We've been talking home cooling on Facebook and Twitter this week, and this topic is even more timely as dangerous heat envelops much of the United States. Many states are under Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories as a "heat dome" forms over the central part...
Texas Energy Consultant Archives
Get Money Back for Buying, Charging Plug-in Electric Vehicles
Vehicle Tax Credits When it comes to tax credits, buying a new plug-in electric vehicle offers the best bang for the buck. Depending on the size of the vehicle’s battery, buyers of new, commercially-available plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) may qualify for $2,500 to...
Smart Texas Energy
Unplug those unused electronics. We all do it. We leave electronics and equipment like cell phone chargers constantly plugged in, even when not in use. These “energy vampires” (or phantom loads) can suck a lot of power, so unplugging unused electronics can save up to...
Energy Saving Solutions on the Horizon
Smarter, More Connected Homes We live in an increasingly connected world -- the same is true for our homes. New electronic devices and appliances can now be linked to the Internet to provide real-time data that makes it easier to understand and lower energy use. Soon...
Energy Efficiency Tax Credits, Rebates and Financing: What Options Are Available for You?
Tax Credits A tax credit is subtracted from the amount of tax that you owe. Credits are claimed when you file taxes for the previous year, so if you made a purchase in 2014, you would be claiming your tax credit now when you file your taxes. Previously, many of the...
Eight Things You Didn’t Know About Daylight Saving Time
This Sunday, people across the country will set their clocks forward an hour, marking the start to Daylight Saving Time. But it hasn’t always happened on the second Sunday in March. The Energy Policy Act of 2005, which was implemented in 2007, added four weeks to...
Projects to Keep Your Energy Bills Out of Hot Water
We are all guilty of using a little too much hot water in our daily lives -- whether it is spending an extra two minutes in the shower, leaving the water running while washing dishes or washing clothes on hot water instead of cold. Taken together, these habits of...
A Texas Consumer’s Guide to Home Energy Upgrades
A comfortable home is an energy-efficient home. The steps below outline the process for making your home more comfortable through energy upgrades and highlight the importance of choosing certified home energy professionals to do the work.Step 1: Start with the Right...
You Asked, We Are Answering: Your Texas Energy Questions
A few weeks ago, we hosted a Twitter Chat to discuss ways you can improve your home’s energy efficiency. In advance of the event, we asked for your questions, and the response was greater than we anticipated. We weren’t able to get to them all, but with help from our...