Anne Klein of Webster Groves knew her furnace and air conditioner were a little outdated, but had no idea that old heating and air conditioning units were costing her hundreds of extra dollars a year. After investing in an energy audit for her house, Anne replaced her 22 year old systems with new high efficiency units and reduced her energy consumption by 60%. “It was just a matter of time before I needed to replace the HVAC, but it wasn’t high on my list – until I realized how much money I was losing by over-paying on my utility bills.”
Down the road in Maryland Heights, Steve O’Rourke had a home energy audit done, which included an analysis of HVAC equipment, insulation and air leaks. O’Rourke was losing about $600 per year on his utility bills from inefficient fixtures and air leaks, which were getting more expensive every year as utility costs were rising. So O’Rourke swung into action and upgraded the attic insulation, replaced his 50-year-old boiler and 12 year-old air conditioner, and reduced his overall energy costs by more than 25%.
O’Rourke added about 16 inches of insulation, installed caps around his recessed lights to minimize drafts, and bought a high-efficiency (16 SEER) air conditioner and heat pump along with a dual-purpose boiler/ tankless hot water heater. While these were the most expensive appliances in his home, they also used the most energy and offered the greatest opportunity for energy savings. Rebates from Ameren and Laclede Gas and a $500 federal tax credit made the investment even easier. It won’t take long for O’Rourke to see his money coming back through lower utility bills each month.
A low-interest financing program now makes energy upgrades more affordable with no upfront costs and up to 10 years to pay back. The St. Louis County SAVESTM program is available exclusively to residents of St. Louis County for home energy efficiency improvements. The program lists pre-approved contractors that you can work with, and that can handle the necessary paperwork for you.
Klein and O’Rourke both took advantage of the St. Louis County SAVESTM favorable terms and low cost. “This financing was essential for us,” said O’Rourke, “If you haven’t already done so, get an energy audit on your home and see what you can do to save energy and money!”
To learn more, please visit online at www.StLouisCountySAVES.com.