Home Energy Efficiency in Tucson

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Here are some factors to consider when optimizing a home's energy efficiency.

• Although Arizona residents pay one cent less per kilowatt-hour than the national average, they pay $4 per thousand cubic feet more than the national average for natural gas.
• The average Arizona home was built 25 years ago, which means there is definitely room for added insulation, air sealing and more.
• The Tucson area has excellent solar potential, receiving around 7 kWh per meter squared of sunshine daily.
• The average annual wind speed in the Tucson area is 8.3, which means there is potential for wind turbines as well.

Home Energy Audits in Tucson

Energy Audits are a great place to start when upgrading your home's efficiency. A professional auditor will perform comprehensive tests on your home and then give you a list of measures you can take on to increase your home's energy efficiency, which will ultimately make your home more comfortable and affordable. Audits typically cost a few hundred dollars, and when combined with upgrades, they can save you that much on your utility bills in the first year.

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 Tucson

There are many ways for Tucson residents to combat hot summers and cold winters. Here are a few examples of upgrades your auditor may suggest.

• Attic Insulation: If, like most older homes, your attic has only a few inches of insulation, ENERGY STAR recommends adding R25-R38 rated insulation to the already existing layer. Not only will this keep you warmer in the winter, but it will help keep the sun's heat out of your home during the hottest months.
• Air Sealing: Along with insulation, air sealing can make a big difference in keeping the air you pay to heat and cool inside your home and the unwanted outdoor air from seeping in. This will make a big difference on your heating and cooling bills.
• Evaporative Cooler: In dry desert climates, evaporative coolers can be an energy-efficient way to lowering the temperature inside your home. The system forces dry, hot air from outside through wet sponges. As moisture is added to the air and the water evaporates, the temperature inside your home drops.
• Daylighting: By designing your home to use the sun's rays to light your home, you can save a lot of money on your electricity bills. In hot climates like Tucson's, it's best to maximize daylighting on a north-facing wall to reduce heat transfer into your home.
• Solar: If you've maximized your home's energy efficiency and you're ready to take the next step toward energy independence, solar is a great option in the Tucson area because of the amount of solar radiation received each day. This gives homeowners the opportunity to move toward a zero-energy home.

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

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in Tucson

Home Efficiency Upgrades: If you need to replace your HVAC system, choose a more energy-efficient model that will qualify you for rebates or low-interest loans. Geothermal heat pumps, high-efficiency heaters and ENERGY STAR air conditioners are eligible for TEP's Residential Energy Efficiency Program. If you're a customer of Southwest Gas Corporation, you can receive rebates on high-efficiency gas hot water heaters, programmable thermostats and low-flow showerheads.

Weatherizing your home means you might be eligible for the federal Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit, which will cover up to $1,500 or 30 percent of the costs of insulation, air sealing, roofing and upgrading windows and doors.

Renewable Energy Systems: If you're interested in solar, there are several rebates, loans and credits available for you. Arizona offers an income tax credit of up to $1,000 for solar and wind energy systems, and the U.S. government also offers to cover up to 30 percent of a renewable energy system's cost through a federal tax credit.

Sulphur Springs Valley EC offers $10,000 loans to help cover the cost of up to 25 percent of a wind or solar energy system. They also offer a rebate of up to $4 per watt. Additionally, TEP and TRICO offer upfront and performance based incentives.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in Tucson.

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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