• This rebate is in addition to the Pepco, BGE or Allegheny rebate programs that give 15% rebates.
• This rebate is in addition to the 2011 Federal $500 tax credit, and any other local programs. 

It's now easier than ever to stay up to date with happenings in the energy efficiency/ home improvement industry by "liking" ecobeco on facebook.  We will post upcoming events, breaking news, and our helpful ecoTips.

We also hope facebook will let us talk with you and allow all of us to learn from each other.  We want to hear more of your stories, share your experiences, and talk about our contractor partners and energy efficiency products.

Click on the facebook icon below to visit our page, then click "Like" ecobeco and you're all set. Thanks!

One of the most common questions customers ask about energy efficiency improvements is, "Should I replace my windows?"  In our experience, most home owners who are experiencing drafty windows can experience fantastic improvements through a combination of whole home air sealing and minor window repairs.   

Why air seal instead of replacing windows?  It's all about air pressure, of course.   Here is a great picture that illustrates the fact that warm air rises, escaping through holes in the building envelope.  When air escapes, it is replaced in the interior by fresh air that enters through the path of least resistance, which in many cases is your windows. Take a look.

Thus, if we can spend $2,000 to strongly air seal your home, the result is that conditioned air stays in the home longer.  Why?  Because we have changed the pressure of the house.  While windows might still be a leakage pathway, your home's need for air shrinks, and your experience of "draftiness" will shrink with it.  

A second consideration for windows is thermal resistance, or the ability to prevent heat from escaping from your home (in the winter) by passing through the window's material (glass, wood, argon gas, etc.).  One way to measure how effective windows are is to look at the insulation value.  The R-value measures thermal resistance.  A single-paned wood window, for example, has an R-value of about 1.0. Double panes tend to be around R-2.  Some of the fanciest windows can be as much as R-6. For comparison, most insulated exterior walls are R-13, and attic floors should be R-49 in our area. 

There are, of course, lots of good reasons to change out your windows.  First and foremost it is an aesthetic improvement that can add value to your home, especially if the old ones are falling apart. Good windows will improve indoor comfort and air quality. Finally, if your windows are broken beyond repair, then replace them.  But if you are changing them because they are drafty, then save yourself $10K and get an energy audit and make energy efficiency improvements such as whole home air sealing and insulation instead!  Caulking the frames and using heavy curtains to keep air against the wall works surprisingly well in the short term. 

Join ecobeco's Jonathan Ferree for a panel discussion, as part of National Consumer Protection week, on what you should know about energy efficiency and how to green your home.   

The panel discussion will be held on Tuesday, March 8, from 11:30am - 12:30pm at Sherwood Regional Library located at 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane in Alexandria, VA 22306. The talk will explain concepts such as phantom power, the benefits of energy audits, and the things you should know if you plan to hire help to make your home more energy efficient.

Want to let us know you are coming? Sign up here on our facebook page. 

To register for the panel, email Consumer@fairfaxcounty.gov or call 703-222-8435.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/consumer/ncpw.htm 

Come see ecobeco at the 2nd Annual Green Living Expo in Arlington on Saturday, March 19 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.  

Organized by Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE), the expo features various green companies. The goal of the expo is to educate residents about practical ways they can green their lifestyles, focusing on energy conservation, solid waste reduction, eco-friendly transportation, green home remodeling, sustainable landscaping, and healthy homes.

The expo will be held at the Washington Lee High School on 1301 N Stafford St in Arlington, VA located near the Virginia-Square metro station and several bus routes. The Green Living Expo is family-friendly and free and open to the general public.  http://www.arlingtonenvironment.org/expo.php  

Want to let us know you're attending? Sign up here  on our facebook page.

ecobeco was honored to win the 2010 Pepco Home Energy Savers Award for the most energy savings in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.  We worked very hard in 2010 and continue to provide our customers with easy to understand, actionable advice to make their homes more energy efficient.

1. The maximum benefit is $500, and the benefit is now 10% of the purchase price.  This is a big change from 30% up to $1,500.
2. The benefit is a lifetime benefit.  That means if you took more than $500 in benefit from 2005 - 2010, you cannot take any benefit in 2011.
3. Gas or Oil or Propane furnace or boiler benefit capped at $150.
4. Efficient property (such as insulation) capped at $300.
5. Window benefits capped at $200.

You can read more about it when Energy Star updates their website in the near future.  Also we are not tax lawyers nor accountants, so please contact your accountant or the IRS with questions about your situation.