Quality Installation and Verification (QIV) Program

QIV ensures that your air conditioner, heat pump or furnace has been installed for best performance and reliability.

The QIV program is an innovative solution to reducing your home’s energy bill supported by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund in partnership with CL&P. For more information, call 1-877-WISE-USE (1-877-947-3873).

What is QIV?

Quality Installation and Verification is a program that provides you with assurance that your new or existing central air conditioner, heat pump or furnace has been properly installed for best performance and reliability. You will receive an incentive outlined below for participation in the QIV program. To be eligible for QIV, heating and/or cooling systems must be ENERGY STAR® qualified. QIV is performed by approved contractors to verify the heating and/or cooling system’s expected efficiency, energy savings and comfort.

What is the value of QIV?

You may question why you even need to have your new heating and/or cooling system tested. Isn’t it already performing at its best? Even newly installed systems may not provide the energy efficiency and comfort you expect. According to ENERGY STAR®, more than half of all HVAC systems in the U.S., for example, are believed to perform poorly due to one or more installation issues, which wastes energy and can increase peak load. QIV ensures optimum system performance providing you with:

• Increased reliability and lower energy bills
• Fewer repairs and longer equipment life expectancy
• Improved indoor air quality and a higher level of comfort

What happens during the QIV?

The contractor’s goal is to determine whether the heating and/or cooling system has been installed according to the ANSI/ACCA 5 QI 2010 Specification  (PDF) standard. This standard was developed by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) to ensure quality installation of air conditioners, heat pumps and furnaces.

The HVAC contractor will install your system using specified design criteria for proper sizing of the equipment. The installed equipment is then tested and verified that it meets the specification. At the completion of the QIV, contractors provide you with operation and maintenance explanations and documentation. They will also catalogue this information at their place of business for your future reference. In all, QIV contractors have a high level of training that is reflected in their business performance and level of service.

How do I participate?

Below are the steps to take for a successful QIV.

1. To participate in the QIV program, you must be a Yankee Gas or CL&P customer and have your account numbers available for verification by the contractor.
2. Arrange for a Home Energy Solutions (HES) assessment, which is an in-home service performed by a qualified contractor to determine your home’s energy efficiency. HES contractors will provide energy saving recommendations, on-the-spot improvements and rebates. Having the assessment will provide both you and the QIV contractor with an actual energy value for right-sizing of your equipment and prevents duplicating past mistakes as well as identifies less costly energy saving improvements. To find out more about the Home Energy Solutions program, click here.
3. Determine the high efficiency rebate that applies to your equipment. High efficiency rebates are in addition to the QIV incentive. A combined replacement of air conditioning and a natural gas furnace may take both efficiency rebates and both QIV incentives. The QIV program is not eligible for emergency replacements. All forms are provided by the HES contractor at the time of the visit. Additionally you may download the Residential Quality Installation and Verification Rebate for Existing Homes (PDF) or complete and print at:
• New or replacement ducted central air conditioning or air to air heat pump: New qualifying systems (must include all components for AHRI rating) may receive a rebate of $250.00 per system. Existing system replacements identified as operating and due for replacement by the HES contractor may receive a rebate of $500.00 per qualified system.
• Existing replacement ducted central natural gas warm air furnaces identified as operating and due for replacement by the HES contractor may receive a rebate for qualifying systems of $500.00.
4. Choose your QIV contractor. You can use this handy HVAC QI Bidsheet (PDF) to help you choose a QIV contractor from our approved QIV contractor list (PDF).
5. Once your new heating and cooling system is installed, send the appropriate documents to the QIV verifier at the address below. The verifier will confirm a successful QIV to Yankee Gas.
   
   Complete Connections
   326 West Main St. Suite 207
   Milford, Ct. 06460
6. Upon successful verification, Yankee Gas will send you the incentive check for participating in the QIV program, along with a certificate of QIV verification. The incentive is made possible by the Energy Efficiency Fund. Incentive checks are $500 per home for a successful QIV on your ENERGY STAR® air conditioning or heat pump* installation and $100 per home on a qualifying existing, early-retired natural gas warm air system.
7. Your ENERGY STAR® system has now been installed with the confidence of a QIV report by a quality assured HVAC contractor.
   
   *High efficiency air conditioning and heat pump rebates may be eligible for an additional early retirement rebate through the HES program. 

For contractors interested in becoming QIV approved

To become a 2011 Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund/Utility-approved QIV contractor:

• Apply to the utility using the Residential Quality Installation and Verification Contractor Application (PDF) and send to the utility in the territories that you cover. If you are installing in both territories, you will need to apply to both utilities.
• Complete a Quality Installation Verification Process and Report (Excel) and provide the documents to the customer. The customer is responsible to send the report to the QIV verifier: Complete Connections 326 West Main St. Suite 207 Milford, CT. 06460.
• Confirm that your QIV project has been added as complete on the approved QIV contractor list (PDF) on the utility website.

Contractors are encouraged to seek training for ENERGY STAR credentials. Information is available at www.energystar.gov. New Homes with Energy Star 3.0 will require credentialed HVAC contractors to utilize QIV beginning Jan 1, 2012. Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund existing home rebates will be moving towards a QIV requirement in 2012.