Susan Gillin

Chelan County PUD -  Chelan County PUD customers can apply now for a new program to help them save energy and money by adding insulation and replacing old windows and glass doors.

The PUD’s Energy Savings Plan offers customers 25 cents a square foot to add insulation to attics, walls and crawlspaces, and $3 a square foot to replace windows and glass doors (sliding glass and French doors), up to $2,500 per household for any combination of the measures.

“The goal of the program is long-term energy savings, but customers who take part will likely see an increase in their home’s comfort right away,” said Susan Gillin, PUD Customer Service administrator.

Adding insulation is in many cases the single most cost-effective addition a customer can make to cut down on heating bills, Gillin said. By adding 1,500 square feet of insulation to an attic, for example, a customer would be eligible for an incentive check from the PUD for $375, about a third of the total cost.

Replacing 200 square feet of windows and glass doors with newer, energy-efficient models would qualify a customer for a $600 check from the PUD, which would cover 10 percent to 15 percent of the cost, Gillin said.

Here are some other key points about the program:

· Customers must have electric heat.

· All homes, including manufactured homes, are eligible up to a four-plex.

· The project has to be a retrofit; new construction is not eligible.

· The maximum total payment per household is $2,500.

· The work has to be done this year. The PUD cannot accept applications for projects completed before Jan. 1, 2010.

· Customers may do the work themselves or hire a contractor.

· Federal tax credits are available for insulation and windows and customers can get these in conjunction with the PUD’s incentives.

There are links to more information about tax credits on the PUD Web site.

Regional studies show savings from insulation at 2,800 kilowatt hours per year for a typical home. For windows, a typical home will save about 4,000 kilowatt hours. If a customer installs both measures, savings theoretically could reach 6,800 kilowatt hours – about a third of the average energy use in a Chelan County home.

“So a customer who installs these improvements stands to save quite a bit of heating energy, and those savings continue over time,” Gillin said. “Plus they have a home that’s more comfortable and, in many cases, more valuable.

“Keep in mind, though, that savings will vary depending on type of home, when it was built, type of heating system, square footage, number of occupants and other factors,” Gillin added.

More information and application forms are available on the PUD’s Web site – search for “weatherization incentives.” Customers can also call PUD Conservation staff at 661-8008.

The weatherization incentives are part of the PUD’s overall residential conservation program aimed at saving energy and meeting state conservation requirements. The Resource$mart program offers funding for energy-efficiency improvements for commercial and industrial customers.

Check the PUD’s Web site at www.chelanpud.org for tips on saving energy and sign up to receive Lightly, the PUD’s energy newsletter. Follow the PUD on Twitter at www.twitter.com/CCPUD.

For more information contact Susan Gillin at (509) 661-8008, or