Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition

HI October 2022 - USA Edition

Healthy Indoors Magazine

Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/1481425

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 50 of 52

Healthy Indoors | 49 for $150 (plus $50 to recycle the old appliance). The rebate neither lowered nor increased my taxes, but it did offset the actual cost of my fridge. You claim rebates when you make the purchase, not when you file your taxes. Rebates are not taxable income. Whether your family's purchases qualify for rebates or tax credits, how should you prioritize your shifts, espe- cially if you have a lot of appliances to convert? Start with actions that will reduce how much energy your home uses overall. The Act provides up to a $150 rebate to help homeowners pay for an energy audit that will tell them two things: where energy is being lost, and what's needed to stop it. When I had my audit done, I discovered that my leaky attic was the reason why my winter heating bills were so high. The audit prescribed exactly how much insulation I needed to add to make a difference, which I did. Next, make a list of your own gas-to-electricity priorities. Is your gas furnace on its last leg? Do you need a new water heater? Is your clothes dryer kaput? If you must replace those appli- ances anyway, make them the priority. Meanwhile, learn about highly effi- cient heat pump technology. I knew that electric heat pumps could replace gas-burning furnaces, but I didn't realize that heat pumps for clothes dryers, wa- ter heaters, and conventional air condi- tioners – which use five times more en- ergy than a heat pump – even existed, let alone qualify for various rebates. Before you buy, ask an electri- cian whether you need to upgrade your electrical panel. An electrician recently gave me an estimate to re- place my gas stove with an induction cooktop and electric oven. He said my panel was fine, but that he'd need to install a new 240-volt outlet to re- place the existing 120 volt outlet the old stove used. Know what your new appliance will need to make the best choice. This guide from Consum- er Reports might help you weigh your options if you want to buy a new electric range. You don't need to switch out every appliance at once, so you could set up a timeline based on your priorities and your budget. If your goal is to electrify your entire household, it might take a couple of years. Don't worry. The Act is in force until 2032. This simple calculator from Re- wiring America will help estimate how much money you could get using the incentives available in the Inflation Reduction Act. The rebates and tax credits won't cover the entire cost of what you buy. However, the remaining expense will be offset annually through energy savings. Rewiring America estimates that, "households that get heat pumps for space and water heating, an EV, and put solar on their roof stand to save $1,800 per year on energy bills." All these savings can potentially help your family for years to come. Diane is an award-winning entre- preneur and long-time green expert who was named one of America's EcoHeroes by Glamour magazine. The recipient of the Image of the Fu- ture prize from the World Communi- cations Forum, Diane founded Big Green Purse to enable women to use their consumer clout to protect them- selves, their families, and the planet. A best-selling author, Diane's "how to go green" books have collectively sold almost four hundred thousand copies. Diane provides expert advice, consumer guidance, and employ- ee engagement workshops to such companies as Avon, St. Ives, Whole Foods, Frito Lay, American Bankers Association, Pacific Life Insurance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the United Nations De- velopment Programme. She also speaks to non-profit groups, religious institutions, colleges and universities, and a wide range of civic organiza- tions. Diane lives with her family just outside Washington, D.C. in the envi- ronmentally friendly, energy-efficient home they helped design and build.

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Healthy Indoors Magazine - USA Edition - HI October 2022 - USA Edition