Home Energy Efficiency in Portland

Overview

Here's a secret that Portlanders don't want to share. Even though it rains a lot and there are a fair number of cloudy days, when the sun shines in Portland, the city glows — or at least moods do. While those glowing days make weeks without the sun worth it, the cold, wet winter days can take a toll on your heating bill.

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

What other information might be good to know when considering home energy efficiency upgrades in Portland?

The average temperature low for two-thirds of the year stays in the 40s, and the average high in July and August is 79 degrees, which means floor and attic insulation and air sealing can play an important roll in keeping your home comfortable.
Cloudy days are a reality, but Portland still receives 3 - 3.5 kWh/square meter of solar radiation on average daily, which means solar panels can be a viable option.
The average wind speed in the Portland area is 10.5 mph, which is enough to keep a wind turbine twirling.
Electricity in Portland is relatively cheap because of all the hydroelectric production in Oregon (around $0.091/kWh from Portland General Electric and other providers). However, the cost of electricity is expected to continue rising.

Home Energy Audits in Portland

An energy audit is an home assessment that tells you what appliances aren't up to par, and it points out the areas of your home that are losing heat unnecessarily through leaky windows, doors or crawl spaces. It will tell you which upgrades will give you the biggest return on your energy efficiency investments.

An in-home energy audit typically costs a few hundred dollars, but customers of Portland General Electric, Cascade Natural Gas, Pacific Power or NW Natural can receive a free home energy audit though the Energy Trust of Oregon! The audit will identify problems that can be easily fixed and will result in at least a few hundred dollars of savings in the short-term.

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 Portland

Interested in making your home more energy efficient? Here are some measures you can take.

Air Sealing: Caulking up areas where hot and cold air is seeping in and out of your home can reduce the amount of energy your furnace needs to consume to heat your home. This is especially import for homes that are more than 10 years old.
Attic Insulation: The average age for most homes in Portland is 34, and most could be much more efficient if people added R38 rated insulation to the existing three to four inches of insulation in older attics. Additionally, floors should be equipped with R25-R30 rated insulation.
Programmable Thermostats: A programmable thermostat can be set to turn your heater off while you aren't at home to enjoy it.
Wind Turbines: If you own a home that is ultra energy efficient, consider a renewable energy system such as a wind turbine. Using the wind to produce energy is a practice that is centuries old, and it can still benefit your home today.

Have a project in mind? Find the right contractor.

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in Portland

How can you afford to make your utility bills ... affordable?

Home Efficiency Upgrades: You can receive a $500 energy rebate for adding insulation, weather stripping, duct sealing and replacing windows and doors through the State Home Oil Weatherization program. This rebate can be combined with Oregon's residential energy tax credit, which is a credit equal to 25 percent of the cost of energy-efficient appliances and measures made in your home. Additionally, insulation and window replacement is included in the federal efficiency tax credit, which covers up to 30 percent of costs. The Oregon and federal credits can also be used for purchasing high-efficiency appliances, like heat pumps, water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners.

Renewable Energy Systems: If a wind system is right for your home, the Small Wind Incentive Program offers up to $35,000 to homeowners who install a wind energy system. Also, the Oregon tax credit can cover up to $6,000 of the costs for wind or solar energy systems. If solar panels seem like they would do the trick, check out the Solar Electric Buy-Down Program, which offers up to $20,000 to homeowners who install photovoltaic systems. Both solar and wind, along with geothermal heat pumps and fuel cells, are eligible for a renewable energy tax credit from the U.S. government, which covers up to 30 percent of the system cost.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in Portland.

Home Energy Resources from EnergySavvy

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.
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.
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.
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: March 2010

Have a project in mind? Find the right contractor.