7 Easy Ways to Lower Your Summer Cooling Bill

We'll see about that

Hello Kyle, I'm well aware of HR5351 -- it's mentioned in that link I previously posted -- and have been following it closely myself after installing lots of Energy Star windows and appliances this year as part of a remodeling. Unfortunately, as I understand it these credits will be paid for by reducing existing tax breaks for large oil companies -- likely increasing the cost of gas at the pump. This legislation is certainly NOT a done deal! I doubt that Bush (oil man) will sign it, and the House vote wasn't strong enough to override a veto.

This is not to gainsay the value of purchasing and installing energy-efficient products and appliances. Even without tax breaks, you're saving money in the long run, and collectively, conservation is the best thing we can do to help reduce energy costs, shortages, pollution, etc. Unfortunately it seems that conservation is extremely low priority among policy makers right now, when we need it the most.

As I was told as a child, "The energy you save is everybody's; the money you save is your own."

Guero of MO @ Jun 25, 2008 17:15:08 PM

New Tax Credits

Guero, thanks for the correction. It looks like a new one is coming down the pike though:

"On February 27, 2008, the House passed $18.1 billion in renewable energy tax incentives (H.R. 5351), including an extension of the tax credit for energy-efficient home improvements. The bill is similar to the one passed last year, which was ultimately removed from the 2007 Energy Bill, signed into law in December 2007. This bill must still pass in the Senate, and be signed by the President to become law."

Kyle James of CA @ Jun 25, 2008 15:14:53 PM

Tax credits have expired

Those EnergyStar tax credits you mentioned are only for improvements placed into service before Jan. 1, 2008. Congress has not yet renewed those and there's no guarantee they will do so. see http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits for more info.

Guero of MO @ Jun 25, 2008 12:22:41 PM

Good for owners, not for renters

I guess these tips are good if you own your own house, or have an abode you can modify, but for those of us who rent and cannot modify anything in the apartment, we're left with fans and air conditioners. And technically we're not supposed to have the air conditioners without permission from the landlord.

As for staying cool, I just stay at work where there is AC.

Veronica of NY @ Jun 25, 2008 11:17:23 AM