Many SoCalGas customers may not realize they could have their appliances or other improvements done to their homes for free in the name of energy conservation. Kim Baldonado reports July 7, 2022. Editor’s note: the program does not include dryers.
There’s a free program to make Southern California residents' homes more energy efficient, including with new appliances, and many people may not realize they now qualify.
"After a customer schedules an appointment with SoCalGas, the contractor will go to the customer's house, do an energy audit and then do a number of home improvements to help them conserve energy," SoCalGas' Denise Campos said.
The list of improvements can be long.
Some improvements include:
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- Attic insulation
- Water heater blankets
- Door weather stripping
- Faucet aerators
- Caulking Minor repairs to exterior doors and/or windows
- Low-flow showerheads Evaporative cooler vent covers
- Furnace repair or replacement (owner-occupied only)
- Water heater repair or replacement (owner-occupied only)
- Clothes washer
It's all done at no cost to the customer. Campos said some people think it’s too good to be true and don’t bother to apply. But because not enough people were taking advantage of the program, the eligibility requirements were changed.
"The income guidelines used to be up for a family of four, if they earned about $55,000 a year, and now if a family earns up to $69,375 they qualify for the program," Campos said.
Below you will find an eligibility chart from the SoCalGas website. It shows how high your income can be depending on how many people live in the home.
"Or if one person in the household participates in a public assistance program like Medi-Cal, Medicaid, or the national school lunch program, than the household would qualify as well," Campos said.
Here is the full list of compatible programs:
- Medi-Cal/Medicaid
- Medi-Cal for Families A & B
- Women, Infants & Children (WIC)
- CalWORKs (TANF)[1] or Tribal TANF
- Head Start Income Eligible - Tribal Only
- Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance
- CalFresh (Food Stamps)
- National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
- Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
About 330,000 customers are newly eligible. All will save money on repairs and new appliances, on their gas bills, and they’ll also help the environment.
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