Home Energy Efficiency in Detroit

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Here are some facts about Detroit's climate and energy consumption to note when contemplating residential energy efficiency.

• As cold as it can be in the winter, it can get really hot in the peak of summer, easily jumping into the 90's for weeks at a time. With such temperature extremes, proper insulation, combined with an energy-efficient heating and cooling system, plays an important role in keeping your home comfort
• able and utility bills affordable.
• Michigan is the number one natural gas producer in the Great Lakes Region, and four-fifths of residents in Michigan use it to heat their homes. Residents pay around $11 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas (average for the U.S.) and $0.12 per kilowatt-hour of electricity (a little more than average).
• The average Michigan home was built in 1968, much before any energy efficiency housing codes were enacted, which means most homes could probably use an energy efficiency retrofit.
• Because the attics in older homes often have only three to four inches of insulation, ENERGY STAR recommends adding R38 to R49 rated insulation to the already existing layers. Also, floors should have a minimum of R25 insulation installed.

Home Energy Audits in Detroit

Want some help figuring out where to begin? An energy audit will give you an list of projects you can take on to increase your home's efficiency, an estimated cost and an estimated return on your investment. An in-home energy audit typically costs a few hundred dollars, but in many cases, it'll identify easy problems to fix that'll result in at least a few hundred dollars of savings in the short-term, paying for itself!

If you'd like to find out — for free and within minutes — whether your home is a good candidate for an energy audit and for upgrades, take our online home energy report. We'll give you a home energy score and estimate your savings potential.

Home Energy Upgrades in Detroit

Here are some projects you may want to take on in your home.

• Insulation: Because Detroit homeowners face cold weather for much of the year, adequate insulation is very important to maintain a comfortable and affordable home. Adding insulation to your home can often pay for itself in the long run through savings on your utility bills.
• Air Sealing: Air leakage can lead to wasted energy and increased electrical bills. Like insulation, air sealing helps you get the most out of your heating and cooling systems. An energy audit will identify leaky areas on your home so that your contractor can properly seal them.
• Energy-Efficient Windows: Windows can be an expensive investment and should be done after more cost-effective upgrades, like insulation and air sealing. However, if you're remodeling and need to replace them anyway, look for ENERGY STAR double or triple-pane windows with a low U-factor. This will make a big difference in the comfort of your home.
• Wind Turbines: While renewable energy systems should come after you maximize your home's energy efficiency with more affordable measures, if you're ready for the next step, wind energy in Detroit is definitely a possibility. The average annual wind speed in Detroit is 10.3 mph, which is enough to keep a turbine spinning throughout most of the year.

Have a project in mind? Contact an energy expert to get started.

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in Detroit

Home Efficiency Upgrades: Using funding from the American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Michigan is offering the ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program, which provides hundreds of dollars in rebates for replacing your refrigerator, dishwasher or clothes washer or upgrading your furnace or water heating systems. As of April 9, 2010, the program has nearly $5 million remaining, and the program will end when funds run out. Additionally, there are several utility rebate programs that offer rebates to customers who purchase ENERGY STAR appliances or those who upgrade their home's weatherization through measures like adding insulation and air sealing.

Renewable Energy Systems: Consumers Energy offers a Buy-Back Tariff at $0.65/kWh for homeowners who install photovoltaic systems. DTE also offers incentives for solar through the Solar Currents Program, which provides a production incentive of $0.11/kWh. WPPI offers incentives for solar and wind. The WPPI program covers up to $10,000 of the installation costs for both renewable energies. Last but not least, the federal government offers a residential tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of solar, wind, biomass or fuel cell renewable energy systems.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in Detroit.

Home Energy Resources from EnergySavvy

1. Home Energy Report: How efficient is your home? Find out how to improve your home's efficiency and comfort, without spending tons of money, with EnergySavvy's free online home energy report.
2. Energy Rebate and Tax Credit Directory: EnergySavvy's guide to energy rebates and tax credits can help you find all the energy tax credits and rebates that are available locally for you.
3. Energy Contractors: If you've got a project in mind to make your home more energy efficient and comfortable and you'd like to talk with an energy expert about it, we can help. We focus on the relatively small group of contractors nationwide who really understand home energy auditing and energy retrofits.
4. Educational Content: Home energy efficiency is complicated stuff. It's not just as simple as laying some insulation in the attic. We've put together a library of easy-to-read topics that cover the basics of energy efficiency. And if you have a question about anything, you can ask one of our energy experts using our "Ask an Expert" feature.

Last Updated: May 2010

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