Winter may usher in the holidays and beautiful, snowy scenery, but it also brings soaring energy costs. As the mercury sinks like a stone, it becomes more and more difficult to keep your home comfortably warm. It’s tempting to reach for the thermostat and crank it up, but first, you may want to consider a […]
4 Ways to Instantly Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient
The trend toward energy-efficient homes and green energy solutions is gaining momentum, but not just because it makes people feel better about their energy use. Eco-friendly homes create a significant savings and don’t take a huge investment to put a big dent in your energy bill. Here are four ways to make your home more […]
It’s THAT time. AGAIN.
You hear that? ‘Tis the sound of my heart shattering into a million pieces at the thought of the summer of 2014 drawing to a close. The warm embrace of the summer wind that would wrap itself around me when I stepped outside, will soon be replaced by the icy winds of Jack Frost. I […]
Ways to Reduce Your Need for Heat
Keeping your home warm throughout the winter is always a cause for concern. If there is an exceptionally bad month, your heating bills could be unbelievably high. Although there are eco-friendly ways to produce heat, such as wood or solar heating, there are some cost-effective ways to reduce how much you need. How do you […]
$300 Tax Credit Reinstated for High Efficiency Wood Boilers
With the passing of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, the tax credit for biomass stoves (i.e wood furnaces and wood boilers) has been retroactively renewed through the end of 2013. So, any qualified equipment purchased from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 is eligible for this credit. The tax credit is now […]
Finding and Repairing Home Air Leaks
Over the past winter, you likely noticed that there were some spots in your house that were a bit cooler than you would have liked. These drafts are often most noticeable around windows and doors, but don’t think these are your major sources of wasted heat and energy. Rather, in most homes, the most significant […]
Residential Retrofit Guidelines
The Department of Energy announced the release of the new Workforce Guidelines for Home Energy Upgrades. Energy improvement programs and homeowners can adopt these guidelines to increase the consistency and effectiveness of energy upgrades, and training providers can use them to improve course curricula and training materials. These guidelines were developed through a collaboration between […]
No More Easy Green for Homeowners
Anyone contemplating a big home improvement project to make their homes more energy efficient has missed a rather significant window. Beginning January 1st, the federal government slashed the tax credits for energy efficiency home upgrades from 30 percent to 10 percent and reduced the total available credit to $500. For more check out the 2011 […]
10 Easy Ways to Cut Your Energy Use in Half
Green America recently published a list of ten ways that a homeowner can reduce their energy use by 50% (and thereby also cut their energy bill as well). The list includes some obvious choices — turn off your lights, wash your clothes with cold water and using a programmable thermostat. What makes the list more […]
Let’s Talk Home Energy
Have you ever wondered what uses more energy in your home — heating, cooling, lighting, or powering electronics like TVs, computers, and refrigerators? No surprise it is heating. I bet you are not too surprised, after all, Greenwood is a renewable heating company. However, what may surprise you is to what extent it outpaces other […]