“Budgets buckle under growing energy burden” headlines a recent Portland Press Herald article that documents that the cost of heating oil and electricity is going through the roof, and gasoline too. Mainers everywhere are stunned by the size of their winter energy bills. What to do, and how to cope?
Since all heating fuels have become more expensive, it makes little sense to start by switching energy sources. A better beginning might be to figure out how to use less energy. The average Maine home is three times as leaky as is considered acceptable by the 2012 International Energy Conservation Code. So consider focusing first on tightening up your home’s building envelope.
Call Efficiency Maine and have one of their approved contractors come out for an energy assessment and blower door test. On the same visit they will eliminate problematic air leaks, performing $600 worth of work with only $200 out of your pocket. If insulation is needed, $5,000-$9,000 of the cost can be rebated by Efficiency Maine depending on your income level. But don’t stop there.
Think about your windows. Heat loss through a typical window can be significantly greater than through a wall, making a room feel drafty and uncomfortable. Replacement windows can be very expensive, but there is an attractive, low-cost solution.
Nonprofit WindowDressers helps volunteers in over 40 communities in Maine and Vermont assemble energy efficient interior insulating window inserts. We estimate that the over 48,000 inserts assembled by participating communities since 2010 have prevented over 2.6 million gallons of heating oil or its equivalent from being burned.
When you sign up on our website, our volunteer measurers come to your home at no cost. You and others acquiring inserts donate a four-hour shift or two next fall right here in Brunswick to get your inserts built. Shifts are scheduled for weekends and in the evening as well as on weekdays. The inserts are guaranteed to fit.
Our low-income program provides up to ten free inserts annually at no cost to each recipient. No written application or proof of income level is required. So when you volunteer at our Community Build or donate to us, you are helping to keep your neighbors warm.
For paying customers, the average insert cost is about $43. Anyone interested can sign up now on our website, windowdressers.org. The inserts will be built next fall. They last around ten years, can be rewrapped, and are easily removed and stored during warm weather.
Once your home is tight, think about your energy source. Burning wood may be a cost-effective solution, but it involves significant labor. A better choice for many can be a ductless mini-split heat pump. These are quiet and energy-efficient devices and relatively simple to install. Not every home is suited to a heat pump, so it is important to have a contractor come out to look at your situation. There are substantial rebates available, again dependent on your income level. Around 50,000 heat pumps have already been rebated by Efficiency Maine.
But electricity prices are going through the roof, so why a heat pump? Paired with a solar system that harvests clean energy from the sun, whether on your rooftop or sourced from a community solar farm, your electricity bills will drop precipitously. Properly sized, your solar can power your heat pump and meet your other electrical needs. Potentially, it can also provide you with energy for the electric vehicle you may buy someday.
With most solar installations you remain connected to the grid and acquire credits for the power your system generates that you don’t need. Through a process called net metering, you harvest those credits with electricity from the grid when your panels aren’t making enough for your use.
There is a down side. A solar system purchase (as opposed to a subscription program with a solar farm) is not cheap. But there is a federal tax credit of 26%, and a loan can spread the cost of an installation out over a number of years. By budgeting the energy savings you enjoy to help with the payments, you can lessen the burden. Before long you will own a system free and clear that will keep your home cozy at little cost for 30 years or more. What does it take? A little patience and a determination to be good to your neighbors everywhere and your children’s future.
Sam Saltonstall is the board president of WindowDressers, a volunteer-driven non-profit organization dedicated to helping Maine residents reduce heating costs, fossil fuel consumption, and CO-2 emissions by lowering the amount of heat loss through windows.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
