Did heating bills get you down this winter? Maybe it’s time to have a professional assess just how energy efficient (or not) your home is. The Southborough Green Technology and Recycling Committee asked me to pass along information about a free state program that will help you do just that.
The Southborough Green Technology and Recycling Committee would like to invite you to sign up for a free Home Energy Assessment provided by Mass Save. Mass Save is an initiative sponsored by Massachusetts’ gas and electric utility companies. Mass Save works closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources to provide a wide range of services, incentives, training, and information promoting energy efficiency.
The first step to reducing energy costs and increasing comfort in your home is a Home Energy Assessment. After you schedule an appointment, an energy efficiency expert will assess your home’s current energy consumption and provide a custom list of recommendations for achieving improved energy use in your home. From here you can develop your own plan and make your way toward an energy efficient home.
A Home Energy Assessment usually takes 1 to 2 hours to complete. It utilizes a “house as a system” approach to focus on your home’s thermal envelope (shell insulation and air leakage) and the mechanical systems to identify cost effective energy efficiency opportunities. Regardless of the fuel you use, Mass Save will evaluate all opportunities for you to save energy.
To schedule an Energy Assessment, call 1-866-527-7283. A Mass Save representative will assist you in scheduling an appointment. Because Southborough’s electric power service provider is National Grid; Southborough residents qualify for the free assessment. If you are considering the replacement of either your heating or cooling appliances, this assessment will provide you with incentives that can only be obtained as a result of having the assessment completed.
The The Southborough Green Technology and Recycling Committee meets on a regular basis at the Southborough DPW building at 7:30 PM on the first Thursday of each month, and they invite residents to attend. If you would like more information about committee activities, contact Carl Guyer at carl.guyer@gmail.com. You can also follow them on Facebook.
I highly recommend doing an energy assessment with MassSave! My husband and I had one done when we moved to town, and assessor not only provided us with very useful energy-saving tips and new homeowner tips, but MassSave replaced almost all of the prior homeowner’s original lightbulbs with energy-saving varieties and installed new programmable thermostats for us as well – at no cost! It was really helpful.
I had a MassSave audit done for insulation. They used thermal imaging to determine what needed to be done, assisted me with a contractor, then did a follow-up inspection to make sure the job was done right. They also assisted with the cost of the project which saved me quite a bit of money. Well worth the phone call.
We had an assessment last year and I was hoping for more information. We were given a nod for using “good” light bulbs and the man confirmed where the heat was leaking out of the house but it wasn’t an insulation issue, just poor design. The suggestions were weak and ones we’d already assessed/explored. The meeting validated what we’d already done but didn’t help us take any steps forward or give us any action plans.
When it comes to saving money and energy, it never hurts to be certain of your position. It is the old “trust but verify” approach. You are the part of the population that understands the issues, the audits are trying to help those unaware of issues. Having said that, it is not a good idea assume you have a full understanding of potential heat loss issues. You did the right thing getting the audit done.