Here's Help to Become Green

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has a special loan and rebate program for qualifying homeowners who want to do energy efficiency home improvements. The program is called KeystoneHelp. KeystoneHelp is administered through AFC First Financial Corp., a Pennsylvania leader in energy efficiency.

The idea is to make rebates and low interest loans available to Pennsylvania homeowners so that energy efficiency can be more affordable. KeystoneHelp comes at the right time because homeowners can combine the rebates and loans with Federal tax incentives to get even greater cost savings. With fuel oil and electric prices set to rise over the next few years, it makes sense to upgrade our homes from an energy use perspective. The Return on Investment for energy efficiency improvements can be substantial, especially when KeystoneHelp and Federal tax incentives are utilized.

What Improvements are Eligible? The following list is not comprehensive, but rather highlights what many peoples are using KeystoneHelp money for: Energy Star air source heat pumps, central AC systems, boilers and furnaces; Energy Star windows and doors, ceiling and ventilation fans, programmable thermostats; Air Sealing and Insulation. KeystoneHelp has a similar list of eligible improvements under its Advanced Performance category. There is also a Whole House Improvement category which requires a certified Energy Audit.

In short, the KeystoneHelp program makes money available to qualified Pennsylvania homeowners for just about all the typical ways we make can make our homes energy efficient. The loans can be secured or unsecured, from $1000 to $35,000. All work can be financed if at least 75% of the project consists of qualifying improvements.

Now the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania does not want just any contractor performing the energy efficiency work. This may be because, as I have written in my February article “Your House as a System”, our homes are made up of various systems and aspects – insulation, doors and windows, heating and cooling equipment, solar orientation, square footage, etc. Your contractor needs to know how to advise you about the best way to invest the loan money in your home and how to do the work in the correct way. Too many contractors are still remodeling as though it were 2006, not 2009. Times have changed and the knowledge contractors need to truly serve their clients has changed as well. Many contractors are not keeping up. So only KeystoneHelp Approved Contractors may perform the work that is funded through the Keystone Help rebate and loan program.

Naturally, we are approved by KeystoneHelp.

If you want to save money on your home energy costs the best place to start is with an energy audit. An energy audit identifies the locations in your home where air infiltration is causing the air you paid to heat or cool to blow out of your house. Would you leave a window open all winter when you have the heat on or all summer when you are running the air conditioner? Nobody would. But in effect that is exactly what is happening in our homes when we add up all the little holes and places air enters or escapes through our exterior walls and attic. Add to that inefficient HVAC equipment and it is easy to see why we spend so much money on home energy use. An energy audit targets your potential savings.


This article was contributed by Thomas G. Wells

THOMAS G. WELLS CONSTRUCTION L.L.C.
105 Pennsylvania Avenue
Yardley, Pa. 19067
Tel: 215-321-4818
Fax: 215-321-2179
Cell: 215-378-4048

Source: Superior Woodcraft, Inc. - Custom Cabinetry