Dear Mr. Energy, What’s this I hear about Cash for Caulkers? I know you’re probably excited about it, because it will mean business for you, but what does it do for me? Seems like the government is just throwing money down the drain. –Disgruntled in Durham Dear Disgruntled, My, my, sounds like someone has low [...]
Here’s a super-simplified made-for-CNN version of how Cash for Caulkers will work, if/when/once it’s passed into law (sorry, commercial first…then video): What I like about the video is the end, where the homeowners say that they’ve calculated their payback and it’ll be sooner rather than later. This is a very important point to make – [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, I need to replace my old, inefficient hot water heater. What should I get to save the most energy (and therefore the most money)? –Morrisville Mama Dear Mama You’ve said that your goal is twofold: to save the most energy over the long haul, as well as to save the most money. [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, What will give me the best return on my money: replacing my single-pane windows with double-pane low-e windows, replacing my traditional hot water heater with a solar hot water heater, or sealing my attic and adding more insulation? –Perplexed in Pittsboro Dear Perplexed, Mr. Energy loves a no-brainer. For, neighbor friend, this [...]
Dear Mr. Energy, Does buying Energy Star really save that much money? I’m wondering how cost-effective it is to spend $1000+ on a new washer or refrigerator to replace perfectly functional existing appliances. –Cheap in Chapel Hill Dear Cheap, Mr. Energy completely understands where you’re coming from and in fact, he has mixed feelings on [...]
Question for you: What zip codes do you serve? That’s an excellent question! And yes, in case you’re wondering, this is a shameless attempt to work some SEO magic for our blog + website. Home Performance NC does energy audits, energy ratings, green ratings, and weatherization in the greater Triangle NC area. Once Cash for [...]
I wish I could tell you that Cash for Caulkers was going to be retroactive from the beginning of this year, or even last year. I wish that the plan was a little further along in the process and we knew more details. This would help homeowners make decisions about what they can do now, [...]
Here is the link to the fact sheet presented by the White House on Cash for Caulkers. Finally! We’ve been waiting for this for a while. We are still interested to find out exactly how this will all go down, but the basics of the program (cut and pasted directly from the fact sheet) seem [...]
Minnesota Power is responsible for this wonderful graphic that prioritizes how homeowners can achieve energy efficiency: I like how the arrow on the left has the equation: complexity/investment. Return on investment is exactly what we have been preaching all along. What can a homeowner do that does the most good for the least amount of money? This [...]
Here’s a nice little article/blog entry about how homeowners can prepare themselves for Cash for Caulkers/HomeStar should it go into effect. Number one on the list of suggestions? Get an energy audit by an “accredited buildings professional.” Nice!