FAQ
General
Who is Sealed?
Sealed has pioneered an easy and affordable way to make houses cooler in summer, warmer in winter, and more efficient all year long. In partnership with energy utilities and certified local contractors, we finance key home improvements using the money homeowners currently waste on energy.
Sealed offers white-glove service that takes the pain out of home improvement. We also cover the upfront costs of the work, and only get paid if we reduce your home’s energy use.
Where is Sealed available?
Sealed currently serves customers living in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Metro Areas of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and the Chicagoland Area of Illinois.
What is the process to work with Sealed?
From your first call to final install, you’ll have a partner at Sealed to help guide the work on your home. It’s a simple, four-step process:
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Qualify
Take the 2-minute quiz to see if your home is eligible.
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Consult
Talk to Sealed – we’ll identify the weak points in your house and design a solution with you.
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Verify
We verify your upgrade plan remotely either by using a guided virtual experience to take the necessary photos and measurements, or with a home visit from our certified contractor.
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Install
Upgrade installations typically take just a day or two.
Read more about what it’s like to work with Sealed.
Can I change my monthly billing date?
Not currently. Our pay for performance billing is based on the cadence in which utility companies provide meter reads so your billing dates depend on when your utility bill is issued.
Eligibility
Am I eligible for Sealed?
Right now we only work on certain types of homes. Here’s a quick checklist to see if you’re eligible:
- You live in a single-family home (either stand-alone, or attached to other houses with a vertical wall like a townhouse)
- You own the home and it’s your primary residence. You’ve lived there for at least 9 months
- You heat your home with natural gas, oil, or propane
Can I work with Sealed if I have solar?
Absolutely! We’re huge supporters of solar. We’re also happy to help you get started with solar if it’s something you’re considering.
What utilities does Sealed partner with?
Our current utility partners are: Con Edison, Orange & Rockland Utilities, Central Hudson Utilities, NYSEG, RG&E, National Fuel Gas, Rockland Electric Utilities, PSEG Long Island.
Can I work with Sealed if my utility is not currently a partner?
Yes!
Am I eligible to convert from oil heat to natural gas heat?
This depends on the availability of natural gas in your area. First check with your local natural gas utility.
Upgrades
What upgrades are included with Sealed?
Sealed includes upgrades like air sealing, insulation, HVAC, and smart home technology. See descriptions of our Comfort Plan (insulation and air sealing) and Climate Control Plan (heating and cooling with air source heat pump technology).
Does Sealed install windows?
No. Here’s why:
Many people believe that replacing windows will solve issues like drafts or uncomfortable rooms. However, we’ve found air sealing and insulation to be much more effective (and affordable!) solutions.
While we don’t install windows, we’re happy to help coordinate an installation.
How does Sealed impact my home’s value?
Making your home more energy-efficient can make it more attractive to potential homebuyers. According to a study conducted by the Earth Advantage Institute, existing homes with energy efficiency certifications sold for as much as 30% more. Read more about how Sealed could impact home value.
What thermostats does Sealed recommend?
We like thermostats from Nest and Ecobee.
Does Sealed insulate walls?
Yes! But we always start by first insulating the home’s attic and sealing the foundation. These are the most common weak points in houses. If your home needs it we’ll also insulate the walls.
Can Sealed replace my heating system?
Yes! With our Climate Control Plan, Sealed can help you replace your furnace / boiler and air conditioning with state-of-the-art, high-efficiency heating and cooling system using heat pump technology.
Can Sealed replace my air conditioning unit?
Yes! With our Climate Control Plan, Sealed can help you replace your air conditioning and furnace / boiler with state-of-the-art, high-efficiency heating and cooling system using heat pump technology.
Can I make these upgrades myself?
For the type of work Sealed performs, we always recommend working with a contractor certified in home performance. These are the contractors we use at Sealed. This is highly specialized work, and we think it’s better to let the pros handle it.
When will a contractor come to my house?
Your contractor will first come by to verify the scope of work you establish with Sealed. Once the scope is approved your agreement will be finalized so that work can begin.
How will Sealed select my contractor?
When pairing you with a contractor, we look at your location and the scope of work to determine the best match.
Every contractor we work with has been previously vetted by Sealed. Our contractors are licensed, bonded, and insured, and certified by the Building Performance Institute. Only 2% of contractors meet our criteria.
Can I choose my own contractor?
Yes. However, given their expertise and qualifications, 95% of Sealed customers choose to work with our contractors.
How much do these projects cost?
The typical home air sealing and insulation project would be valued between $10,000-$20,000 USD. The typical home HVAC project would be valued between $30,000-$60,000 USD. Prices vary depending on the size and structure of your home. Sealed has partnerships with many local utilities that could help save you money on your project — talk to a Sealed representative to learn more.
Payments
How Sealed billing works
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We created your home’s unique Energy Profile
- Your Energy Profile is a formula custom to your home that tells us how your home used energy prior to the completion of Sealed upgrades. A home’s Energy Profile depends on the weather, structure of the house, and the people who live there.
- When you signed up for Sealed, we collected and analyzed your historical energy usage data and aligned it with real weather data to set your Energy Profile.
- Your Energy Profile includes two components:
- Everyday energy use: a formula for how much energy your home used in the past regardless of the weather (for appliances, lighting, etc.)
- Weather variable energy use: a formula for how much energy your home used in the past based on the temperature outside.
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We calculate your Energy Reduction by comparing your Pre-Improvement Energy Use to your Actual Energy Use
- With each Sealed billing period, we first calculate your Pre-Improvement Energy Use. We use your Energy Profile formula and real weather data during the billing period to determine how much energy your house would have used if you hadn’t made Sealed upgrades!
- Next, we look at your Actual Energy Use, how much energy your house used during the billing period according to your energy companies.
- We subtract your Actual Energy Use from your Pre-Improvement Energy Use to calculate your Energy Reduction, how much energy waste we prevented as a result of Sealed upgrades!
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We generate your Sealed Bill based on your Energy Reduction and your Energy Savings Price
- When you signed up for Sealed, we also agreed to an Energy Savings Price – a price per unit of energy reduced that Sealed would charge if we were successful in cutting energy waste in your home.
- We calculate your monthly Sealed Bill by multiplying your Energy Reduction with your Energy Savings Price.
- If your Energy Reduction for a given billing period is Zero, then your Sealed Bill is $0.