VGS is excited to offer customers an additional option for financing home weatherization improvements, the Weatherization Repayment Assistance Program (WRAP). WRAP is a 2-year pilot program, funded by the state and overseen by the Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA). VGS has collaborated with VHFA, Efficiency Vermont, and other utility partners to develop WRAP into a service that will bring weatherization improvement projects into reach for more Vermonters.
WRAP provides eligible residential VGS customers the ability to finance home weatherization upgrades on their utility bill. A participant can pay for qualifying weatherization projects like insulation and air sealing, as well as heat pumps and advanced wood heating systems, through a monthly charge on their gas bill that can be paid back over time. The cost of WRAP will stay with the meter of the home if the dwelling is sold or changes ownership.
WRAP is structured to provide customers the ability to pay back home weatherization upgrade costs over a period of 15 years, greater than the current 5-year terms VGS offers via partner lending institutions, reducing the monthly cost. Here’s a project example to compare financing options:
| 0% Financing | WRAP On-Bill | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Project Cost: | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| VGS Incentive*: | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| VHFA Incentive: | $500 | |
| Monthly Payment: | $42 | $17 |
| Monthly Savings: | $19 | $19 |
| Term: | 60 months | 162 months |
Both homeowners and renters can participate in the program. Customers who are interested can begin the WRAP process by scheduling a home energy evaluation here.
Once opportunities for energy savings are identified in your home, your energy auditor will work with you to determine if your proposed project is eligible for WRAP. Should you move forward using WRAP to pay for your home weatherization improvements, a monthly WRAP payment will be included right on your VGS bill.
This program is available for moderate-income households (earning less than 120% of area median income) with 12 consecutive months of on-time VGS bill payment history. $20,000 maximum project cost for unattached single-family homes or multifamily properties with a single VGS meter.
WRAP can be combined with VGS’s generous financial incentives and also with our low interest rate loan program offered through Green Mountain Credit Union.
