only for homeowners and other third-party entities not listed on account and applying for incentives)
• IRS W-9 From, if applicable**

*If mailing, please make copies for your records and note the date mailed on the application
**Applicable only to business and non-individual customers, including landlords, applying for incentives

Incentives are associated with the Home Energy Savings program January 1, 2023 tariff filing approved by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission. All incentives are subject to change with 45 days notice. Additional terms and conditions may apply.

Definitions:
Conditioned vs. Unconditioned space – clarification notes:

For the most part, basements are conditioned spaces. Basements are not usually thermally isolated from the main living area and contain space conditioning ducts. Basements are also used for storage and frequently contain laundry facilities and other living spaces. Ducts serving unfinished basements are not always equipped with dedicated supply registers, although single registers at plenums are not unusual.

An unconditioned basement would have these properties: thermally isolated from the main floor by insulation stairwell walls where thermal plane penetrates floor, air sealed (caulked, foamed penetrations) wiring plumbing, sealed duct penetrations and sealed, insulated ducts. No supply registers.

While a crawl space is unconditioned space, the floor must be insulated prior to or at the same time ducts are sealed and insulated to thermally isolate the crawlspace. Failure to do this will increase the heating load of the home and potentially cause comfort issues.

Direct Install Duct Sealing:

Pacific Power is offering qualifying customers a ductwork system inspection to identify and seal leaky ducts in electrically heated single-family homes completely free of charge. Ductwork in single-family homes may leak up to 30% of heated air into the crawl space, costing the average customer up to $150 per year on energy bills. Customers may also qualify to have LED light bulbs installed to replace qualifying halogen and incandescent lighting. Through our Wattsmart Home Energy Savings program, this service is available at no cost for a limited time only to owners and tenants of electrically heated single-family homes using heat pumps or electric forced air furnaces. Work will be performed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Home Energy Experts is participating in Pacific Power’s Wattsmart Home Energy Savings program to perform work in your area. If you meet the qualifications listed above, please contact Home Energy Experts to request an appointment by calling (509) 288-4971. Se habla español.

To qualify, the customer must:

• Be a residential Pacific Power customer.
• Have ducted electric heat serving at least 80% of the home’s conditioned living space.
• Ducts must be in the attic or crawl space.

FREE services include:

• Testing your ductwork performance and leakage.
• Sealing air leaks in your ductwork.
• Sealing crossover ducts and connections, and replacing them if necessary.
• Free LED bulbs installed to replace eligible halogen and incandescent lighting.