by Nick Jurczyk
The State of New Jersey doesn’t want you to sweat. The Save Green Project has a generous fund available for every homeowner, regardless of income, that will allow you to upgrade your equipment, save energy and reduce your bills. There are no restrictions on the age of home, in fact many newer homes are some of the biggest energy wasters. It takes a few hours to see how much you can save in both energy and dollars, and the whole process can be completed in about a week.
The Save Green Project covers heating, air conditioning, lighting, ventilation or air sealing and overall energy efficiency retro fitting. My company has performed hundreds of these upgrades and the customers are all living happier lives in more comfortable homes, many without spending any money.
Here’s the simple explanation of how it works.
A certified State-approved contractor will perform an energy audit, which will check all the energy wasting spots — attics, windows, heating, air conditioning, hot water heaters, even your basement and crawlspaces. If they can find a way to reduce energy bills and upgrade efficiency by 20% through simple repairs or new appliance purchase(s), the state will give you up to $4,000 toward the upgrade. If the contractor can identify a 25% saving, the state will give you up $5,000. This money is intended to go to half the repair bill.
The remaining balance can either be paid directly or you can have it added into your NJ Natural Gas monthly bill, so no more extra bills. There are even long term 0% interest loans for as long as 10 years that are easily available to cover the rest. This will allow you to complete the upgrade without literally having to take a dollar out of your pocket. That’s true efficiency.
Pretty cool. But hey, this is the government after all, the greatest form maker anywhere. Sadly, many people don’t take advantage of these grants because of the paperwork. Look for someone to help. For instance, at Accredited Energy Services we do all the paperwork for you. In most cases we get you qualified and tell you how large your savings, grant fund and monthly payment will be, right at the time of the audit. We’re used to the forms, know the right numbers to call and have all the correct certification to get answers fast.
You can do it yourself, but in our case, we don’t charge anything to do it for you, so why put yourself through all that aggravation only to wind up at the same place? Some companies will charge a processing fee, which is still worth it if it can save you the time and frustration of having to fill out all those papers. We work towards getting you an upgrade where the energy savings is greater than the payment on the balance, so that you’re writing the same monthly check, only from the comfort of a truly energy efficient home. Either way, the two-to-three-hour audit, which we are offering free, can be your gateway to a more comfortable and more affordable life. Don’t delay though, you want to get in before the project funding pool closes. Call 877-696-5283 if you’d like to ask a few questions.
Nick Jurczyk is Certified contractor, energy specialist and owner of Accredited Energy Solutions. Accredited Energy Solutions has state certified energy consultants, as well as in-home technicians who are certified by the Building Performance Institute(BPI) holding both Building Analyst, and Envelope Professional certifications. www.accreditedenergysolutions.com.
