Tips on making your home more energy efficient

Published On: Jan 03 2013 06:54:55 PM PST
SPOKANE, Wash. -

With temperatures in the teens and single digits staying warm is going to put a dent in your wallet. But what if you knew that Avista would pay you to make your home more energy efficient?

Having your energy company pay you to winterize your home takes the sting out of thinking about the bill.

Consider this: Installing insulation will get you a .25 to .50 cent rebate; if you do the math that adds up to hundreds in savings fairly quickly.

There are quick and easy ways to save on your energy bill. For instance furnaces work most efficient when set at 68 degrees. Drop it down 5 degrees at night for more savings.

Then, there are projects that require more elbow grease but the payoff is bigger.

"This year we're probably about 20,000 rebates that customers are going to take advantage of," Chris Drake with Avista said. Drake specializes in home energy efficiency.

"A lot of things are visual so if you look at a door where there's light all the way around the door, if you added that up it'd be about the same size as a softball," Drake said.

He also came offering rebates to homeowners who go the extra mile.

"A lot of times it's 'Well maybe I've already done everything I can' so that's what we're trying to promote is that there's always a little bit more that you can do and those little investments do add up," he said.

You can get rebates that add up to big bucks from Avista, like a .25 to 50 cent per square foot rebate on attic, floor or wall insulation and anywhere from $50 to $100 for better appliances.

"Often times if you're looking at a couple of years. It's a longer term investment for these capital improvements but in a few years you're really going to be reaping those benefits," Drake said.

No-cost cold weather tips:

Do-it-yourself energy saving tips:

Energy Efficient Rebates for Washington:

Energy Efficient Rebates for Idaho:

Get a free home energy analysis: