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Heating and cooling account for about 56% of the energy use in a typical U.S. home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes.

Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to energize their homes - heat, cool, light, and live in our homes.

 

This energy represents about 21% of the national total energy usage making significant demands on our  electricity and natural gas sources.

Save money and help save the worlds resources

Energy efficient homes cost less to own, operate and maintain. In addition to the monetary incentive, many claim energy efficient homes are more comfortable.

You have the potential to save 20-30 percent on your household energy bills by implementing energy efficiency improvements.

 

Energy Ideas for the Home Owner

  1. Have an energy evaluation done on your home.  Find out where your home is leaking and cost effective methods to stop or minimize the leakage.

  2. Purchase energy saving appliances such as those which have the Energy Star label.

  3. Use a programmable thermostat to control the heating and cooling systems in your home.

  4. Turn down the heat or air conditioning at night when you sleep.

  5. Install energy efficient lighting

  6. Insulate and repair your ducts

  7. Use Renewable energy sources such as solar energy to  heat, cool, light and run your small appliances.

 

Solar Energy Alternatives

Photovoltaic: Roof panels are used to converts the suns energy into electricity.

Solar Water Heating:  This system absorbs the suns energy into through solar collectors that face the sun.  The collectors heat the  water through either an active or passive process.  In active solar water-heating systems, a pumping mechanism moves heated water through the home. In passive solar water-heating systems, the water moves by natural convection. Solar water-heating systems work in tandem with conventional gas or electric water-heating systems.

Solar Air Heating: Using the collectors from solar water heating you can heat the air in your home through a passive or active system

Solar Lighting: There are several solar lighting options available today.  Options available to the homeowner range from in-house lighting to outdoor solar lighting. To learn more please visit the US Department of Energy's Solar Lighting page.

 

Tax Credits

Residential Solar Tax Credit: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 extends a 30-percent tax credit to consumers for the purchase of residential solar water heating, photovoltaic equipment, and fuel cell property. You can receive a maximum credit of $2,000 for each kilowatt of capacity for solar equipment and $1,000 for each kilowatt of capacity for fuel cells. This credit expires after December 31, 2015.

For a list of other residential tax credits by State visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy

 

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