There are six major components to making your house as energy efficient as possible. Each of of these will not only significantly reduce your energy usage but are also eligible for NYSERDA cash back incentives. Depending on which measures are implemented, you can receive 10% cash back on your weatherization project.
High Efficiency Heating, Cooling, and Hot Water Equipment:
These are the mehcanical systems which provide heat in the winter, air conditioning in the summer, and hot water all year round. If your equipment is older than 20 years (10 years for hot water heaters), you will need to start thinking about replacements. This is your opportunity to replace this equipment with high efficiency techonology.
High efficiency mechanical equipment will save you money through reduced fuel usage, will make the indoor environment more comfortable, they are safer to operate, better for our natural environment, and are eligible for NYSERDA cash back incentives.
Window Insulating Panels:
You don't have to replace your old windows to make them energy efficient. Window insulating panels will seal your windows from the inside, creating and air-tight seal keeping the cold winter air out. In addition, the panels will reduce conductive heat loss through single pane glass and eliminate condensation during the summer months. Window insulating panels cost a lot less than a replacement window with an equivalent efficiency rating. Also, the window insulating panels are eligible for the NYSERDA cash incentive program. Custom shapes and sizes can be fabricated to fit any window.
Please view our picture gallery for recent window panel installations.
Insulation:
If your house was built before 1970, chances are the exterior walls have limited, if any, insulation. Retrofitting your walls with blown-in cellulose or foam insulation will keep warm air inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer.
Another important area of your home that requires good insulation is the attic. Attics that are ventilated are essentially outside. A thin layer of sheetrock does little to stop heat loss through the attic during the winter, and makes your air conditioning work extra hard in the summer. Insulating the attic floor or roof line will save you money by reducing conductive heat loss through the conditioned space ceiling, will make the top floor more comfortable, and is eligible for NYSERDA cash back incentives.
Air Sealing:
Basically, air sealing means closing up holes or gaps in your home that leed to unconditioned spaces such as the attic, basement and outdoors. These openings allow heated air to escape from your home during the winter. Hot air moves to cold air. The heated air in your home that you pay so much money to heat finds its way outside.
The areas that most commonly allow hot air to escape include recessed lights, poorly sealed attic hatches, basement rim joists, poorly sealed windows, floor and sealing penetrations leading to the attic or basement, and holes in the sheetrock leading to exterior wall cavities.
Most air sealing is accomplished by spray foam insulation, sheetrock, weather stripping, light fixture replacement, window-insulating panels (or new windows), or any other creative measure that will safely seal the hole or gap.
Lighting:
Incandescent light bulbs use at least four times more energy to produce the same amount of light as compact flourescent bulbs. Replacing your incandescent light bulbs with compact flourescent bulbs can save hundreds of dollars a year with little up-front investment.
Other effective lighting measures include motion-sensing light fixtures and lights on timers. Lighting is also an eligible measure in the NYSERDA cash incentive program.
High Efficiency Appliances:
Refrigerators use a lot of electricity. Replacing your old refrigerator with an Energy Star rated appliance will save money and is an eligible measure in the NYSERDA program.
