How Beverly made her Fremont home healthier and more comfortable with EASE Home
Beverly has loved living in her quiet Fremont home, but lately the drafts in her older house were getting hard to ignore. When she asked a contractor about adding insulation, she didn’t expect his response: a recommendation to try BayREN’s Efficiency and Sustainable Energy (EASE) Home program instead of taking the job.
The EASE Home program, available across all nine Bay Area counties, helps homeowners and renters in single-family homes make energy efficiency and weatherization upgrades that improve comfort, lower bills, and support healthier living. BayREN covers 80% of the project cost, and the customer share never exceeds $1,000 — making home improvements more affordable for moderate-income households who may not qualify for other income-qualified programs.
As a retired senior on a fixed income, Beverly typically does not qualify for low-income programs. Under EASE Home, households earning up to 120% of their county’s area medium income (AMI) are eligible. In Alameda County, where Beverly lives, that translates to an annual income of up to $144,975 for a family of two.
Besides income eligibility, residents need to live in one of the nine Bay Area counties, be a PG&E customer, and live in a home built before 2010 to qualify for the program.
After confirming her eligibility, an Energy Advisor visited her house to design a personalized proposal to enhance her home’s energy efficiency and comfort. Then a few days later, one of the program’s vetted contractors came to install the upgrades. Beverly paid the $1,000 co-payment to the contractor and BayREN took care of the remaining cost of $6,300.
Through the program, Beverly received a suite of improvements, such as:
Deeply buried ducts: Insulation was added around the ducts in her attic so that heated or cooled air could travel through her home efficiently without losing energy.
Whole-home air sealing: Small gaps and cracks were sealed to limit air leaks and improve indoor comfort. Air sealing maintains stable indoor temperatures and also helps block moisture and pests.
Weatherstripping: Doors and windows were sealed to reduce drafts, helping to maintain a consistent indoor temperature.
Kitchen vent hood replacement: A new, more efficient fan was installed to improve ventilation and help remove cooking odors and pollutants, which is especially beneficial for households with children with asthma.
“One of the biggest changes I noticed is that there are no more lingering scents after I cook in the kitchen,” Beverly shared in a recent interview with KTSF. She went on to say, “I encourage [anyone] to apply because you never know if you qualify!”
Beverly’s daughter, who lives in Beverly’s childhood home nearby, also experienced drafts and uneven temperatures. Fortunately, her daughter also qualified for the program and received new attic insulation, along with air sealing and weatherstripping. The home is now more comfortable, energy efficient, and protected from outdoor allergens and pollutants. Today, both mother and daughter enjoy healthier, more comfortable homes, made possible through BayREN’s EASE Home program.
Interested in seeing if you qualify? Learn more and apply.