The HOME STAR program has passed the house of representatives and has strong support in the senate. This $6 billion incentive program is designed to create jobs in the construction and home energy retrofit industries as well as improving the energy efficiency of the existing housing stock in the US.

Silver Star and Gold Star.

The HOME STAR program offers two paths to getting rebate money.

The SILVER STAR program is a prescriptive approach whereby the homeowner will get rebates of up to $3,000 for specific energy improvement upgrades including: air sealing; attic, wall, and crawl space insulation; duct sealing or replacement; and replacement of existing windows and doors, furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters and appliances with high-efficiency models.

The GOLD STAR program is a performance based approach which will provide rebates of up to $8000 for verified home energy performance improvements (up to 50% over current energy usage). This will require having a comprehensive energy audit performed as a first step. The audit must be done by a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Professional (or other approved accreditation) and the predicted improvements in energy performance must be verified by computer energy modeling using an approved software program. The actual improvements to the home must also be performed by a BPI Accredited Contractor.

Montana Energy Services’ staff preparing for BPI certification.

For this reason Montana Energy Services is sending two of our staff, Russ Hellem and Andy Lemann, to Helena to complete the necessary requirements to become BPI Certified Professionals. This will ensure that both Montana Energy Services and our sister company, Energetechs, will have the qualifications to perform any type of work under the HOME STAR program. We will be one of only a few home energy retrofit improvement contractors in Missoula and Montana to carry these highly regarded qualifications. This will help to keep Montana Energy Services at the very forefront of the  Home Energy Retrofit industry in Missoula, Montana.

Home Energy Retrofit Improvements under the HOME STAR program.

HOME STAR is just one of many federal, state, and utility company incentives for Missoula’s homeowners to improve the energy performance of their homes. Contact Montana Energy Services today for more information about these as well as the many other benefits of improving your home’s performance including reduced utility bills; improved comfort, health, safety, and indoor air quality; and improved building durability.

Call Montana Energy Services and Save Heat Now!

(406) 626 3121

or visit our sister company energetechs.com for more information on the many energy efficiency performance testing and consulting services that we offer.

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A Home Energy Retrofit is the process of improving the Energy Efficiency, Comfort, Affordability, and Durability of your home. Here in Missoula, Montana, we have a cold and challenging climate that can make it very expensive to heat a home through the winter if it not energy efficient. Sometimes we can tell just by looking at it exactly what is needed, but many times the first step is for us to perform an Energy Audit on the home.

About Energy Audits.

An Energy Audit is a type of home inspection that tells us where your using and losing energy and what needs to be done to fix the problem. CLICK HERE if you’d like to read more about our Energy Audit Services.

The Home Energy Retrofitting process.

Once the Energy Audit is complete we can formulate a plan for how to give you the best improvement in Energy Efficiency, Comfort, and Durability plus the best value for your money. The next step in the total Home Energy Retrofit could be any one or a combination of the following services:

• Air-sealing improvements – air leaks in the building envelope can be a huge source of wasted energy. We can find them and fix (most of) them to (sometimes they are in completely inaccessible places).
  
• Insulation upgrades – adding R-value to your attic, walls, floors, crawl-space and/or basement can be a very cost-effective way to lower your utility bills.
• Furnace Replacement – many older furnaces are in the 80% efficient range. The new ones that we install are typically in the 92-95% range. This can amount to substantial energy savings.
• Heating and Cooling System upgrades - often-times ductwork is poorly installed and systems are out of balance or just not working correctly. Fixing these issues can greatly improve the comfort and energy performance of your home.
• Ventilation – our Energy Audits often uncover problems with ventilation equipment such as range hoods, bath fans, and even dryer vents that aren’t working properly. Fixing these things ensures that unpleasant and potentially harmful contaminants are removed. We also install Heat Recovery Ventilation systems that can supply your home with constant fresh air without losing heat.
• Window Replacement - old windows are often one of the biggest causes of wasted energy and uncomfortable spaces in homes. We can replace those old, cold, leaky, drafty, energy suckers with beautiful, new, warm, and cozy windows that actually work.
• Crawl Space Improvements – crawl spaces are very often damp, nasty, spider infested, energy wasting, scary places. We can fix all of that and convert your crawl space to a clean, dry, and healthy asset to your home.
• Attic Upgrades – attics are often the place where the most cost-effective energy savings can be found because a) there is often a lot of heat lost through poor insulation and air-sealing in the attic, and b) they are typically easy to get to for making improvements.

If you click on any of the links above you can read more about our Missoula, Montana, Home Energy Retrofit Services. Or please email us with any questions you may have using the “Contact Us” form in the upper right hand corner of this page. Or call us at (406) 721 2741 and we’ll be happy to discuss your needs.

Insulation

Air Sealing

Mechanicals

• Noise issues
• Drafts
• Uneven temperatures
• Radon gas
• Allergens
• Odors
• Condensation
• Mold
• High Utility Bills
• Stuffiness
• Cold or hot areas
• Sick Building Syndrome

Whatever the problem with your home or other building our highly trained and experienced staff can help you to find the solution.

Call Montana Energy Services and SAVE HEAT NOW!

(406) 626 3121