Frequently Asked Questions

EnergySmart rebates are available for eligible projects completed at existing residential properties in Boulder County. Homeowners, renters, property owners, and contractors can apply, as long as the project meets all program requirements and eligibility rules.

Yes. You must complete the pre-qualification process before your project is finished to confirm that you are eligible for an EnergySmart rebate. Projects completed before pre-qualification are not eligible for rebates.

To qualify, your total annual household income must be at or below 100% AMI (Area Median Income). The income limits vary based on your household size and change yearly. Please visit our rebates page to find specific limits based on household size.

Your income is verified using either the total income on your most recent tax return on file with the IRS or proof that you participate in a qualifying assistance program. EnergySmart uses a secure third-party vendor to review income information and process applications.

The list of qualifying assistance programs is available on our rebates page.

Complete our pre-approval form. Once your preapproval form is reviewed and approved, an advisor will be in touch to share the income verification application.

Your income approval lasts one year from the approval date. After that you will be asked to re-verify your income.

Multi-Family buildings with 4 or fewer units are eligible to apply for EnergySmart rebates. Buildings with 5 or more units are not generally eligible but may qualify for Partners for a Clean Environment (PACE) rebates, contact PACE to learn more.

Individually-owned condos or townhomes in buildings with 5 or more units do qualify for EnergySmart rebates when upgrades are made to the individual unit.

Manufactured homes, sometimes called mobile homes, are prefabricated homes that can be moved to a permanent or semi-permanent location. They usually do not have a fixed foundation and are often located in a manufactured home park with a lot number.

Site-built homes, on the other hand, are constructed on a permanent foundation at the property.

If you are unsure of your home type, email info@energysmartyes.com with your address to confirm with an advisor.

The EnergySmart rebate offers up to $2,000 per year. Combined with other rebates and incentives, it cannot cover more than 50% of the total project cost. Utility and State incentives count toward that 50% limit.

Yes, multiple rebates may be issued in the same calendar year, provided the total is not more than the $2,000 annual limit.

Yes, this rebate can be stacked with other rebates like utility, state, federal, or other available rebates/incentives. Keep in mind your total EnergySmart rebate amount, including other rebates, cannot be more than 50% of the project cost.

Apply for the rebate after your project is completed and an invoice is available.

To apply, you will need to complete the rebate claim form and submit the required supporting documents once your project is completed. Your advisor will help you with this process, but you can learn more on our rebates page.

Important note: The application process is separate and different from the pre-approval process. Pre-approval is completed before your project is completed and you apply for the rebate after your project is completed.

You must apply for an EnergySmart rebate in the same year your project is completed. If your project will be finished near the end of the year, check with an advisor about important application deadlines. Funding is limited, so we encourage you to apply as soon as your project is complete.

No. EnergySmart cannot rebate projects completed in previous years. Rebates must be applied for within the year the project was completed and invoiced.

EnergySmart rebates are updated each year. Most changes happen when new rebates are released at the start of the year. Rebates may also change during the year based on available funding or other factors.

Yes, rebate reservations are available to reserve funds once you are approved for and moving forward with a project.

To reserve a rebate, reach out to your advisor or email info@energysmartyes.com to request the rebate reservation form. Your advisor will work with you to collect the required information and complete the reservation.

No, rebate reservations are available for the income-qualified rebate but not required. Rebate funds are limited and issued on a first come, first served basis so reservations are encouraged to ensure funding availability for your project.

Reservations are held for up to 120 days from the date the reservation was completed and signed. Reservations apply only to the current calendar year and do not carry over into the new year.

You can find information about eligible projects on our rebate page. Requirements will vary based on the type of home you live in and the type of project. Your EnergySmart advisor can help confirm project eligibility.

Some projects may require you to work with a qualified contractor, depending on the type of project and your utility provider.* EnergySmart follows the same contractor requirements as your electric utility when they apply. For example, if your utility requires you to use a registered contractor to qualify for a rebate, EnergySmart requires that too. Below are the contractor requirements for utilities serving Boulder County.

• Xcel Energy – Contractor must be listed on eligible installer list for insulation/air sealing, ducted or partially ducted air source heat pump, and ground source heat pump projects.
• Longmont Power Company/City of Longmont (Efficiency Works) – Contractor must be listed on eligible installer list for insulation/air sealing, air source heat pump, mini-split heat pump, and ground source heat pump projects
• Poudre Valley REA – Open to any licensed contractor
• United Power – Open to any licensed contractor
• Lyons Power – Open to any licensed contractor

EnergySmart provides lists of contractors who have completed a rebate-eligible project in the program on our find a contractor webpage. The lists provided offer columns to show which contractors are registered on the appropriate lists and lists are updated quarterly.

*Manufactured Home projects are exempt from contractor requirements but encouraged to follow them where possible.

It depends on the type of project. Some projects require you to use a qualified contractor based on your electric utility’s rules. For those projects, self-installation is not allowed.

Projects that do not require a contractor can be self-installed as long as the work meets all required building codes and permits are obtained.

If you are not sure if your project requires a contractor, connect with an advisor at info@energysmartyes.com.

EnergySmart requires the following documents to successfully approve and process a rebate:

1. A completed rebate claim form
2. A final invoice or other proof of installation/completion
   • Invoices should be detailed, and as applicable include the scope of work, equipment model numbers, status of previous appliance fuel source (gas, propane or electric) as applicable, and broken out costs if multiple rebate-eligible projects were completed
   • Invoices should indicate the project is complete, if an invoice does not note this, the EnergySmart team may request additional documents like proof of payment or completion
3. For projects where a self-installation occurred, proof of purchase and clear before and after installation photos are required instead of final invoices. Please see the FAQ “What documents are required for self-installation projects?” for more details.

The documents required vary based on project type:

• Appliance projects like induction cooktops and heat pump dryers should include clear before and after photos. Photos must clearly show the previous appliance and newly installed appliance. If the previous appliance was gas, the before photo should indicate this. Additionally, proof of purchase (receipt, purchase order, etc.) for the new eligible appliance or equipment is required.
• Cellular shade projects should include post-installation photos, and side-view photos of shade structure. If multiple models are installed, provide a side-view photo of each model. Additionally, proof of purchase is required.
• If you are completing a project in a manufactured home, your advisor will work with you to share the required documents based on the project type.

A blower door test depressurizes your home to measure the home’s overall air leakage or air tightness. Blower door testing is required when any change is made that results in tightening the thermal envelope of the home. It’s important to make sure the home is airtight but also has adequate ventilation, the blower door testing will measure how airtight the home is after a project to know if additional ventilation should be considered. When a home gets to a certain level of airtightness, you will want to start considering mechanical ventilation to ensure the home has healthy and safe indoor air quality.

Below is a list of EnergySmart rebate-eligible projects that require blower door testing. If you are unsure if your project requires blower door testing, check with an advisor by emailing info@energysmartyes.com.

• Attic Insulation with Air Sealing
• Wall Insulation
• Foundation (Basement or Crawlspace) Insulation and Air Sealing
• Sub-Floor or Frame Floor Insulation and Air Sealing
• Professionally Applied Air Sealing

The Combustion Appliance Zone is the area(s) where gas appliances (furnace, water heater, etc.) are located in the home. These gas appliances, sometimes referred to as combustion appliances, need to exhaust all combustion by-products to the outside of the home. A CAZ test will check that the combustion appliances are venting and exhausting properly even under worst-case scenarios. This test is especially important health and safety test to ensure there are no harmful combustion by-products being released in the home.

Similar to Blower Door Testing, CAZ testing is required when any change is made that results in tightening the thermal envelope of the home. When a home with a combustion appliance is made to be more airtight, it might affect the ability of a gas appliance to exhaust properly. By performing the CAZ test after certain project(s) are completed, you can confirm the combustion appliance(s) are operating safely despite the changes made to the home.

Below is a list of potential EnergySmart rebate-eligible projects that require CAZ testing. If you are unsure if your project requires a CAZ test, speak with your advisor.

• Attic Insulation with Air Sealing
• Wall Insulation
• Foundation (Basement or Crawlspace) Insulation and Air Sealing
• Professionally Applied Air Sealing
• Sub-Floor or Frame Floor Insulation and Air Sealing

Exterior top plates are the top framing members of your exterior walls and are often points of air leakage in attic spaces. Due to the low angle of the roof deck, exterior top plates can be more difficult to access. Despite this, it is still important to seal all accessible exterior top plates to ensure the effectiveness of insulation in the attic to maximize your home’s efficiency and comfort. By sealing the exterior top plates with 2-part spray foam, you are not only better sealing the attic but also maximizing the R-value of the insulation.

EnergySmart views exterior top plate air sealing as best practice and therefore offers a bonus rebate for completing exterior to plate sealing in attic spaces, provided it’s listed on the final invoice.

No, exterior top plate air sealing is not required to receive the EnergySmart attic insulation and air sealing rebate. However, if you complete exterior top plate air sealing you may be able to receive a bonus rebate through EnergySmart.

A heat pump must have a minimum HSPF2 rating of 8.1 or higher and meet one of the three below options to be considered cold climate rated:

• ENERGY STAR Cold Climate Certified
• Have a COP ≥ 1.75@5◦F
• Have a capacity @ 5◦F of at least 70% of BTU @ 47◦F

EnergySmart utilizes the AHRI (Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute) database and AHRI certificates to confirm a heat pump meets the cold climate requirements. In most instances the AHRI provides all of the needed details. If the AHRI does not provide all the needed details, we may also utilize the NEEP Cold Climate Database or ENERGY STAR Cold Climate product lists to confirm the cold climate requirements are met. Please be aware that other entities who provide rebates like utilities may utilize different requirements for cold climate heat pumps. Talk to your contractor or advisor to learn more about other rebate cold climate requirements.

ENERGY STAR rated appliances can be confirmed on the Energy Star website using their Product Finder. Product specification sheets may also confirm ENERGY STAR ratings.

EnergySmart allows a lifetime limit of up to two rebates per property for eligible air source heat pump or mini-split heat pump installations. Applicable yearly rebate caps may also apply.

No, energy audits are not required to access EnergySmart rebates. However, energy audits may be required to access other rebates/incentives such as state or utility incentives. Additionally, energy audits can be a valuable step to take before completing projects.

The CARE (Colorado Residential Affordable Energy) Program works in collaboration with your utility and Boulder County to provide free energy-efficiency improvements to income-qualified households. Your advisor will notify you of the CARE program if it appears you might income-qualify (household income below 80% AMI) for the program. If you qualify CARE program it’s certainly worth considering since it can offer certain projects at no upfront cost to you, whereas the EnergySmart rebate will not offer full cost coverage.

It depends. Since CARE offers full cost coverage on certain projects, EnergySmart cannot provide rebates on projects completed by CARE. You can access the EnergySmart rebate for projects not completed or covered by CARE.