YARMOUTH – As the cold and snowy winter weather sets in, Cape Light Compact is offering energy saving tips to Barnstable County residents to help combat high heating costs.
The tips include taking advantage of the smart thermostat rebate offered by Cape Light, financing major upgrades with the zero-interest Mass Save loan, and making sure your fireplace is a source of warmth and not chilly drafts.
A smart, programmable thermostat is one of the most convenient tools for creating a comfortable living space and avoiding energy waste from heating and cooling.
Through a 24/7 Wi-Fi connection, a smart thermostat allows patrons to easily monitor a home’s energy use and adjust heating and cooling settings.
The Wi-Fi connection also allows users to adjust settings remotely through smartphones, tablets, or a voice activated system such as the Amazon Alexa.
“Many people can take advantage of our Wi-Fi smart thermostats where it can actually be programed and start to learn the coming and goings of your house,” said Residential Program Manager for Cape Light Compact, Briana Kane.
“When you’re not home you can set you can actually set it for lower and it kind of knows when there is no movement as well and it will adjust temperatures down.”
Cape Light Compact offers a year-round rebate of up to $100 on select smart thermostats.
Owners of a smart thermostat can submit a rebate online or through mail to Cape Light Compact, or can receive an instant rebate by making a purchase though the Mass Save online store.
To optimize your home’s comfort and efficiency, Cape Light Compact offers a no-cost home energy assessment that helps locals identify the best suited opportunities for their homes.
If significant home upgrades are recommend, the Mass Save HEAT Loan is a viable option.
The special financing tool, which Cape Light Compact helps make possible, provides a zero-interest loan of up to $25,000 with terms of up to seven years.
“We have a really robust residential program, so whether you own or rent if you have an electric bill in your name we can come out and do a home energy assessment,” continued Kane.
“An energy specialist comes out and makes recommendations on ways for your home to be more efficient.”
Sample services that are eligible for this loan include updating your heating system, installing a heat pump, upgrading your water heater, and bolstering insulation.
During the home energy assessment, the Compact provides residents with the proper applications and forms for the HEAT loan through their online portal.
While providing warmth, fireplaces can also be a source of draftiness and odors.
When a fire is not burning, people typically use the metal chimney damper to prevent cold air from traveling into their home.
It is easy however for this damper to wear out over time and for cold air to still seep through.
Chimney balloons offer a simple solution, by inflation one about a foot into the chimney, you provide a tight air seal that keeps the warm air inside the house and keeps cold air, debris, and odors out.
When it is time to light a fire, removing the balloon is done by simply opening the valve and allowing it to deflate.
Cape Light Compact also offers a $35 rebate on chimney balloons.
To learn more about energy saving costs, visit Capelightcompact.org.
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