Improve your home’s efficiency and lower your bills
GCE offers free energy coaching to Garfield County homeowners and renters
Garfield Clean Energy has helped over 1,400 families from Parachute to Carbondale reduce their energy costs by as much as 25 percent. That equates to savings of up to $500 a year, based on the U.S. average!
The typical home loses energy through leaky windows and ducts, old appliances, and inefficient heating and lighting. Plugging those leaks is a one-time investment that will lower your utility bills for years to come.
Energy efficiency upgrades also make your home more comfortable. They'll eliminate drafts and cold spots, and keep your home cool in the hot summer months.
Our energy coaches can help you make smart decisions about making energy efficiency upgrades to your home. Get free advice on:
- The most cost-effective measures for your situation (hint: start with a home energy assessment - see the sidebar)
- Utility rebates to help lower your costs
- Additional assistance for income-qualified households
- Low-interest financing
- Local contractors who specialize in efficiency and solar projects
Get started today! Contact one of our energy coaches:
Christina Matzl
(970) 704-9200 ext. 105
cmatzl@cleanenergyeconomy.net
Martín Bonzi (se habla español)
(970) 704-9200 ext. 100
mbonzi@cleanenergyeconomy.net
Need financial assistance?
Households in Garfield County within certain income ranges may qualify for FREE home energy efficiency programs. Click here for info about ReEnergize Garfield County.
Take advantage of utility rebates
Most energy-efficiency projects qualify for decent utility rebates, which makes them all the more worth doing. However, the patchwork of rebates offered in our region is pretty complicated, so let one of our energy coaches guide you.
For reference, here’s a chart of rebates available to Garfield County residents. (Note that CORE has discontinued its rebates in Garfield County.)
Glenwood Springs Electric customers
Glenwood Springs Electric's rebate program is administered by CLEER (the same organization that runs Garfield Clean Energy's programs). If you're a GWSE customer, you qualify for an array of great rebates - see this page for details.
Start with a home energy assessment
A home energy assessment (or audit) is a recommended first step before investing in upgrades. It will identify which measures are appropriate for your particular situation – and which will provide the best bang for your buck.
A home energy assessment is a comprehensive evaluation of your home's energy use by a professional home energy analyst.
The analyst will perform a blower door test and thermal imaging to reveal where air is leaking in or out of the home, inspect your furnace and water heater, and test your indoor air quality for potential health and safety issues. (See this blog post about the process.) You’ll probably get some free “quick fix” items like LED bulbs, a programmable thermostat or hot water blanket, and afterwards you’ll get a written report listing other recommended measures.
If you meet certain income requirements, you may qualify for a free home energy assessment. Visit our ReEnergize page to learn more.
Otherwise, a home energy assessment will typically cost $400-600 in our area. Fortunately, all three electric utilities that serve Garfield County have programs that reduce the cost:
- Holy Cross Energy and Glenwood Springs Electric both offer a $200 rebate to those who apply through Energy Smart Colorado. (Garfield Clean Energy is the Energy Smart Colorado partner for our county.) Be prepared to provide your utility company account numbers, home square footage and other details.
- Xcel Energy also offers a $200 rebate to its electric customers when you sign up for an assessment through this page. However, you must use one of their participating contractors and there's only one currently operating in Garfield County (Tiger Home and Building Inspections). Another option available to Xcel customers is to book an appointment with their Home Energy Squad; these visits are cheaper, but very few appointment slots are allocated to Garfield County.
Questions? Email us and one of our energy coaches will be happy to help.
Looking for inspiration?
To get ideas of what's possible, see our energy- and money-saving tips for homeowners and renters.
Need a contractor?
Use our Contractor Locator to find qualified local contractors that provide the services you’re looking for.
Need project financing?
The Colorado RENU program offers low-cost, long-term financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. More info here.