H.E.L.P. Article: Local homeowners take advantage of subsidies for energy upgrades Friday, 24 October 2014 14:11 Energy retrofits offered through DRC/Retrofit Balto. program by Nicole Rodman After moving into his house on Admiral Boulevard two years ago, Ray Wezik realized that his new home was not energy efficient. With energy bills skyrocketing, he knew he had to act. Wezik is one of the many local homeowners taking advantage of an energy retrofit program being offered by the Dundalk Renaissance Corporation (DRC) in conjunction with Retrofit Baltimore. As part of the program, the DRC is offering subsidies to homeowners seeking to make their homes more energy efficient. The subsidies cover 70 to 100 percent of the cost of energy retrofits to homes in the Dundalk area. Upgrades are invisible — they do not change the asthetic appearance of the house — and range from sealing air leaks and adding insulation to repairing carbon monoxide leaks and improving duct work. [Workers from Dundalk-based Home Energy Loss Professionals (HELP) added insulation to the attic of a home on Admiral Boulevard. The cost of the work was largely covered by subsidies offered by the DRC.photo by Nicole Rodman] Workers from Dundalk-based Home Energy Loss Professionals (HELP) added insulation to the attic of a home on Admiral Boulevard. The cost of the work was largely covered by subsidies offered by the DRC.photo by Nicole Rodman While the DRC is offering the subsidies, non-profit Retrofit Baltimore works with homeowners to provide information and contractors. One of the contractors working with Retrofit Baltimore is Dundalk-based Home Energy Loss Professionals (HELP). Founded in 2006, HELP is a privately-owned energy audit and retrofit company. Upon meeting with a homeowner, HELP workers perform a series of tests to determine the amount of energy loss in a home. Workers then perform upgrades to increase the energy-efficiency of a home. According to Bob Logston, president of HELP, there are many benefits to energy retrofits. In addition to decreasing energy bills by an average of 25 percent, energy retrofits help increase the comfort of the home. Retrofits can even save lives. “Having the assessment completed identifies harmful and potentially deadly energy safety defects that can be unseen,” Logston noted. These defects could include carbon monoxide or gas leaks, cracked furnaces or mold and mildew issues. “Any of these risks can be potentially deadly,” Logston explained. HELP staff worked at Wezik’s Admiral Boulevard home in September. Over the course of two days, workers sealed off air leaks and installed insulation into walls and in the attic. According to Logston, this resulted in a 37 percent reduction in the amount of energy loss through air currents. “This is the equivalent of closing two normal windows year round,” he explained. Wezik had nothing but praise for the HELP staff, noting “So far, they’ve been great.” Wezik is not the only satisfied participant in the DRC/Retrofit Baltimore program. According to St. Helena resident Joe Stadler, it was his wife Suzanne who first advanced the idea of having their home tested for energy-effciency. “We both thought our home was already somewhat energy efficient, but she wanted to have it checked out anyway” Stadler explained. “So we agreed to have the assessment done on the house.” The assessment revealed a subtantial air leak from the basement. Workers applied sealant and installed insulation. While Stadler paid $100 for the assessment, the DRC subsidies covered the rest of the cost (approximately $2,200). Now, Stadler is looking forward to seeing a savings in his energy bill. “It is estimated that over the course of the next 12 months ... that we could save as much as 30 percent on our BGE bill,” he said. He also had nothing but praise for everyone who helped throughout the process. “The workers were extremely respectful of our home, and the management was excellent in answering all of our questions,” he said. Other satisfied customers include Holly Goodenough of Gray Haven, Crystal Carpenter of Kimberly Farms and Amanda Mummert of West Inverness. According to Goodenough, she pursued the program after noting a temperature change between floors of her home. After work was completed — including attic insulation and duct and furnace cleaning — she now notices a more uniform temperature on each floor. For Carpenter, she was looking to improve the energy efficiency of her older home. Workers installed insulation in her attic and basement. Mummert pursued the program as a way to be “green” while saving money on energy bills. Workers replaced two doors and added insulation to the home. Each of the homeowners expressed satisfaction with the program. “The Retrofit staff was awesome — he stayed in touch, came to see the house once the work was complete and offered a lot of support, making sure the company did a good job,” Mummert explained. In each case, the homeowner paid a small amount out of pocket (at least $100 for the initial assessment), though most of the cost was covered by the DRC. While retrofit subsidies are still available, interested homeowners should apply immediately as funds are limited.
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 19:42:43 +0000
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