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California · #12 metro by population

Home energy audits in Riverside

Where to get a home energy audit in the Riverside area, what it costs, which rebates are open now and where California stands on the federal Home Energy Rebates. Every program links to its official page and was checked on October 12, 2026.

Metro area: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

An energy advisor’s kit on a front-hall bench: infrared camera, pressure gauge with tubing, tape measure, headlamp and a floor sketch
Start here Assessor’s price less a $250 rebate Home Energy Score California (statewide)
Rebates and incentives open now 6 of 9 3 closed or fully reserved
Federal Home Energy Rebates Closed What that means here

Riverside at a glance

Climate zone 3B

IECC 2021 climate zone for Riverside County, CA. PNNL ↗

What it means: Hot and dry climate. Months of extreme heat make AC your biggest bill and a safety system, too.

Heating and cooling 1,386 HDD · 1,854 CDD

Heating and cooling degree days, base 65°F, 1991–2020 normals at RIVERSIDE MUNI AP, CA US (USW00003171). NOAA ↗

What it means: Cooling needs outweigh heating here, so summer comfort and AC efficiency come first, with a short heating season.

Homes 1976 median year built

56.8% of occupied homes are owner-occupied. Riverside city, California, 2020–2024 ACS 5-year. Census ↗

What it means: Homes from this era usually have some insulation, but often thin attics, leaky ducts and original windows; air sealing and duct work tend to pay back first.

Radon EPA zone 2

moderate potential: predicted average 2–4 pCi/L (Riverside County, CA). EPA says not to use the zone to decide whether to test: high levels turn up in all three zones, so test every home. Radon testing guide · EPA ↗

What energy costs here

State Electricity¢ per kWh · July 2026 Natural gas$ per therm · 2025 average
California 33.6¢ $2.12 $22.01 per thousand cu ft

What this means for your bills: Electricity in California costs more than the US average (33.6¢ against 18.3¢ per kWh), so every kWh an upgrade saves is worth more here, and it's worth checking a heat pump's running cost against gas before you switch.

  • Electricity: EIA’s average residential price, July 2026 (preliminary; released September 24, 2026). The U.S. average was 18.3¢ per kWh. EIA ↗
  • Natural gas: EIA’s 2025 average residential price per thousand cubic feet, which EIA says includes taxes and delivery, divided by 10.36 therms per thousand cubic feet (EIA’s 2025 average heat content of 1,036 Btu per cubic foot). A full-year average is used because summer months run far higher. EIA ↗
  • EIA doesn’t survey heating oil or propane prices in this state; its weekly survey covers the states where those fuels are common for home heating.

Hot and dry Desert Southwest and inland valleys

What homes in Riverside need

Months of extreme heat make AC your biggest bill and a safety system, too.

Cooling is your biggest bill, and in extreme heat your AC is also a safety system. Ducts and air handlers often sit in the attic, the hottest place in the house, so leaks there waste a lot of cooling. A good audit checks the AC's health and size, tests and seals the ducts, and cuts attic and window heat.

In Riverside: Riverside County is all IECC climate zone 3B, including the Coachella Valley desert, which is far hotter than the city of Riverside. California electricity, about 30 cents/kWh in August 2026, makes every bit of wasted cooling expensive.

What drives bills and comfort here

  • Extreme, long heat: 100°F days come by the dozens each summer (Phoenix averages 111 a year).
  • Dry heat: summer dew points are low, so cooling is mostly about temperature. The monsoon raises humidity in late summer.
  • Most homes sit on slabs, so ducts and air handlers often run through the attic, the hottest space in the house.
  • Electricity prices vary widely in this climate (about 15 cents/kWh in Arizona and about 30 cents in California, August 2026), so the same AC use can cost twice as much, and upgrades pay back faster where power costs more.

Local risks to plan for

  • Wildfire: losses here are among the highest in the US, so plan for smoke.
  • Earthquakes: California law requires water heaters to be braced, anchored or strapped.
  • Flash flooding: inland and debris-flow flood risk is high.
  • Extreme heat: about 100 days a year reach 90°F, and 22 reach 100°F.

What to check first, and why

  1. Keep your AC reliable and right-sized

    A working AC is a safety system here. In Maricopa County's 2024 indoor heat deaths, 88% of homes had an AC, but 70% of those units weren't working.

    Ask your auditor: Ask for an AC performance check and a Manual J comparison before you repair or replace your system.

    Manual J load calculation

  2. Seal and insulate attic ducts

    Ducts in an unconditioned attic can lose 10–45% of the cooling they carry, and typical systems lose 20–30% of their air to leaks.

    Ask your auditor: Ask for a duct leakage test that measures leakage to outside, and a check of the attic air handler.

    Duct leakage testAttic inspection

  3. Cut attic heat gain

    ENERGY STAR suggests an R-value of R49 for an uninsulated attic in zones 2 and 3. A radiant barrier typically saves 8–12% of cooling costs and keeps attic ducts cooler.

    Ask your auditor: Ask whether a radiant barrier at the roof deck makes sense, and to seal attic leaks before insulating.

    Attic inspectionInfrared (thermal) scan

  4. Tame west sun and old windows

    Single-pane glass is still common in this region. Shading, solar screens and low-SHGC glass cut the heat coming in.

    Ask your auditor: Ask which windows take the hottest sun, and whether screens or shading should come before new windows.

    Infrared (thermal) scan

  5. Keep dust and smoke out

    Air leaks let in desert dust and, on smoky days, wildfire smoke. Sealing leaks and using MERV 13 filters keep more of it outside.

    Ask your auditor: Ask for a blower door test to find leakage paths, and whether your system can take a MERV 13 filter.

    Blower door test

  6. Check the pool pump and water heater

    About one in six houses in this region has a pool. Pool pumps and water heating are large loads you can control.

    Ask your auditor: Ask for pool pump run-time and water heater recommendations; your bills can show how big these loads are.

    Energy bill analysis

Tests that matter most here

  • Infrared (thermal) scan With a big indoor-outdoor temperature difference, missing insulation and air leaks show up clearly. Best timing: Summer afternoons with the AC running. Scan from inside; sun-baked outside walls give misleading readings for hours.
  • Duct leakage test Finds leaks in attic ducts and the air handler. Best timing: Early morning, before the attic gets too hot to work in safely.
  • Blower door test Measures total air leakage and finds the paths dust and smoke take into your house. Best timing: Any season.
  • Manual J load calculation A Manual J load calculation checks whether your AC is the right size before you repair or replace it. Best timing: Cooling season, before any replacement.

Upgrades that usually pay off here

  1. Duct sealing, plus insulation or buried ducts. In dry climates, burying ducts in attic insulation works without the condensation worries of humid areas.
  2. Attic insulation plus a roof-deck radiant barrier. A radiant barrier cuts heat flow from the attic into the house by about 40%, typically 8–12% of cooling costs, and keeps attic ducts cooler. Install foil at the roof deck or rafters, never on the attic floor.
  3. High-EER2 AC or heat pump. EER2 measures efficiency at peak heat, which is why Southwest rules set an EER2 minimum. A heat pump also covers your small heating load.
  4. Evaporative or two-stage cooling, where it fits. An evaporative cooler can use about a quarter of the energy of central AC. It works less well as humidity rises, such as during the monsoon. It needs relief vents or open windows, and regular maintenance.
  5. Shade screens and window shading. Solar screens and shading cut heat through older glass. SRP, for example, rebates professionally installed shade screens.

Heating and cooling equipment

  • Southwest rules: most new split ACs need at least 14.3 SEER2 and 11.7 EER2 (9.8 EER2 if rated 15.2 SEER2 or higher). Packaged ACs need at least 10.6 EER2.
  • Heat pumps suit this climate: heating loads are small, and about a third of Phoenix-area homes already heat with one.
  • Direct evaporative coolers drop supply air 15–40°F but add humidity. Indirect and indirect/direct units cool without adding moisture.
  • Size with a Manual J load calculation; oversized units short-cycle.

Health and comfort

  • Heat illness is the main risk when AC fails. Keep your system maintained and have a backup plan for cooling.
  • On smoky or dusty days, use MERV 13 filters, recirculate indoor air and filter any evaporative cooler intake.
  • Drain an idle evaporative cooler's pan so it can't breed mosquitoes or bacteria such as Legionella.
  • Radon turns up in desert homes too. EPA says to test every home.

Common mistakes in this climate

  • Buying an AC on SEER2 alone. EER2 shows efficiency at peak heat, and Southwest rules set a minimum for it.
  • Running an evaporative cooler with the windows shut. Without relief openings it can't work. In humid or smoky spells, adjust use or filter the intake.
  • Laying radiant barrier foil on the attic floor. Dust settles on it and ruins its effect. Install it at the roof deck or rafters.
  • An oversized AC. Bigger isn't better: oversized units short-cycle and run less efficiently.

When to book: Get the AC checked in spring, before triple-digit heat. Summer afternoons give the clearest infrared images, but attic and duct work belongs in the early morning.

Sources for this climate guide · checked October 26, 2026

Common problems in Riverside homes

What each one usually means in this climate, the tests that confirm it and the fixes, cheapest first.

Utilities in the Riverside area

Utility efficiency programs follow the company that delivers your power or gas, so check your bill before you book anything.

Electric

  • Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) City of Riverside (city-owned electric and water utility) Source ↗
  • Southern California Edison (SCE) Most of Riverside and San Bernardino counties outside municipal-utility areas; SCE serves 15 million people across 50,000 sq mi of central, coastal and Southern California Source ↗
  • Moreno Valley Utility (MVU) Public electric service within MVU's mapped service area in Moreno Valley Source ↗

Natural gas

  • Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) Most of the metro; 21.1 million consumers in 500+ communities across Central and Southern California Source ↗
  • Southwest Gas Says it serves 'portions of California'; its About page does not list which Inland Empire communities Source ↗

RPU's own income-qualified programs pair RPU electric service with a SoCalGas gas account, so RPU rebates and SoCalGas programs can both apply to a Riverside home. Other municipal and district utilities serve parts of the two counties (for example Imperial Irrigation District, which says it serves more than 150,000 customers, but its page did not state its territory), so check your bill.

How to get a home energy audit in Riverside

3 programs we track, open ones first. Prices are as each program publishes them. If you want a full diagnostic audit outside these programs, look for a certified auditor: how to find one and what audits cost.

SCE Home Performance Plus

CLEAResult under contract with Southern California Edison

Open
Free Select areas

Cost, as published Free home energy assessment and Energy Advisor guidance

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Who qualifies
SCE residential electric customers who rent or own a single-family detached home or a unit in a building of 4 units or less located in a Disadvantaged or Low-Income community (not available to RPU-only electric customers)
What you get
On-site visit by an Energy Specialist, a custom report with recommendations and available rebates, and access to more than $5,000 in program rebates
How to book
Schedule with an Energy Advisor via homeperformanceplusca.com/sce or call 888-662-1637 (9am-5pm PT, Mon-Fri)

Equitable Building Decarbonization (EBD) Direct Install - Southern California

County of Los Angeles as Southern Region administrator for the California Energy Commission

Open accepting interest forms in select communities; CEC expected first focus-area retrofits in Summer 2026; a community application process for other areas is expected late 2026
Free Income-qualified

Cost, as published No cost to eligible households

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Who qualifies
Households up to 80% of area median income in single-family, multifamily or manufactured homes built before January 1, 2020 that heat space or water with gas, propane or another fossil fuel, in an initial community focus area. Inland Empire focus areas: Hesperia, Indio, Moreno Valley, Riverside/Highgrove, San Bernardino and Victorville/Apple Valley.
What you get
Eligibility screening, a home assessment, then no-cost heat pump and/or heat pump water heater plus possible insulation, air sealing, duct sealing, induction stove, electric dryer and panel work
How to book
Interest form at socalebd.org or call 1-424-285-6602

Home Energy Score California (statewide)

Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) and Earth Advantage; funded by PG&E, SDG&E, SoCalGas and SCE ratepayers under the CPUC

Open · limits apply open (statewide program page live; no closing date stated)
Assessor’s price less a $250 rebate

Cost, as published Cost varies by assessor (BayREN says it depends on factors such as location and home size); the program FAQ says customers who get gas and/or electricity from a CCA or investor-owned utility are eligible for a $250 rebate toward it (Berkeley residents excepted because of BESO)

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Who qualifies
California homeowners can hire a certified assessor; the $250 rebate is for customers who receive gas and/or electric service from an investor-owned utility (such as PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas or SDG&E) or a community choice aggregator
What you get
Certified assessor walk-through (most take 45-90 minutes, including attic and crawlspace), a U.S. DOE 1-10 Home Energy Score, a report with energy-use, cost and emissions estimates, and prioritized upgrade recommendations
How to book
Find a certified assessor on homescoreca.org and ask for a score through the HES California program; confirm rebate eligibility and cost with the assessor

Rebates and incentives now

9 offers we track for the Riverside metro; 6 are open as of October 12, 2026. Many require the program’s own contractor or an audit first, so read the terms before you buy.

Whole-home upgrades 1 open of 1

SCE Home Performance Plus rebates

CLEAResult for Southern California Edison

Open open; the rebates page gives no status or end date

Official page ↗ · verified October 19, 2026

Amount Attic insulation $1.07/sq ft; wall insulation $1.06/sq ft; heat pump water heaters $500-$1,350; ducted heat pump $667/ton; ductless mini-split $600/ton or $1,144.80/ton; induction cooktop $424

Who qualifies SCE residential electric customers in single-family homes or buildings of up to 4 units; work through program trade allies. The program's main page limits it to Disadvantaged or Low-Income communities, but the rebates page does not mention that limit, so it could not be re-confirmed. Heat pumps must be rated 16 SEER2 or higher. A ducted heat pump must replace a central AC rated 13 SEER (12.4 SEER2) or lower and a gas furnace rated 80% AFUE or lower; a ductless one must replace a gas wall furnace with no blower fan rated 67% AFUE or lower.

Insulation and air sealing 1 open of 1

RPU Weatherization Rebate Program

Riverside Public Utilities

Open open (subject to fund availability)

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount Attic insulation 10 cents/sq ft (R-19), 15 or 20 cents/sq ft (R-30 or R-38+); exterior wall insulation (R-13+) 15 cents/sq ft; whole house fan $100; solar attic fan $100 (limit 2); electric attic fan $50 (limit 2); full insulated duct replacement (R-6 min) $150; cool roof $0.10/sq ft; ENERGY STAR windows/glass doors $1/sq ft; window film $1/sq ft; solar window screens $1/sq ft

Who qualifies All RPU residential electric customers; apply within 90 days of purchase

Heat pumps 1 open of 3

RPU Residential Heating and Cooling Rebate Program

Riverside Public Utilities

Open open (subject to fund availability; may be cancelled at any time)

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount Electric heat pump (15.2 SEER or greater) $750 per ton; central AC $150/ton (15.2-15.9 SEER) or $250/ton (16 SEER+); HVAC tune-up with refrigerant check $25; whole-house evaporative cooler $150; room evaporative cooler $50; Wi-Fi smart thermostat $50

Who qualifies RPU residential electric customers; matched condenser and coil required; apply within 90 days of purchase

South Coast AQMD GO ZERO single-family heat pump rebate

South Coast Air Quality Management District

Closed closed: reopened August 28, 2026, portal closed September 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM; new single-family and multifamily applications are still not being accepted. AQMD's Governing Board approved Phase 2 on October 2, 2026 for up to $60.2 million; the relaunch is 'forthcoming', with no date given

Official page ↗ · verified October 19, 2026

Amount Standard $1,000-$2,000 per unit; up to $3,000 in overburdened communities

Who qualifies Single-family homeowners in the South Coast AQMD area (which includes large areas of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley) replacing gas or propane equipment with heat pumps

TECH Clean California single-family heat pump HVAC and heat pump water heater incentives

TECH Clean California (Energy Solutions, under contract with SCE on behalf of California utilities, CPUC oversight)

Closed fully reserved since November 14, 2025; not accepting new reservations

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount Not published

Who qualifies California single-family homes through enrolled contractors

Appliances and equipment 2 open of 2

RPU ENERGY STAR and new-technology rebates

Riverside Public Utilities

Open

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount ENERGY STAR heat pump water heater $200; heat pump dryer $200; refrigerator $200 with recycling of old unit ($100 without; $50 recycling only); clothes washer $75; dishwasher $50; room AC $50; ceiling fans $25 each (max 4); high-efficiency electric water heater $50

Who qualifies RPU residential electric customers buying new qualifying products

SoCalGas Home Energy Efficiency Rebate Program (2026)

SoCalGas

Open · limits apply open; first-come, first-served until December 31, 2026 or until funds run out

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount ENERGY STAR furnace (AFUE 92%+) $1.40-$25 per kBTUh; tankless water heater $80-$1,500; storage water heater $300-$575; other gas appliances listed

Who qualifies SoCalGas residential customers installing qualifying gas appliances in an existing home

Income-qualified offers 0 open of 1

HEEHRA Phase I heat pump rebates (California's IRA Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates)

California Energy Commission, delivered through TECH Clean California

Closed closed to new applicants: single-family rebates fully reserved statewide since February 24, 2026 (unapproved requests waitlisted; no new income verifications); multifamily fully reserved since September 1, 2026 per TECH

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount Single-family: up to $8,000 (household income under 80% AMI) or up to $4,000 (80-150% AMI) for a qualifying heat pump HVAC system; multifamily up to $14,000 per unit

Who qualifies Income-qualified owners (or landlords renting to income-qualified households) replacing a non-heat-pump heating system; only through HEEHRA-trained, TECH-certified contractors with a pre-approved reservation

Financing 1 open of 1

GoGreen Home Energy Financing

State of California GoGreen Financing program (the page links to the State Treasurer's residential portal); utilities named do not lend

Open open (page modified October 6, 2026)

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Amount Loan amounts and rates not stated on the page; it advertises below-market rates, extended terms, no property lien, up to 30% of financing for other improvements, and 0% financing for heat pump heating, cooling and water heating in qualifying communities

Who qualifies Owners (and tenants with owner permission) of single-family homes, townhomes, condos, 2-4 unit buildings and manufactured homes on a site-built foundation who are customers of PG&E, SDG&E, SCE, SoCalGas or City of Palo Alto Utilities; customers of other publicly owned utilities 'may finance most measures'

Statewide rebate programs and federal options: rebates and programs.

Heat pumps in Riverside → What a heat pump costs to run here for cooling and heating, each heat pump rebate with the equipment rule that decides which models qualify, and the certified systems and brands that suit the climate.

Federal Home Energy Rebates in California

The two federal rebate programs, HOMES (whole-home efficiency) and the high-efficiency electric home rebates (HEAR, renamed HEEHR in 2026), are run by each state, so availability depends on the state. DOE rewrote the rules effective May 29, 2026 (Program Notice 26-2 ↗): no more federal rebates for switching from gas, oil or propane to electric equipment, and insulation and air sealing come before heating and cooling upgrades unless a home already meets a state-set level.

Status for the Riverside metro
Closed In California, HEEHR rebates for electric appliances are closed to new applicants, and HOMES rebates for whole-home upgrades haven't launched. Official page ↗ verified October 12, 2026

Program: HEEHRA (Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates) and HOMES (Home Owner Managing Energy Savings)

Run by: California Energy Commission (HEEHRA Phase I delivered by TECH Clean California; EBD Direct Install run by three regional administrators)

California received $590 million in total for Home Energy Rebates ($290 million HEEHRA awarded June 2024; $291 million HOMES approved January 2025). HEEHRA Phase I paid up to $8,000 (under 80% AMI) or $4,000 (80-150% AMI) toward a heat pump HVAC system through TECH-certified contractors; it launched October 2024, paused February 2025, resumed March 2025, was fully reserved in June 2025, reopened October 2025 and was fully reserved again on February 24, 2026. The HOMES award is split between EBD Direct Install ($130.3 million, no-cost retrofits for low-income households, projects must model at least 20% savings) and a statewide Pay for Performance program ($90.8 million) that has not launched (solicitation concept workshop held August 8, 2025). The CEC Q&A still says multifamily HEEHRA rebates are available, but TECH's incentives page says they were fully reserved as of September 1, 2026.

StateHEAR / HEEHR (electric appliances)HOMES (whole-home efficiency)
California California rebate guide
Closed closed to new applicants (waitlist only): HEEHRA Phase I single-family fully reserved statewide since 2026-02-24 and multifamily since 2026-09-01 (per TECH); HEEHRA Phase II not yet available; HOMES not available as rebates (some HOMES funds pay for no-cost EBD Direct Install retrofits in selected low-income communities) Official page ↗ verified October 12, 2026
Not open yet not launched ('HOMES rebates are not yet available') Official page ↗ verified October 12, 2026

How the programs work: Home Energy Rebates explained · every state’s status.

Help for lower-income households

Weatherization Assistance Program / LIHEAP - Riverside County

Community Action Partnership of Riverside County (951-955-4900), a CSD local service provider

Home weatherization, bill payment help and energy-crisis assistance for income-eligible households in Riverside County.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Weatherization Assistance Program - San Bernardino County

Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County (909-723-1500), a CSD local service provider

Home weatherization, energy-crisis help and residential lead-based paint hazard control (per CSD's directory).

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

RPU Energy Savings Assistance Program (with SoCalGas)

Riverside Public Utilities with SoCalGas; installs by RPU contractor Synergy

Income-qualified RPU renters and homeowners who first qualify through SoCalGas ESA can get no-cost refrigerator replacement, LED lighting, AC tune-ups, ECM motors, smart thermostat, insulation, weather-stripping, duct sealing and testing, and whole house fans (home size limits apply). Call 1-800-818-4298.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

RPU Mobile-Home and Multi-Family Energy Efficiency Program

Riverside Public Utilities with SoCalGas (contractor Synergy Companies)

No-cost measures (refrigerator, smart thermostat, LED lighting, ECM motors, crossover duct replacement for mobile homes) for RPU electric customers in mobile homes or multifamily housing with an active SoCalGas account; subject to funding.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

SCE and SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance (ESA)

Southern California Edison; SoCalGas

No-cost efficiency upgrades for households at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines (e.g., $82,500 for 4 people, June 1, 2026-May 31, 2027) or enrolled in qualifying public programs. SCE's Building Electrification program closed in September 2026 and the ESA Whole Home pilot is closed to new projects and ends with 2026.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Farmworker housing energy efficiency and solar

La Cooperativa Campesina de California & MAROMA Energy Services (CSD provider for Riverside and San Diego counties), 833-367-5497

Installation of energy-efficiency and weatherization upgrades, rooftop solar and solar water heaters for farmworker housing.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Equitable Building Decarbonization Direct Install (Southern California)

County of Los Angeles for the California Energy Commission

No-cost retrofits for households up to 80% AMI in focus areas including Moreno Valley, Riverside/Highgrove, Indio, San Bernardino, Hesperia and Victorville/Apple Valley.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Local energy rules

None of the 2 rules we found reach ordinary homes.

Not for ordinary homes

California Building Energy Benchmarking Program (AB 802)

Who it applies to Large buildings only: commercial buildings over 50,000 sq ft with no residential utility accounts, and multifamily buildings over 50,000 sq ft with 17 or more utility accounts. Does not affect ordinary homeowners.

Owners report energy use to the California Energy Commission by June 1 every year.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Proposed · not in force

South Coast AQMD Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 (zero-emission furnaces and water heaters)

Who it applies to Would have affected homeowners replacing gas furnaces and water heaters in the South Coast air district; not adopted

The AQMD Governing Board voted 7 to 5 on June 6, 2025 not to approve the amendments; previously amended rule language remains in effect, so there is no new zero-emission appliance mandate.

Official page ↗ · verified October 12, 2026

Notes worth knowing

  • No city or county time-of-sale energy disclosure, benchmarking or building performance rule for homes was found for Riverside or the Inland Empire in the official pages reviewed.
  • The Inland Regional Energy Network (I-REN) runs a Residential Incentive Finder for Riverside and San Bernardino county residents but states it does not administer the residential programs it lists; its own programs target public agencies, workforce training and codes.
  • RPU's rebate amounts are modest (e.g., attic insulation 10-20 cents/sq ft) compared with SCE's Home Performance Plus ($1.07/sq ft), but Home Performance Plus is limited to SCE customers in disadvantaged or low-income communities.
  • We found no free in-home audit open to all RPU customers on RPU's rebate, assistance or conservation pages; RPU's no-cost assessments come through the income-qualified ESAP.

Riverside: common questions

How do I get a home energy audit in Riverside?

Start with Home Energy Score California (statewide). Run by: Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) and Earth Advantage; funded by PG&E, SDG&E, SoCalGas and SCE ratepayers under the CPUC. Cost: Cost varies by assessor (BayREN says it depends on factors such as location and home size); the program FAQ says customers who get gas and/or electricity from a CCA or investor-owned utility are eligible for a $250 rebate toward it (Berkeley residents excepted because of BESO). Who qualifies: California homeowners can hire a certified assessor; the $250 rebate is for customers who receive gas and/or electric service from an investor-owned utility (such as PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas or SDG&E) or a community choice aggregator. How to book: Find a certified assessor on homescoreca.org and ask for a score through the HES California program; confirm rebate eligibility and cost with the assessor. We track 3 audit programs for the Riverside metro, checked October 12, 2026; all of them are on this page.

Are the federal Home Energy Rebates available in Riverside?

In California, HEEHR rebates for electric appliances are closed to new applicants, and HOMES rebates for whole-home upgrades haven't launched. Checked October 12, 2026. Nationally, DOE rewrote the rules effective May 29, 2026: federal appliance rebates no longer pay for switching from gas, oil or propane to electric equipment, and homes must get insulation and air sealing before heating and cooling upgrades unless they already meet a state-set level.

Is there help for lower-income households in Riverside?

Yes. Programs for income-qualified households in the Riverside metro include Weatherization Assistance Program / LIHEAP - Riverside County, Weatherization Assistance Program - San Bernardino County, RPU Energy Savings Assistance Program (with SoCalGas), RPU Mobile-Home and Multi-Family Energy Efficiency Program, SCE and SoCalGas Energy Savings Assistance (ESA), Farmworker housing energy efficiency and solar and Equitable Building Decarbonization Direct Install (Southern California). Each one’s rules and contacts are listed on this page, with a link to its official page.

Which local energy rules affect homeowners in Riverside?

None of the local energy rules we track applies to ordinary existing homes. One rule applies only to larger buildings. Proposed, not in force: South Coast AQMD Proposed Amended Rules 1111 and 1121 (zero-emission furnaces and water heaters).

Can I claim a federal tax credit for an energy audit in Riverside?

Not for an audit done in 2026. The federal credit of up to $150 for a home energy audit was part of the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C), and the IRS says it can’t be claimed for audits paid for or done after December 31, 2025. Public Law 119-21 ended 25C and the Residential Clean Energy Credit (25D) for 2026 work. An audit done in 2025 is claimed on the 2025 return (Form 5695).

Sources and checks

Every source below was opened and checked on October 12, 2026.

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