There are often larger incentives available to do multiple energy-saving upgrades at once. A contractor specializing in energy efficiency will complete your assessment and provide a prioritized list of upgrades with associated energy savings, incentives and any applicable financing options.

A whole-home approach combines multiple improvements to increase overall energy efficiency, while maximizing energy savings and available incentives.

ENERGY STAR® certified furnaces are up 15% more efficient than standard efficiency furnaces. ENERGY STAR® certified furnaces cost more, initially, but will pay back the increased cost in energy savings. Pair your furnace upgrade with duct sealing/insulation for additional savings.

ENERGY STAR certified central air conditioners have higher seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and energy efficiency ratio (EER) ratings and use less energy than conventional new models. Upgrade your furnace and blower motor at the same time to insure peak performance.

Because air source heat pumps move heat rather than generating it, they are often 2-3 times more efficient than electric baseboard heating systems and are much cheaper to operate than fuel-oil and propane systems. They are also more efficient than other air-conditioning systems, providing additional savings during the summer.

ENERGY STAR® certified room air conditioners use 10 percent less energy than standard window or through the wall units.

Doing laundry at these times can save a substantial amount of money since energy costs during off-peak hours are significantly lower than during peak hours.

Raising the temperature settings of your AC will use less electricity and have little impact to comfort.

Consider installing a high performance hydronic system. Hydronic (boiler) based radiant systems offer improved efficiency, comfort and safety compared to many other systems. Combining an Energy Star® condensing boiler with a low temperature distribution system, such as in floor radiant heat, can improve heating efficiency as much as 20% over conventional boiler systems.

Electric clothes dryers can be much more expensive to run than gas dryers. This is especially true of older and lower cost models, and the difference is much more significant in homes with large numbers of people and laundry.