Take Advantage of the Energy Assessment You’re Already Paying For

I owe you a big “Thank you!”

It was really nice of you to help me pay for my three-hour home energy assessment. 

What? You don’t remember send me a check? It wasn’t a check. It was included on your energy bill. 

That’s right. Check last month’s ComEd and NICOR bills and you’ll see a line item marked “Environmental Cost Recovery.” It’s one of those small fees that we often overlook. At least I did, until Elizabeth, the energy advisor who conducted my assessment, pointed it out to me.

The money from that fee goes into an Energy Efficiency Trust Fund administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Part of it is used for the Smart Ideas program run by ComEd and NICOR to keep them in compliance with a 2007 law that requires Illinois energy companies to contribute toward energy efficiency programs. 

I learned about Smart Ideas from an insert in my energy bill and was so excited to get the subsidized energy assessment that’s offered to residential customers of both companies.  For nearly a year, I had been thinking about getting an energy audit to help bring down my utility costs and conserve energy. 

Every time I drive by that giant pile of coal on 135th Street and New Avenue, I feel guilty for leaving my computer plugged in all the time and having my thermostat up a little higher than it should be.  But I wasn’t sure what would really make a difference or whether there might be something unexpected that I could change to have a big impact on my energy usage.

I needed a pro to tell me what to change, but the cost of a private home energy audit was just too high. All of the companies I contacted charge about $500 to conduct the audit, and I had no assurance that I’d be able to recoup those costs with their recommended changes.

That’s why I was so energized—and skeptical—at the offer of a $99 assessment on my statement insert.

My concerns were all alleviated, though, when Elizabeth arrived at my house. She works for a company called Conservation Services Group, an independent third party hired by ComEd and NICOR to do the energy audits. She was totally neutral and just interested in helping me be more energy efficient and save money. And she did an amazing job!

First, she assessed everything from the building materials to the foliage around my home. She went in the attic and checked the insulation, ran tests on the HVAC and hot-water systems, and checked every single window for leaks with a Mission-Impossible-looking hand-held device. 

Next, she did a combustion safety test to make sure there were no issues with carbon monoxide. She also installed everything she could within the boundaries of the program to lower our energy usage. This includes up to 10 CFC light bulbs, two showerheads, hot-water pipe insulation, faucet aerators, and programmable thermostats. 

If you need them, all of these items are free as part of the program. If we had needed more insulation or other higher-cost work done, we could have had her company do it at a significant discount (ComEd and NICOR will match up to $1,250 in costs for insulation and air sealing).

The best part of the audit was the detailed computer program that Elizabeth used to calculate our energy usage and any other ways that we could save.  According to the program, simply using the 10 CFCs she installed rather than traditional light bulbs would save us $118 per year. So I’d already be getting my $99 fee back in energy savings this year, not even counting the value of the bulbs themselves plus all the other freebies I got that day. 

To help me maximize what I had to do on my own, Elizabeth left me with a to-do list of using power strips for electronics, buying more CFC and LED light bulbs, making sure lights are turned off, and dialing down the thermostat.  I’ve done almost everything she suggested and have decidedly lower utility bills to show for it, even after accounting for our unusually warm spring.

Whether you want to save money, be greener, score some free eco-friendly home supplies, or simply find out whether your hard-earned money is literally going out the window, this program is a great value and an enlightening experience. Go ahead and schedule your home’s energy assessment. After all, now it’s my turn to pitch in for yours.

If you’re a residential customer of both ComEd and NICOR, you can schedule your energy assessment by calling 877-821-9988. For more information visit www.nicorgasrebates.com/homeenergysavings/ or  www.comed.com/home-savings/rebates-incentives/Pages/home-energy-assessment.aspx#

Read more of BJ’s adventures moving her family toward a greener lifestyle on her blog, www.confessionsofagreenmom.com.

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