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Insulate & Seal


Does your home feel drafty in the winter? Do you experience uneven temperatures between rooms or walking down hallways? Is your heating and cooling equipment running constantly, even when you do not think it should be? If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then you might need to seal the leaks and increase the amount of insulation in your attic and duct system. Do not go another day feeling uncomfortable in your own home; contact one of our Participating Contractors today, and have your home and duct system evaluated!

Receive up to $425 for sealing and insulating your home!

The Smart $aver Insulate and Seal program provides incentives for improving the efficiency of your home and duct system. Call one of our Participating Contractors and have your home evaluated today.

Program Rules and Requirements:

  • To be eligible for the Insulate and Seal incentives, the service must be performed on or after October 1, 2012 and must be performed by a Participating Contractor.
  • The Insulate and Seal service must be completed in its entirety, and result in your home or duct system's efficiency improving, as determined by pre and post measurements that will be taken by your contractor.
  • Your contractor must submit the completed application within 90 days of service in order for you to be eligible for the incentive.

Note: Duke Energy reserves the right to revise program requirements and incentive levels at anytime. Incentives are subject to availability. For questions not addressed on the website, call 866-785-6209.

Finally, an incentive that will allow you to stop cooling your attic and improve the air you breathe.

The combination of sealing your home and adding attic insulation is proven to provide lifelong energy savings – and increase the comfort of your home.

Lifelong Energy Savings - Did you know that your home leaks air? No home should be completely air tight, but you can vastly improve the efficiency of your home by sealing unnecessary leaks. In most homes, almost every light bulb, ceiling fan and plumbing fixture that you see represents at least one leak in the shell of your home. None of these leaks are very large by themselves, but together, they can be very costly. By sealing the leaks in your ceiling, floors and walls, your home can become much more efficient in the way it uses energy – because the air does not escape as easily. ENERGY STAR® estimates that you can save up to 20 percent on your heating and cooling costs by appropriately sealing and insulating your home.

Indoor Air Quality - Another important benefit of sealing your home is that you can control where and how your house breathes. Many times, homes are built in a way that allows air to be sucked in through leaks in the floor, which results in stale air from a crawlspace or unfinished basement being brought directly into your home. This air is generally dirty and can be infested with pesticides or other harsh chemicals that are potentially dangerous to your health.

Certified Contractors - Our Participating Contractors are all Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified and understand the importance of performing the job correctly. BPI contractors are knowledgeable professionals who have undergone intense training so that they can identify and remedy home energy waste, as well as potential safety hazards, such as unvented or backdrafting combustion devices in the home.

Note: Duke Energy reserves the right to revise program requirements and incentive levels at anytime. Incentives are subject to availability. For questions not addressed on the website, call 866-785-6209.

Customer Eligibility

Incentives are paid for qualifying home and duct improvements completed on or after October 1, 2012. Only Duke Energy North Carolina electric residential retail customers residing in single-family homes and duplexes qualify. Incentives are paid after the home or duct system improvement is completed, and after the application and all supporting documentation has been successfully submitted and approved.

Qualifying Energy Saving Improvements Customer Incentive Amount
Attic Insulation and Air Sealing $250
Duct Sealing $100
Duct Insulation $75

To be eligible for the attic insulation and air sealing incentive, attic insulation has to be improved from R-19 or below to at least an R-30, and your home leakage rate must be improved by at least 5 percent.

To qualify for the duct sealing incentive, your duct leakage rate must be improved by a minimum of 12 percent.

To be eligible for the duct insulation incentive, your duct system must serve at least 1,000 square feet of conditioned space, and if located in an unconditioned basement or crawlspace the duct insulation must be increased from R-0 to at least an R-6 and if located in an unconditioned attic the insulation must be increased from R-4.2 or below to at least an R-19.

Search for a Participating Contractor that is right for you.

Are you a contractor who is interested in joining our contractor network? Select the How to Become a Trade Ally button on the right hand side of your screen to learn more.

Note: Duke Energy reserves the right to revise program requirements and incentive levels at anytime. Incentives are subject to availability. For questions not addressed on the website, call 866-785-6209.

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What is a Participating Contractor?

A Participating Contractor is an industry professional who has met Duke Energy's requirements for contractors, including completing program training, maintaining industry leading certifications and completing Duke Energy's Trade Ally registration form. Only these Participating Contractors are approved to perform Insulate and Seal services on behalf of Smart $aver.

Are the Participating Contractors certified?

Duke Energy requires that all contractors who participate in the Smart $aver Insulate and Seal program be certified by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BPI contractors are knowledgeable professionals who have undergone intense training so that they can identify and remedy home energy waste, as well as potential safety hazards, such as unvented or backdrafting combustion devices in the home. Refer to www.bpi.org for additional information.

How do I apply for a Smart $aver incentive?

Your Participating Contractor will submit your Incentive Application for you.

How often can I receive a Smart $aver Insulate and Seal incentive?

You can receive the attic insulation and air sealing incentive one time per household. The duct sealing incentive can be paid one time per duct system. So, if you have two systems in different areas of your home, such as the attic and an unconditioned basement, you could qualify for two of the $100 incentives.

I've heard the "R-Value" of my insulation is important. What is it and how can I improve it?

If you live in an older home and have never upgraded your insulation, you'll see a significant increase in your comfort and a decrease in your energy bills by upgrading your attic insulation to a higher R-value. The R-value of insulation indicates its resistance to heat flow. In the summer, insulation with a higher R-value is better at keeping hot air out. And, in the winter, it's better at keeping warm air inside. If you'd like to increase your comfort and decrease your energy bills, take advantage of the Insulate and Seal incentive and upgrade your home's insulation to an R-value of R-30 or higher.

What can I do if I am experiencing hot or cold spots in my house?

If you have uneven heating in different parts of your house, it could mean your home's duct system is wasting up to 20 percent of your home's energy. Since your ducts typically run underneath the house or through the attic, they can be exposed to many hazards, such as extreme weather, rodent activity or accidental damage from items stored in attics. In addition to wasting energy, this could also result in poor air quality in your living spaces. Have a Participating Contractor seal the holes in your duct system and you could also receive a $100 incentive through the Smart $aver Insulate and Seal program.

Why does Duke Energy want to help me use less energy?

By 2030, demand for electricity in the United States is expected to grow by approximately 25 percent. In the past, utilities like Duke Energy would build new power plants to keep up with the rising demand for power.

But building new power plants is expensive, and each takes years to complete. Plus, new power plants can have a negative impact on our environment.

The cleanest, most efficient power plant is the one we never have to build. If we can help our customers save energy – and save money in the process – it can reduce the demand for new power plants.


Note: Duke Energy reserves the right to revise program requirements and incentive levels at anytime. Incentives are subject to availability. For questions not addressed on the website, call 866-785-6209.