Home Energy Efficiency in San Antonio

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Here are some facts to consider when thinking about home energy efficiency.

• Summers in the San Antonio area are hot! The average high in July and August is 95 degrees, easily jumping into the 100's during the hottest weeks. Meanwhile, the average January low is 39 degrees, which means you're going to need an energy-efficient HVAC system to keep your home comfortable without emptying your bank account.
• Texas is responsible for three tenths of the U.S.'s total natural gas production, and the average price of natural gas in the San Antonio area is around $8.80 per thousand cubic feet, $1.80 less than the national average.
• On the other hand, San Antonio residents pay around one cent per kilowatt-hour more than the national average for electricity from utilities like CPS Energy.
• The average Texas home is 30 years old. Typically any home more than 5-10 years old can benefit from energy efficiency upgrades everywhere from heating and cooling equipment to insulation and air sealing.
• Wind and solar potential in the San Antonio area are very good, with wind speeds at 9.1 mph on average annually and average solar radiation intake at 5 kWh per meter squared daily.

Home Energy Audits in San Antonio

Each home is unique and so are its energy efficiency problems. An energy audit is a great way to make energy efficiency upgrades easy to understand, especially in terms of cost-effectiveness. Your auditor will comprehensively test your home in order to identify any areas that are performing poorly.

Typically an in-home energy audit costs a few hundred dollars, but that can easily be recouped in utility savings in the short term. The average three-year savings after energy retrofits are made is $2,700.

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 San Antonio

Here are some upgrades your auditor may recommend.

• High-Efficiency Central Air Conditioner: In the hot heat of San Antonio, the only way to stay comfortable in your own home is to lower the internal temperature. In order to do that without having to spend a lot of money, you'll need an efficient system.
• Air Sealing: Another piece of the energy savings pie comes from proper air sealing to keep all of that expensive coooled air from leaking outside of your home, which causes your whole system to work harder. By making your home air tight, but still properly ventilated, you'll be able to cut back on how often your air conditioner has to turn on.
• Attic Insulation: Adding attic insulation to homes with only a few inches of existing insulation can help keep heat from coming in through your roof and into your living space. ENERGY STAR recommends adding R25 to R38 rated insulation to the existing layer. In the wintertime, this additional insulation will keep heat from rising up and out of your home.
• ENERGY STAR Appliances: Having high-efficiency appliances helps cut back on the cost of running a home. Some appliances that use a lot of energy every day, and therefore should be as efficient as possible, are refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers, dryers, and water heaters. As an added bonus, many ENERGY STAR appliances are designed to save both energy and water.
• Solar Panels: If you're operating your home at maximum energy efficiency, you may be ready to install a few solar panels to help you become more energy independent. Solar panels will allow you to generate power for your home for years to come, which will help protect you from ever-fluctuating energy prices.

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

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in San Antonio

Home Efficiency Upgrades: CPS Energy offers a bunch of rebates on energy-efficient appliances such as clothes washers and dryers, air conditioners, programmable thermostats, insulation and more. The U.S. government is offering a Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit through 2010 on measures like added insulation, HVAC upgrades, new windows and doors and more. The credit is equal to 30 percent of the cost of equipment and appliances up to $1,500, and in some cases the credit will cover labor costs as well.

Renewable Energy Systems: There are several solar incentives to take advantage of including CPS Energy's solar hot water rebate program, which covers up to $2,000 of a solar hot water heating system. CPS also offers rebates on solar panels at $3/watt. Texas New Mexico Power Company offers rebates for solar panels at $2.50/watt. Additionally, the federal government will cover 30 percent of the cost through the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in San Antonio.

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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