Important! Rocky Mountain Power's planned changes to the incentives and equipment qualifications associated with our energy efficiency program have become effective as of February 16, 2015. For questions or additional clarification, please email HES@rockymountainpower.net.

Multifamily Duct Sealing and Duct Insulation

Duct Sealing and Duct Insulation

Get up to $600 cash back

Don’t let energy slip through the cracks

Improve tenant comfort and save on duct sealing and duct insulation. We offer cash back for duct sealing and duct insulation services that will increase the efficiency of your system by as much as 30 percent, saving your tenants money and ensuring consistent temperatures and healthier air quality.

Qualifications & Incentives

Equipment Purchases and Services Incentive

Duct sealing and duct insulation (For properties with electric heating)

 $600

Duct sealing and duct insulation (For properties with electric cooling)

 $100
  • Work must be completed by a Qualified Contractor.
  • Duct sealing and duct insulation services can be performed by multiple trade allies and must be performed at the same time to qualify.
  • Incentive available on existing ductwork only. Existing ductwork must be located in an existing property. Newly installed ductwork does not qualify for an incentive.
  • Ducts must be located in an unconditioned space. Definition of unconditioned space- an unconditioned space is any space outside of the thermal envelope of the building that is not intentionally heated for occupancy.
  • Minimum of 10 linear feet of exposed ductwork. All exposed ductwork must be sealed and insulated (ductwork only, not venting).
  • Property must have an electric heating system or a central air conditioner serving 80 percent of the floor area.
  • Qualified Contractor is required to perform CAZ testing, duct leakage testing and seal ducts with mastic.
  • Duct sealing must reduce duct leakage to outside by 50 percent with a 100 CFM minimum reduction.
  • Duct insulation must be installed after ducts are sealed. Ductwork must be insulated to a minimum of R-6. Pre-existing insulation must be non-existent or less than R-2.
  • Qualified Contractor must complete a program duct sealing and insulation worksheet.
  • Incentives are limited to one duct sealing incentive per duct system for the lifetime of the property.
  • Incentive application and required documents must be received within 90 days of completed service.

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 in the floor. Insulated, weather-stripped door (if above floor plane) and insulated 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.

Customer Eligibility

Multifamily properties featuring five or more attached units are eligible to receive program incentives.

Multifamily property owners must have a landlord account on a qualifying residential rate schedule. You can find your rate schedule on your utility bill or by calling 1-888-221-7070.

Qualifying Pacific Power residential rate schedules:

  • Washington: 16, 17 or 18

How to Apply

Prequalification:

Review the information in the Eligibility section of this page and call 1-800-942-0281 or email us to ensure your multifamily property is eligible.

  • Pre-inspection of multifamily property
    • Once it has been established that the complex is on a qualified residential rate schedule, a pre-qualification inspection will take place.
    • Please provide the following required information to initiate a pre-qualification inspection:
      • Specific street address or account number
      • Complex Name
      • Contact at the complex and phone number where they can be reached
      • Measures that are being requested to be inspected​
    • Once this information is received, an inspector will assess the complex to verify whether it qualifies and if it would benefit from our incentive offerings.
    • Your contractor will be notified of the status of the inspection. If the complex qualifies for any of the Home Energy Savings program incentives, the contractor will schedule a time with the property manager to complete the work.

Contractor completes energy upgrades:

  • The contractor will perform the necessary work for the project to qualify for an incentive. Consult with your contactor to get a clear understanding of the work being performed and how long it will take. Also remember to notify your tenants about the work being done.

Application is submitted:

  • Once the work is completed, the contractor submits one incentive application for the entire multifamily property to the Home Energy Savings program.
  • All units listed on the application must be verified on the landlord account (units may need to be added if they are not under the landlord account at time of review).
  • One itemized invoice detailing the work performed for the property must be submitted.
  • A completed W-9 form for the person or entity receiving the incentive check must be submitted along with the application for tax purposes. For changes to account name, contact Business Solutions at 1-866-870-3419.
  • In some cases a Third Party Payment Addendum will be required if a landlord account is not set up or if the payment is going to anyone other than the account holder
  • Applications cannot be processed if any required documentation is missing.
  • The property is then queued for a post-work inspection.

Post-work inspection:

  • After receipt of a completed incentive application the program will schedule a post-work inspection to verify all program requirements have been met.
  • A minimum of 25 percent of the units that received an energy efficiency upgrade must be inspected
  • Tenants should be notified of this post-work inspection beforehand.

Application is processed and check is mailed:

  • Checks will be issued for approved applications within six weeks of final processing.

Incentive Application Materials:

Questions? Call 1-800-942-0281 (option 2) or email us.