Home Energy Efficiency in Tulsa

Making Your Home Comfortable and Efficient

Here are some facts about the Tulsa area that are good to know when working to improve your home's energy efficiency.

• While Tulsans don't see a lot of snow during the winter months, the average low for the three coldest months out of the year are below freezing. Temperatures in the summer swing to the opposite side of the spectrum with highs in the 80's and 90's for five months out of the year.
• Oklahoma boasts 12 of the top 100 largest natural gas fields in the United States, which may be why Oklahoma residents pay around $8.50 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas, more than $2 less than the national average.
• Electricity prices are nearly three cents less than the national average, with utilities like the Oklahoma Electric Cooperative charging around $0.08 per kilowatt-hour.
• The average Oklahoma home was built around 1974, leaving the majority of homes more than 35 years old. This is a sign that a lot of homes could benefit from an energy efficiency retrofit.
• With annual average wind speeds of 10.2 mph, wind energy potential in the Tulsa area is very good.
• There is also room for solar energy as the city receives around 5 kWh per meter squared of solar radiation daily.

Home Energy Audits in Tulsa

An energy audit can help you prioritize your energy efficiency needs. It will help you figure out which upgrades will be most cost effective and have the fastest return on your investment. Through comprehensive testing, the audit will be able to point out which appliances, insulation, heating equipment, etc. needs to be repaired or upgraded. Audits typically cost a few hundred dollars and can pay for themselves within the first year if you follow through with the upgrades.

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 Tulsa

Here are some upgrades that an auditor may suggest for your home.

• ENERGY STAR Appliances: By replacing your outdated refrigerator or washing machine with an ENERGY STAR model, you'll quickly notice a drop in your utility bills.
• Weatherization: Added insulation and air sealing along with other weatherization measure can reduce your dependence on heating and cooling appliances while retaining a comfortable living environment. If you only have a few inches of insulation in your attic, ENERGY STAR recommends adding R25-R38 rated insulation to the already existing layer.
• Tankless Water Heater: Tankless water heaters allow you to efficiently heat your water as you need it rather than keeping a large supply heated day and night.
• Wind Energy: The windy plains of Oklahoma make it a potentially great place for wind turbines to create clean, renewable energy. If interested in wind, you should consider having your home weatherized and updated in order to get the most out of a turbine.

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

Energy Rebates and Tax Credits in Tulsa

Home Efficiency Upgrades: Oklahoma Cooperative Utilities offers rebates on clothes washers, dishwashers, room air conditioners, ground-source and air-source heat pumps and water heaters. Oklahoma Electric Cooperative and Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative also offer rebates on heat pumps. The Public Services of Oklahoma provide rebates on ENERGY STAR refrigerators, room air conditioners and CFL lightbulbs.

Renewable Energy Systems: If you would like to install a renewable energy system in Oklahoma, the federal government offers a tax credit equal to 30 percent of the cost through the Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit.

Check out all energy rebates and tax credits in Tulsa.

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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