Rebate Programs Available to Gerstle Park Residents

Removing your old wood stove and making your house more energy efficient might save you some cash

The Marin County Sustainability Team works in tandem with city and state agencies to find ways to help Marin County residents save money while making our air cleaner and our homes more energy efficient. Currently, Gerstle Park residents are eligible for several rebate programs.
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Spare our Air, and Remove Your Wood Stove.
In Marin, communities that reside in valleys tend to collect more particulate matter (PM) pollution from residential wood smoke burning during the winter than hillside and coastal communities. The San Geronimo Valley is a famous case where the geographical characteristics lend to higher concentrations of PM pollution than San Jose, West Oakland, and Livermore, despite having a small population.  High concentrations of PM can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate other lung diseases, and negatively impact hearth healthy, ultimately leading to increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. 

1. The County of Marin provides a rebate of $250 for removing a wood stove or decommissioning (rendering inoperable) a fireplace, and a $325 rebate for replacing a wood stove or fireplace with a gas or electric-powered option. Interested? Learn more at www.maringreenbuilding.org.  
2. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District still has funding for homeowners in Gerstle Park to remove their wood-burning stoves and fireplaces or replace them with gas-burning stoves or inserts or electric heat pumps. The rebate starts at $1,000 for a removal and replacement project. If you have been thinking about a project like this, sign up with the Air District ASAP at https://grantapps.baaqmd.gov (funds may run out soon). You must sign up with the Air District before starting any work.

Make your Home More Energy Efficient, and Save $$$
If your home is too cold in the winter, look into improving the insulation and air sealing first and foremost. An insulation and air sealing project is the most cost-effective project you can do to improve your home’s comfort. The Bay Area Regional Energy Network provides rebates for insulation, air sealing, furnace upgrades, hot water heating upgrades, and other energy efficiency improvements for single family homes. Learn more at www.bayrenresidential.org or call a Home Energy Advisor at (866) 878-6008.

A quick summary:

1. Wood smoke is bad for air quality and public health.
2. If you must burn wood, use best practices like burning only dry, seasoned wood (more at www.epa.gov/burnwise).
3. Rebates are available for decommissioning or replacing wood burning stoves and fireplaces through Marin County and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
4. Residents in parts of San Rafael, Sausalito/Marin City, and most of West Marin are eligible for larger rebates starting at $2,500; apply ASAP at https://grantapps.baaqmd.gov.
5. Additional rebates for home energy efficiency project are available. More info at www.bayrenresidential.org andwww.marinsustainability.org.