When you open your utility bill every month, you probably feel more and more alarmed with the figures that you see. Electricity costs keep on rising and sometimes you find it difficult to make ends meet. One of the best ways to reduce your electricity bill is to make your home more energy efficient. Apart from getting to save on your bills, having a more energy efficient home also helps you do your part in saving Mother Earth.
Many homeowners are hesitant to make the change towards a more energy efficient home because they know that is going to entail some costs. Fortunately, there are now ways in which you can upgrade your home with energy efficient measures through several grants and financing schemes. Grants are more desirable because they do not need to be paid back in the way that loans do. As a homeowner, you should consider different options for financing your home’s energy efficiency upgrade because grants are just one means of funding.
With a little research and consultation from your heating and cooling equipment suppliers, you will learn how to fund your home’s upgrade to more energy efficient measures. Read on to find out about the different grants and funding options and learn which best suits your needs.
1. Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency
More commonly known as DSIRE, this is currently the country’s most comprehensive source of information where you will find incentives and policies that support energy efficiency upgrades. It offers a wide range of financial incentives that you can take advantage of. As a homeowner, you can check out the Residential Energy Conservation Subsidy Exclusion (Personal). To find out more about how you can use these grants, visit http://dsireusa.org/.
2. Energy Star’s Funding Opportunities
Energy Star is a company that is geared towards making homes more energy efficient. The company also provides you with extensive information on several funding opportunities such as Energy Efficiency With CDBG and Home Grant Programs, Federal Tax Credit for Consumer Energy Efficiency, and the Federal Grant Opportunities for Promoting Energy Efficiency in Existing Homes. Learn more about these programs here.
3. Alternative Funding Sources
The best way for you to stay updated on the different rebates and discounts that you can get from HVAC companies is to regularly check out their websites. Tax credits and rebates are some of the most common forms of funding because they allow homeowners to keep the money that they would have normally paid in taxes. You should also do your research and check out the possibility of acquiring low-interest loans provided by different state and local energy efficiency initiatives.
Do not be intimidated by the paperwork and the documentation that is required by these grants and loans. At the end of the day, it is all going to be worth it and you are going to have a home that is more comfortable. In addition to that, your HVAC systems are going to function properly, you will get to save more on your utility bills, plus you get to do your part in saving the environment as well.
