Feb 7, 2009 12:30 am US/Eastern
MoneySaver: Energy Audits Save Money On Heating
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
If you keep turning the thermostat up, but your house still feels cold, you're wasting money.
However, there are tips that can help you save up to 40 percent on your heating bills.
"This door here is costing them, probably, $30 to $50 a month," energy auditor "Frank Treglia says. "Being a hollow door, it's very inefficient."
There are secret sources of air leaks that can cost you big bucks, from hollow doors and spotty insulation, to gaps and holes hidden behind walls and floors.
Energy expert Frank Treglia uses what's called a thermographic camera to uncover areas of heat loss in Reverend LeRoy Leach's home.
"In this case, we're picking up that none of the outside walls have insulation," Treglia says.
What you don't know about your home can lose you a lot of money, which is why Traglia conducts energy audits.
Using infrared images, his camera can pinpoint changes in room temperatures. Red indicates that the area is energy efficient, while blue or green show that it's not – resulting in major heat loss.
"If he had insulation, the wall would be red, indicating the heat that's being contained on the inside," Treglia says.
That explains why the house is always cold, even though Leach is always turning up the thermostat.
"[We lost heat] even after the new windows were put in, which we thought would solve a lot of our problems," Leach said.
Like many homeowners, Leach also learned that he's losing heat through windows that are still holding air conditioning units, through areas of his basement, and especially in his attic.
"I've never heard of insulating the attic floor," Leach says.
Normally, it would cost upwards of $8,000 to make a two-story house like Leach's more energy-efficient. But thanks to Habitat for Humanity, who is working with Treglia, the audit, supplies, and labor are all free.
If you live outside of Westchester, discounts and tax breaks on an energy audit and upgrades to your home are also available. The following links can help you find information on making your home more energy efficient.
Empower NY- (free to low income families in Con Ed territories) Green Tree Energy is a program participant and can be contacted directly to help these families.
http://www.getenergysmart.org/LowIncome/EmPower/ConEd.aspx
Assisted Home Performance – This program will rebate up to 50% of the cost of improving the energy efficiency of a home or offer low interest rate financing subsidized by NYSERDA and the utility company. Income limitations apply.
http://www.getenergysmart.org/SingleFamilyHomes/ExistingBuilding/HomeOwner/LowIncomeEligible.aspx
Home performance with Energy Star- This program will rebate up to 25% of the cost of improving the energy efficiency of a home or offer low interest rate financing subsidized by NYSERDA and the utility company. (see attached PDF) No income limitations apply
http://www.getenergysmart.org/SingleFamilyHomes/ExistingBuilding/HomeOwner.aspx
GREEN TREE ENERGY:
www.greentreeenergy.com
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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