When you conduct over 3000 Home Energy Audits per year you’re bound to run into some interesting opinions. Many people believe certain things about home energy consumption that are just not true. These “Energy Myths” have often been inherited from one generation to the next. “Grandma always said…” is the typical preface to many of these energy myths. But a whole lot has changed in the last 50-100 years that makes grandma’s recommendations obsolete. Sorry Grandma. So after hearing many different Energy Myths from many different energy customers, the staff of Conservation Consultants got together and compiled some of the most common ones into a list of… drum roll please…

Are you interested in installing an alternative energy system in your home, but can’t swallow the price of solar panels or wind turbines? Let the federal and state government help pay the bill! New tax credit laws have recently been passed by Congress and state legislatures, including Pennsylvania’s, which help corporate, business, private, non-profit and agriculture sectors, as well as homeowners, to pay for alternative energy systems. This is the government’s way of encouraging individuals and groups to save energy and money by utilizing the growing capabilities of energy systems that don’t depend on an outside power company. By creating your own power and either using it right away, storing it in a battery system, or selling it back to your electric company (see the article on Net Metering) you can keep tons-literally tons-of harmful pollutants from being released into the air, water and soil.

Geothermal exchange is a method of heating or cooling a building that uses the thermal energy constantly given off by the Earth. At depths greater than six feet, ground temperature is relatively constant, ranging between 45 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on your latitude. These systems are more efficient because, whether it’s winter or summer, the ground temperature is usually more moderate than the outdoor temperature, so less heating or cooling is required. That means the system doesn’t have to work as hard to make your home comfortable. The EPA estimates that geothermal transfer uses 30-70% less energy for heating and 20%-50% less energy for cooling.