Spire’s Pay As You Save (PAYS®) program makes it easier for you to reduce your utility bill and make your home more comfortable, while creating long-term energy savings.  

We do this by covering all or most of the upfront costs needed to install energy-efficient equipment in your home.  

Over time, you repay the costs for these upgrades through a fixed monthly PAYS charge added to your Spire bill that is less than the estimated annual savings. Since the new energy-efficient upgrades save you money by using less energy, your annual bill should be lower than before. 

We’re always looking for ways to help our customers save energy – and money.

Energy-efficiency programs, like PAYS, can help you bring energy saving strategies to your home. 

Since energy-efficiency upgrades can be costly for some families, PAYS can help you afford energy-saving strategies and equipment upgrades to your home. A more energy efficient home has other benefits besides lower costs, though.  An energy-efficient home is often a healthier and more comfortable place to live.

When you participate in our PAYS program and agree to have our energy analysts recommended cost-effective upgrades installed, Spire will share the upfront cost based on your participating gas and electric providers and which bill you're realizing the estimated bill savings on. Your PAYS charge will be split and reflected on both your gas provider and electric provider bills.

Spire is investing in your home’s efficiency by providing most or all of the upfront costs to install the cost-effective upgrades. You will have no loan and no debt, and there are no credit requirements. 

To recover our investment costs for the upgrades, a fixed monthly charge will be placed on your bill that is less than the estimated annual savings. Unlike a loan, this charge stays with the home, and is not a personal debt assigned to you. This means that the upgrade costs do not show up on your credit as a debt you personally owe and do not follow you should you move.

There are a few factors that may impact the size of your copay, if one is required.  In general, a home that uses less energy overall will usually have a higher copay, because there isn't as much savings to offset the cost of the upgrade. The reverse is also true -- a high energy use home will see a lower copay because they'll be saving more money with the upgrades.

Participating program HVAC contractors may offer financing options. Customers should discuss options with their program contractor. 

The PAYS program is a co-delivery program, which means that your participating utility providers – Spire and Ameren Missouri or Evergy -- are working together to help you save even more on your energy bills.  Through PAYS, we’re able to help you afford energy-efficient natural gas and electric appliance upgrades at little to no upfront cost to you and offer rebates from both utilities for qualifying upgrades. 

By participating in the PAYS program, your bill should be lower than it would have been prior to participating. That’s because we only install energy-efficient upgrades after determining whether these upgrades would save more over time than they cost to install. In short, you pay back the upgrades while still saving money. 

The PAYS program – Spire – however, cannot guarantee a certain level of energy savings since changes in weather, tenant behavior, or changes in electric or natural gas rates can affect the total bill amount.

Whoever owns the property where the upgrades have been installed is responsible for maintaining the upgrades. For an HVAC upgrade (central heat and air), the new unit is to be serviced once a year by a PAYS authorized contractor. 

The first three years of service are included in the price of the HVAC unit, and then it’s the responsibility of the owner to continue maintenance beginning in year four. Servicing your unit annually and changing the filters when needed will also ensure the manufacturer’s parts warranty is active.

The fixed PAYS charge, though shown as a line item on your bill, is considered an essential part of your Spire utility bill. If you fall behind on your bill, we encourage you to reach out to us immediately so that we can provide the most assistance possible. If you’re having trouble paying your bill regardless of participation in the PAYS program, we’re here to help.  Call us at:

• Spire (Eastern region customers): 800-887-4173 (Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
• Spire (Western region customers): 800-582-1234 (Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

PAYS may be a good option for you if you live in a home with older, inefficient appliances or equipment and are looking to upgrade without taking out a loan. 

If you're not sure if PAYS is the right program for you, check out other programs that can help you save energy and money:

• Weatherization
• Rebates
• Financing

Participation is open to all Missouri residential homeowners and renters (with owner consent), including those in apartments or condos. Mobile home customers can participate but must be on a permanent foundation and cannot be more than 25 years old. Your home must be free of structural, health, or safety concerns that could prevent an installed upgrade from functioning in the home for the upgrades expected lifetime (i.e., mold, foundation concerns, water damage, missing roof, wall, or floor sections currently under renovation etc.). 

You may be eligible for free in-home upgrades or weatherization services, financial assistance, and expert guidance on ways to reduce energy usage and improve your home’s health and safety from Spire . 

You can find more information about income-eligible programs and weatherization services. 

To get started, you’ll first fill out an interest form to schedule a free home energy assessment.

The no-obligation energy assessment includes free installation of energy saving measures such as LED bulbs, smart power strips, faucet aerators and more. If your home is eligible for PAYS upgrades, you’ll also receive a detailed energy assessment and customized plan (“Easy Plan”) outlining the energy saving measures offered through PAYS along with a cost breakdown.  

If you choose to implement the plan and install energy-efficient equipment in your home, you’ll sign a contract and a PAYS-authorized contractor will perform the installation.

Your payment history doesn’t affect eligibility in the PAYS program. There are no credit checks or payment history requirements. 

Upgrades that are offered at no charge with enrollment include:

• Low flow showerheads
• Faucet aerators 
• Water heater wraps 
• Standard LED lights 
• Smart Power Strips 

Additional cost-effective upgrades offered through PAYS:

• HVAC upgrade 
• Attic insulation
• Air sealing 
• Duct sealing
• Water heaters 
• Smart thermostats 

Although there are no dollar amount limitations, approved upfront costs provided by Spire must meet cost effectiveness qualification criteria.

We’ll apply existing qualifying Spire rebates to your PAYS program offer. These rebates will help reduce the overall project cost and/or a potential co-pay. 
 

If your utility bill isn’t as low as estimated, it may be caused by: 

• An increase in energy usage due to additional people living in your home 
• New appliances added to the home since you started the program (for example, a new hot tub, tanning bed, freezer, etc.) 
• A change to the physical structure (for example, a home addition, broken window, hole in roof or wall, etc.) 
• Extreme weather patterns
• Substantial increase in time spent at home, which means more energy usage 
• Increase in utility rates 

If these situations haven’t occurred, please call our PAYS program operator at 877-987-7112 to review further with you.

If you move after signing up for PAYS, that's okay. The monthly charge is tied to your current residence, so once you move, you won't be responsible for the payment. Whoever moves in next will take over the monthly charges until it has been paid off.

If you are a homeowner or landlord, you are responsible for informing the next owner or tenant of the payment responsibility. And, you'll have them sign a Disclosure Notice before selling or leasing. 

The monthly PAYS charge applies to your current residence, so if you move you’re no longer responsible for paying the monthly PAYS charge for that location. The next occupant will continue to pay the utility bills which include the monthly PAYS charge. 

Homeowners and landlords are responsible to inform the next owner or tenant of their responsibilities and have them sign an Efficiency Upgrade Notice explaining the PAYS upgrades installed at that location prior to executing a lease or sale. A secondary signed Notice will also be filed with the county so that disclosure of the upgrades and our cost recovery of them is certain at the time of a title search. 

If the previous owner or current landlord of your property invested in your home by installing energy-saving upgrades prior to you moving in, your bill should be lower than it would have been before with the older inefficient equipment. 

Before renting or buying the home, make sure the landlord or seller provides you with a copy of the Notice of Tariff charge which identifies the fixed monthly PAYS charge, your home’s efficiency, and your responsibilities including servicing and maintaining the upgrades. You’ll see the monthly PAYS charge appear on your utility bills for as long as you live at that location or until our cost recovery is complete, whichever is first.  

If you would like more information on PAYS, please visit SpireEnergy.com/PAYS or call us Monday-Friday between 8 am–5 pm at 844-523-9977 (toll-free).  

Please call a PAYS Participant Relationship Specialist Monday-Friday between 8 am – 5 pm at 877-987-7112. 

For questions about your utility bill, please call us at: 

• Spire (Eastern region customers): 800-887-4173 (Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)
• Spire (Western region customers): 800-582-1234 (Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)