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 Frequently
Asked Questions
about
RECO for new homeowners and sellers
Q.
I just bought a house in Berkeley. How do I comply with the Residential
Energy Conservation Ordinance (RECO)?
A. Assuming that you accepted full responsibility for RECO at the
time of sale, you now have one year from the date of sale to install all required energy-saving measures as required by the ordinance. See the RECO
web page for measures and the online compliance guide. Contact Community Energy Service
Corporation (CESC, a non-profit) at 981-7762 for a final inspection
once the measures are completed.
Q.
I am about to sell a house. How can I find out if the property has already met the RECO requirements?
A. Contact the Building & Safety division at 981-7440,
and press the star (*) key for a direct line. Be sure to give your name,
the property address, number of units, and date of last sale if known. Or,
call the Office of Energy and Sustainable Development at 981-5435 and provide
the same information.
Q.
I'm planning on doing some remodeling work on my new house, and I may not be
done within one year. Do I still need to bother with RECO measures before
I remodel?
A. Yes and no. Most RECO measures, such as attic insulation, heater
duct insulation, hot water pipe insulation, fire place dampers or doors, and
exterior door weatherstripping, will not be affected by remodeling projects,
unless you are removing your roof to add a second story, or eliminating the
fireplace, or re-routing your plumbing and ductwork. A kitchen or bathroom
remodel generally won't impede RECO measures (remember that any new showerhead
or aerators must also comply with RECO, so check before you buy.)
RECO measures are
intended to be cost-effective, and many of the products are free or
low-cost. If your remodeling project will affect these RECO measures, you
should file for an extension with the Building & Safety Division (2118
Milvia St, Berkeley, CA 94704), and have the RECO measures added to the scope of
work for your project. City Building Inspectors will then inspect to see
that all RECO measures are included as they do their regular inspections. See the RECO link above for details.
Q.
I want to upgrade my windows, furnace and hot water heater as part of my RECO
work. Will these kinds of expenses qualify towards my Maximum Expenditure
Allowance?
A. No. Since RECO does not require homeowners to replace these
expensive items, we cannot count them towards the measures that are still
required. However, there may be rebates
available from PG&E and EBMUD for these kinds of items to help you pay for
them.
Q.
Can you help me find a contractor to do RECO or other work on my house?
A. Unfortunately, no. As the department charged with
overseeing RECO, it would be a conflict of interest for us to recommend one
contractor over another. We recommend that you use the yellow pages,
word-of-mouth, and get at least two quotes for any work you need done. We
strongly recommend that you follow up and check references prior to having work
done. You may also want to contact the Contractors'
State Licensing Board to see if there are any outstanding complaints against
contractors you are interested in using. They also have an excellent
publication, "What You Should Know Before Hiring A Contractor," available
in PDF form on the website.
Community
Energy Services Corporation, the non-profit agency that performs RECO
inspections for the City of Berkeley, maintains a list of local contractors. You
may contact them weekdays 9 am -- 5 pm at 981-7762 or visit their website.
Q.
My newly-purchased house needs some seismic upgrades, including a new
foundation. Is there any assistance for this?
A. Currently there is a Seismic
Transfer Tax Rebate available for qualifying work done within one year
of date of recording the sale. It allows specific work done as part of
seismic improvements to be partially rebated, as part of Berkeley's commitment
to community safety. See the link above for guidelines and an application.
Q.
I've just found out that I need to have my know & tube wiring replaced
before the contractor can install attic insulation. Getting the wiring done
will also take longer than my one-year deadline. What should I do?
A. You can apply for a three-month extension from the City's
Building Official. Send a letter requesting an extension to:
City of Berkeley/Building & Safety Division
2118 Milvia St.
Berkeley, CA 94704
Atten: Building Official
You
should notify your homeowner's insurance company that you are having your wiring
upgraded, as it may also qualify you for a decrease in your insurance
rates. If you replace your older plumbing as well, it may further count
towards a decrease in your insurance, since your risk of flooding will be
lowered.
Updated
October 9, 2007
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