Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber General Manager Thomas Flaherty.
Reminder Publishing file photo
WESTFIELD — In the name of helping homeowners transition to energy-efficient heat pumps, Westfield Gas & Electric is expanding its innovative financing piloting program, called “Home Plus.”
The goal of the program is to increase the overall energy efficiency of the homes for those who qualify to customers throughout the city.
“This is a great opportunity to upgrade the comfort and value of your home,” said WG&E Key Account Sales Manager Andrew Short.
According to WG&E, the program eliminates the cost barrier that homeowners often face when seeking to upgrade to high-efficient heating and cooling systems by providing an interest-free loan of up to $27,000 for qualified homeowners.
When the program started, it targeted homeowners who own and reside in a Westfield Environmental Justice Block group designated by the Massachusetts 2020 Environmental Justice Populations Map.
“The program was restructured to expand across all neighborhoods in the city,” Short said.
WG&E General Manager Tom Flaherty said homeowners who are considering applying for the program should think of it as a “friendly loan from your local neighborhood utility.”
And the municipal utility is making it easy to repay the loan. WG&E noted that $150 will be added to a qualified homeowner’s monthly utility bill and paid off over 15 years.
This allows homeowners who may not be able to qualify for a traditional bank loan to upgrade to a heat pump, which people often forget also operates as an air conditioner.
To qualify for the program, homeowners must currently be heating primarily with oil, wood, propane or electric baseboard systems, and they must be a current WG&E customer in good standing, Short said.
For those homeowners who qualify, the program will finance heat pump installation, insulation upgrades and window and/or door replacements.
WG&E will also provide a free home energy audit conducted by the Center for EcoTechnology.
Homeowners can also use existing federal tax credits and WG&E rebates to reduce the amount financed.
WG&E also offers a rebate of $6,000 for the installation of a 4-ton heat pump, $2,000 for upgrading to energy-efficient windows, and $1,000 for upgrading a home’s insulation.
The utility is offering up to $3,500 to convert the electrical panel in a qualified home from 100 amps to 200 amps, which is required for the pump’s installation, Short said.
Qualified homeowners also have the freedom to choose qualified, licensed contractors to perform the work, Short said. He added that several contractors in the city already meet those qualifications.
The Home Plus Pilot Program is backed by $1.5 million, which is self-funded by WG&E. The pilot will be limited to 50 participants, selected in rounds throughout the year.
As the program evolves, the loan payments will be plowed back into a revolving account so additional homeowners can take advantage of it with the idea of it becoming self-sustaining.
Interested homeowners can check their address eligibility and begin the application process by visiting wgeld.org/form-pages/home-plus.
