« Ask your tax rebate questions tonight | Main | Happy April Fools' Day »

Lower your energy bills

Drafty rooms? Too hot in the summer? Peeling paint?

Maryland Home Performance wants to make your house more comfortable --- and help you save money at the same time.

The program connects homeowners with licensed contractors who can conduct an energy audit and point out home improvements that would improve energy efficiency, lowering home heating and other utility bills.

Neither the audit or the improvements are free, but you could save 25 percent or more on your bills. After the audit you get a report with suggestions that you could then use to shop around.

And just to put it all in perspective, the Energystar Web site offers this calculator to see how your energy bills compare with other homeowners. 

Here are some of the things they examine in the audit:

1. Sealing air leaks and adding insulation

2. Improving ductwork

3. Improving home heating and cooling systems

4. Upgrading to energy-efficient lighting and appliances

5. Adding renewable energy solutions

But what if you're a renter? Stay tuned for more tips!

Posted by Liz Kay on April 1, 2008 7:45 AM |
                    

Post a comment

All comments must be approved by the blog author. Please do not resubmit comments if they do not immediately appear. You are not required to use your full name when posting, but you should use a real e-mail address. Comments may be republished in print, but we will not publish your e-mail address. Our full Terms of Service are available here.

Please enter the letter "h" in the field below:
About the bloggers
A native of Vietnam, Dan Thanh Dang has lived in Maryland most of her life and has been a Baltimore Sun reporter since 1990. She's written about everything from mayoral elections and murder to energy prices and online dating. These days, she writes about a topic she's all too familiar with, spending money -- how to save more of it, blow all of it, use it wisely and avoid getting ripped off in the process.
Column archive
Contributors
• Columnist Eileen Ambrose
E-mail Eileen
Column archive

• Reporter Liz Kay
E-mail Liz
Liz also writes the weekly Watchdog column, about problems in area neighborhoods that aren't being fixed.
E-mail Watchdog
Recent posts
Follow us on Twitter
• Consuming Interests on Twitter
-- ADVERTISEMENT --

Most Recent Comments
Categories
Blogroll
Resources and Sun coverage
From baltimoresun.com
> Money & Life section
> The Real Estate Wonk
> Jay Hancock's blog

Local
> Maryland Attorney General's Office
> Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition
> Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland
> Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation

National
> Smorgasbord of federal agencies Web sites
> Consumers Union
> Better Business Bureau
> Consumer Affairs
Monthly Archives
Search and subscribe


 Subscribe to this blog's feed [What is this?]

Powered by Movable Type 3.36
Hosted by LivingDot