Landlord Lifeline

Why Insulate… Rebates, Tax Credits, Reduced Energy Bills!

The list of why you should be insulating and doing other energy efficiency projects is probably longer, but…

·         Rebates for products and rebates from utility companies,

·         Tax credits from the federal, some state and local government

·         And, of course, reduced year-round energy bills

… should be ample incentives… especially for landlords.

 Where to start?

·         Most local utility companies are offering free or inexpensive energy audits.  Xcel Energy’s “Home Energy Audits” has options for varying levels of audits.

·         There are lots of professional energy audit companies, but check Energy Star Partners before hiring anyone. There are plenty of poorly trained contractors and scam artists out there these days.  Ask for credentials.

·         A do-it-yourself audit to start with could uncover a lot of what you need to do.  Black and Decker has a nifty new tool, Thermal Heat Detector, part of their new TreeHugger line, for $49.99.  Once you locate the problem areas with the thermal heat detector, filling the gaps with spray foam insulation, caulk, weather stripping, insulation is relatively easy.  If you need to insulate an entire attic or crawl space and need advice… Owens Corning website has a 3 step tutorial.  My construction company is blowing in green cellulose insulation that two people can do in 4-5 hours for the average house. Our Home Depot is giving free rental on the blower for installation with the purchase of 20 bags of insulation.  They will also help you figure out how much you need. (Health tip: wear a respirator or high quality dust mask when installing insulation.)

For just tons of helpful information Energy Star’s website is a must.

Looking for the clues around your investment properties will help you identify energy leaks you may have missed.  I was standing in front of one of our rentals talking to a tenant recently when a little bird perched on the roof gutter.  Its loud chirp got my attention, but its disappearing act really got my attention.  It wiggled into a small hole in the wood fascia of the house just under the edge of the roof flashing.  This sweet little thing had created an air leak to get to a nice warm place in the attic and build a nest.  The bird eviction wasn’t easy, but filling the hole with wood putty was done in short order.

Look for clues like icicles hanging from gutters, light coming underneath a closed door…you’ll find them, fix them  and lower your energy bills.

I can’t encourage you enough to :

·         do an energy audit ,

·         insulate attics and crawl spaces and

·         apply for all the rebates and tax credits coming to you.

Do you have questions about other aspects of energy efficiency in your rentals?  Send us an email.

Thanks!

B

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