Tucked away in the stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama Feb. 17 is a provision that provides homeowners with an expanded tax credit for installing geothermal heat pump systems.
Previously homeowners were allowed a 30 percent credit up to $2,000 for installing geothermal systems, but new rules under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 remove the $2,000 cap.
These revised credits are retroactive and can be taken advantage of between January 1st through December 31st of 2016.
For those of you who may not be in the “know” about geothermal heating, the basic process is pretty straightforward. Pipes are installed around the property, to what depth depends on the area but the most important factor is to dig well below the frost line to prevent freezing. Once completed the underground pipes circulate water which maintains its constant temp. When the water circulates through the heat exchanger in the house it passes over coils containing a refrigerant, which absorbs this heat. The refrigerant is then raised to the desired temperature using pressure provided by a compressor.
In the summer time the entire process is reversed with the flip of a switch. In a “cooling mode” the system draws warm air from the home and the heat exchanger transfers this heat into the water circulating over the coils passing it on through the system where the water is cooled as it circulates underground. Much like the way a refrigerator works, but on a much larger scale.
Aside from the energy savings, which seem to be dramatic, the system is quiet, odorless there are almost no moving parts, just the pump. In an effort to both conserve energy and save money geothermal heating/cooling seems like a no brainer for both builders and home owners looking to go green to save green.
You can of course read more about the changes to the tax credit here.
I just stumbled upon an interesting business that is the perfect example of expanding the green revolution, and not in a burn the establishment down kind of way.
Many homeowners are interested in options that will save them money month after month when it comes to upkeep and utilities. Who wouldn’t be? The monthly utilities and upkeep costs are often not given enough attention prior to purchase and they can add up fast. Many buyers, and agents, associate PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance) as the bottom line for a homes fixed monthly expenses. Unfortunately in most parts of the country you are going to have a number of heating and or cooling days in a given month, not to mention appliances, water usage etc. These monthly expenses are not optional and vary greatly from home to home depending on its energy efficiency.
While most of us have heard of the benefits of solar power and probably seen a home or two with panels installed on the roof most of us haven’t seriously considered having them installed. Firstly, they are not a cheap endeavor. Obviously prices vary, but it’s safe to assume that this isn’t a $500 add on that you’ll tackle in a weekend and be up and running “off the grid” in a few hours. With that in mind a company has come to market with a new take on harnessing the sun to save on your utilities. Rather then paying the upfront costs to have a system installed you can enter into a long term rental agreement and contract Citizenre REnU will install and maintain your system for you.
Currently the service areas are limited and do not appear to include any part of the Treasure Valley. This doesn’t mean that it wont be here at some point and I think that we will continue to see new business models evolve as energy efficiency and alternative energy sources become more mainstream. It seems like a year doesn’t go by that natural gas, power, heating oil, electricity etc see rate increase after increase. At some point, and probably some point in the not so distant future it will be mainstream to have solar or wind power feeding into your home helping to offset our consumption. If you would like to read more about this service you can find Citizenre REnU here.
In the end it seems to make a lot of sense to explore renewable energy options to help us power our homes. I know from one year to the next I never seem to remove more appliances then I add, which seems to be a trend. Is your power usage going down month after month? The sun rises over my house every day, the wind blows now and again. If the sun and the wind will help me pay my power bill… who am I to argue!
Radon seems to come and go as a “news” item depending on where you are in the country. As you may know, radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when Uranium breaks down and is found in most rocks and soil. Like carbon monoxide, you can not see it, taste it, or smell it and it can be extremely dangerous in enclosed spaces. It really can’t be stated enough that you really should know if you have significant levels of radon in your home so that you can deal with the problem before it becomes a real hazard to your health.
Radon is everywhere, but when outdoors it is usually diluted to low levels. To put it simply, radon becomes a problem in homes when it builds up and is not ventilated posing health risks to those occupying the home. For a much more complete explanation of the problem check out the information posted by the Idaho Health & Welfare. You can also see a radon map for the state of Idaho to see where the highest concentrations have been found.
It is a good idea to test for the presence of radon in your home, if found, there are contractors that can assist you in mitigating the problem to keep your family safe. You can even get a free radon test if you are a resident of Idaho from the department of health and welfare. Fill out the form and get your test; the life you save may be your own.
