Go Green Save Money
Jill: Joan and Doug Wikel spend well over $3,000.00 a year to heat, cool and power their three-bedroom home. They would love to trim those bills and potentially get a $1,500.00 Federal Tax Credit which expires at the end of the year.
They aren’t sure where to start. That where Glen Hooper and his company Residential Energy Conservation can help. He conducts energy audits to pinpoint how homeowners can conserve energy and save money.
Glen: Houses are losing tons and tons of money, so when you add seal and when you insulate you are recouping those losses immediately.
Jill: After several hours of diagnostic tests, Hooper determines that the Wikel’s can reduce their utility bills by $1,500.00 a year but will need to spend some money to do so. His suggestions, switch from oil to natural gas heat, saving almost $500.00 a year. Improve the attics insulation and air sealing saving at least $400.00 a year. And buy a more efficient hot water heater, saving $240.00 a year.
Don’t want to finance a big home improvement project right now, you could still go green and save green. Energy efficient light bulbs like this cost around $3.00, the Wikel’s were surprised to learn that replacing all of their homes light bulbs would compact fluorescence could potentially save them another $400.00 a year. Hooper says it will take about seven years for the other projects to payoff but the Wikel’s think the investment maybe worth it.
Doug: Can’t argue with $1,500.00 a year.
Jill: For CBS news I am Jill Schlesinger, MoneyWatch.com.
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