Prepare your home for winter with city weatherization help

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – Fall has officially arrived, which means winter weather and its cold temperatures will be here before we know it. The Charlottesville Department of Utilities offers customers a range of home weatherization and energy efficiency resources to help households prepare for frigid temperatures before they arrive, so they can remain comfortable and save money on utility bills this winter and all year-round.

With over 21,000 homes in the Charlottesville area built before Virginia enacted insulation code requirements, there is a good possibility that many could benefit from a weatherization upgrade. Utilities’ weatherization resources include:

• Free Attic Insulation Self-Assessment to help all households in the City, and for gas customers in Albemarle County, better understand their attic insulation needs. The self-assessment provides easy step-by-step instructions to gather and submit information about the attic and provides a free personalized evaluation for attic insulation that complements our other energy efficiency rebates and programs.
• Rebates totaling $650 toward upgrading attic insulation and air sealing, which are among the most cost-effective and beneficial upgrades you can make to increase comfort and lower heating and cooling bills. We also offer a $125 rebate toward installing a smart thermostat or a $100 rebate toward the installation of a programmable thermostat, both of which help maximize a home’s energy efficiency potential and manage energy consumption. These rebates are available to households that use gas to heat their homes.
• The Charlottesville Gas Energy Efficiency Program is a partnership with the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) that provides no-cost energy efficiency upgrades for income-qualified homeowners and renters. This program can assist households in single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes.

For more information on these resources, including specific eligibility requirements, please visit www.charlottesville.gov/utilityincentives or call 434-970-3800.