Take the Challenge at home
Get started with a FREE Home Energy Review
Want to join the Corvallis Energy Challenge to save energy at home and help build a more sustainable future? Here’s how you can get involved:
Sign up for a FREE Home Energy Review.
Think of a Home Energy Review as an energy check-up for your home. The Home Energy Review is the foundation of the Corvallis Energy Challenge. Corvallis Sustainability Coalition members are aiming to sign up at least 1,000 homes for Reviews. Help us reach that goal!
In a Home Energy Review, fully trained experts from Energy Trust and, during summer months, students from the Oregon State University Student Sustainability Center, take about an hour to examine the energy efficiency of your home. You’ll receive:
- A written summary identifying specific energy-efficiency measures— such as adding insulation or sealing heating ducts — that will help you use less energy, save money and create a more comfortable living environment.
- Preliminary assessment of your home’s suitability for a solar installation.
- Up to 10 compact fluorescent lights installed FREE!
- Water-saving showerheads and aerators installed FREE!
- A list of Energy Trust trade allies who are qualified to make energy-efficiency improvements to your home.
- Information on Pacific Power Blue Sky renewable power and NW Natural’s Smart Energy carbon offset program.
You are eligible for a FREE Home Energy Review from Energy Trust if:
- You own a freestanding, single-family home, OR you rent a single- family home and your landlord has agreed to request the Home Energy Review.
- Your home was built before 1993.
- Your home is heated with electricity from Pacific Power or gas from NW Natural.
Consumers Power customers
If your home is served by Consumers Power (and does not have natural gas heat from NW Natural), then Consumers Power can perform a free home energy audit. Homeowners can register on line.Oil-heated homes
The Oregon Department of Energy administers the State Home Oil Weatherization (SHOW) Program, which serves Oregon households that heat with oil, propane, kerosene, butane or wood. SHOW-eligible homeowners can conduct their own energy audit and apply for cash rebates for installed weatherization and heating measures. Find information at the Oregon Department of Energy website.Renters
If you rent an apartment or house, you’re encouraged to participate in the Corvallis Energy Challenge, too. Ask your landlord to sign up for a Home Energy Review (if the home is single-family freestanding) or participate in Energy Trust’s Multifamily program. Renters who are successful in getting their landlords to enroll will be entered into a drawing for a $500 gift certificate!To have a FREE Home Energy Review, register now online. Be sure to note on the form which Corvallis Sustainability Coalition partner organization you wish to receive credit for your participation. The Coalition partner with the most Home Energy Review registrations will win $1,000.
Next steps – take action.
After you have the report from your Home Energy Review, you can take steps to save energy and benefit from clean power. The Corvallis Energy Challenge helps connect you with resources to make it easier.
The next step after having a Home Energy Review is to take action. To make a real difference, homeowners are encouraged to install two or more measures identified in your Home Energy Review. To help make improvements more affordable, Energy Trust offers cash incentives on qualifying energy-efficient upgrades. In addition, Corvallis Energy Challenge participants qualify for a $50 cash-back bonus coupon! Eligible measures for the bonus coupon include:
- Insulation: ceiling, floor, wall, duct, boiler pipe
- Air sealing (excludes air sealing blower door test)
- Duct sealing (excludes duct leakage test)
- Windows
- Heat pump
- CheckMe heat pump test
- Gas Furnace
- Direct vent gas unit heater
- Direct vent gas fireplace
- Gas boiler
- Water heater
- Solar water heater
Your Home Energy Review will include a preliminary assessment of your home’s suitability for a solar installation. If your home is a good candidate and you’re interested in learning more about this clean resource, Energy Trust has useful information online including a solar calculator to help you estimate costs. Energy Trust also offers cash incentives on solar projects including solar electric panels and solar water heating. Energy Trust and Solar Oregon will host two solar seminars in 2008 in Corvallis, one in April and the other during July DaVinci Days.
Some energy-efficiency and solar projects also qualify for Oregon residential energy tax credits and/or federal tax credits. See the Oregon Department of Energy Web site and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR® Web site for details.
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For your convenience, Energy Trust maintains a list of Corvallis area trade ally contractors who are committed to promoting energy efficiency. The list also includes qualified solar contractors. Trade allies are eligible to offer special promotions.
View the full list of trade ally contractors which includes trade allies from outside the Corvallis area.
Easy ways to use less energy and save money
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Clean or replace filters monthly to help your furnace work at peak efficiency
- Turn down the thermostat to 65–68 degrees during the day and 58–60 degrees at night during cooler months. If you have a heat pump, turn the thermostat down no more than 10 degrees at night. Install an ENERGY STAR® programmable thermostat so it adjusts automatically
- Install exterior wall switch and outlet gaskets to prevent air loss and infiltration
- Caulk small holes and cracks around plumbing pipes, exhaust fans, dyer vents, sink and bathtub drains, fireplaces, and under countertops
- Close fireplace and wood stove dampers when not in use, but wait several hours after the fire dies down
- Wash and rinse laundry with cold water. To save more energy and water, run full loads
- Clean lint filters after each load of clothes
- Use the water-saver washing and energy-saver drying options on your dishwasher
- Check to make sure refrigerator/freezer gaskets seal tightly
- Use a countertop convection or microwave oven or smaller electric appliance instead of a full-size stove whenever possible
- Use pots and pans with flat bottoms
- Turn off lights when not needed
- Unplug battery chargers (e.g. power tools, mobile phones, laptops, etc.) when not in use
- Choose ENERGY STAR appliances when you replace your clothes washer, dishwasher, refrigerator or other products. (Energy Trust offers cash-back incentives for qualified ENERGY STAR clothes washers and refrigerators)
Make energy-saving home improvements and get cash back incentives from Energy Trust. To learn more, call 1-866-368-7878 or go online to www.energytrust.org/HES.
How can we help YOU?
You may be able to lower your energy costs and keep your home more comfortable year-round with energy efficient improvements such as insulation, windows, duct sealing, direct-vent gas room heaters, water heaters, heat pumps and high efficiency furnaces. Energy Trust can help with free advice and financial incentives.Learn how to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from your natural gas use with the NW Natural Smart Energy program, and support renewable electricity through the Pacific Power Blue Sky program.
