A contractor installs insulation. Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
There’s a joke I always see floating around on social media this time of year: “We’re getting a tax refund, so naturally the washing machine just broke.” One of the least pleasant aspects of homeownership is managing the unexpected expenses, like when appliances break out of the blue, and we do not have a plan for how to replace them.
When the unexpected happens, like the propane furnace suddenly dies, we are often forced by the immediacy of needing to respond into continuing with the same type of system – whether or not it is the best option for our home and the planet. The stress of having to fix a broken system does not usually leave us time to analyze how to make our homes more sustainable and less expensive to keep comfortable.
To help you plan ahead for future appliances and upgrades to your home, Sustainable Woodstock, Efficiency Vermont, and Norman Williams Public Library are partnering to put together an interactive workshop designed to help you map out a path for your home’s energy future. Using less energy to heat and cool your home means spending less money–making your home more affordable, more comfortable, and more resilient.
During our time together, we’ll discuss the various programs that can help you fund your next project, whether that is putting a plan in place for when your old furnace dies or finding ways to weatherize your home. We’ll start the evening off with a short presentation on different incentives, and then spend most of our time answering questions about your specific projects and how best to make use of all of the programs available.
We will help you navigate the different options and learn about which can be combined to make your project as affordable as possible. Efficiency Vermont has rebates for many different projects, and a representative will be there to share information about their offerings. Sustainable Woodstock also has grants for sustainable home heating and weatherization projects. Eligible households can receive up to $2,000 for appliances such as heat pumps, pellet stoves, and heat pump hot water heaters, and for weatherization projects such as insulation that can be combined with Efficiency Vermont rebates. There are also free programs through the state for income-qualifying households.
When the prices of fossil fuels are impacted by world events, it makes our budgets unpredictable. Switching to sustainable home energy systems makes sense for keeping costs low, the planet healthier, and having the peace of mind that our energy is not affected by world events.
The Green Energy Planning workshop will be held on April 14th (6-7 PM) at the Norman Williams Library. Space is limited, so please register soon if you would like to join us. To help you get the most out of the workshop, we’ll be sending out a worksheet to all participants to help you gather information on your home prior to attending the event. Register at sustainablewoodstock.org.