How to Have an Energy-Efficient House – Part One

Keeping your house energy-efficient through weatherization techniques and government programs you may qualify for can give you a boost in your savings. Here are tips on how you can save more money with proper weatherization.

Energy audit

Before doing any weatherization project, get an energy audit. Auditors check for insulation leaks, chemical emissions and the efficiency of lighting and heating systems. Though some auditors work for local energy companies and can be free of charge, expect an audit to cost anywhere from from $200 to $500. The advice they provide will be important for succeeding steps. You will be able to focus your budget correctly.

Government Help

Expanded tax credits, billions of dollars in additional funding to the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and state-specific weatherization services are all being pushed on the national and state government levels. The potential savings and economic improvement that proper weatherization encourages goes well with the Obama administration’s vision of a greener and more high-tech future.

WAP

Let’s take a closer look at the Weatherization Assistance Program. This program allocates as much as $6,500 for sealing and insulating a house. Under new legislation, the income limit for eligibility is now at 200% above the federal poverty line. That’s equal to $29,140 for a family of two and $44,100 for four. Weatherstripping, insulation and new windows are some of the basic energy savers that can be addressed under the WAP.

Read more about weatherization and energy efficiency in Part Two and Part Three of this three-part article series.

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