Fighting Climate Change, One Cozy Home Improvement at a Time in Katonah
Mary and Dan recently purchased a foreclosure home in Katonah that they were excited to make their own. Their upgrade plan was focused on increasing the home’s energy efficiency, as many of the existing systems were at the end of their life. Home renovation can be overwhelming, and they wanted tailored guidance on maximizing efficiency and where to start.
This is their experience planning for, financing, and living with their new heat pump, as well as what they learned during their consultation with Bedford 2030’s Home Energy Coach. We’re happy to report that they’re thrilled with their decision to lower their energy bills and carbon footprint, all while increasing the comfort of their new home.
Dan: There’s a lot of information out on the web, and it gets confusing at times. We’re pretty sophisticated people, but it’s still very hard to navigate! We saw this opportunity for an Energy Coach and thought that would help us focus on how we would upgrade the systems in the house.
Mary: Your Energy Coach was phenomenal. He helped us really understand what we needed and what the financial picture might look like. There are so many good reasons why someone would hear about Bedford 2030. You have so many resources to offer people will come into your organization from many different angles.
Mary and Dan were particularly interested in exploring the differences between geothermal and air-source heat pumps. They knew incentives and rebates were available to them, but navigating these resources seemed daunting. Our Home Energy Coach ensured they achieved the greatest return on investment possible.
Dan: The scale of the rebates—the scale of the incentives was huge. I think for a lot of people looking at it for the first time, [they] see [that] the cost of these units is very high. But when you get all of the rebates, it’s very mildly more expensive than just replacing [the old systems] flat out. So it’s kind of a no-brainer to do it and then get the energy savings on top of it.
Once their new air source heat pump was installed, Mary and Dan started enjoying the benefits immediately.
Dan: There’s a very even temperature in the house. And [the heat pump] is very quiet. It’s massively more quiet than the old system. It doesn’t feel dry, it’s been very comfortable.
Mary: The system has done great. We haven’t had any hiccups with it through the cold winter or the hot summer. It’s been a good switch.
Regarding financial benefits, the heat pump has slashed Mary and Dan’s energy bills by more than half.
Dan: We’ve gone from $6,000 to $8,000 a year for oil to about the $2000 to $3000 range for the air source heat pump. It’s a major savings.
Our Energy Coach created a checklist of further upgrades Mary and Dan could make to their house to increase energy savings, including adding insulation, upgrading their windows to reduce drafts, and replacing their generator. Mary expressed that while it was a to-do list, it wasn’t daunting because not everything had to be done at once—they could check off boxes when they were ready.
Dan: The only time pressure we felt was with the incentives and rebates. Different programs come and go with different administrations and the availability of government money, so we were eager to take advantage of the NYSERDA financing.
Through NYSERDA, homeowners can access up to $2,000 in tax credits on a new cold-climate heat pump. Thousands of dollars are available to assist with other energy efficiency projects, too, like air sealing, home energy audits, and solar. However, these funds are subject to changes in government as parties may either support or dismantle the Inflation Reduction Act. The best time to take advantage of this government aid may be before January, though we hope it will be available for years to come.
We’re thrilled for Mary and Dan and their new, cozy home. We wondered how they felt now that they’ve reduced their impact on climate change, and their pride is evident.
Mary: It feels great! Not being reliant on fossil fuels and what that does to the planet—that feels really good.
Climate action starts at home. Sign up for a Bedford 2030 Home Energy Coaching session (no charge to you), and we’ll help you navigate the upgrade options and rebates.
Ensure that robust incentives and rebates remain available for years to come by voting for leadership that supports urgent climate action this November. Check your voter registration status here. See what’s on your ballot here.