SAN ANTONIO — Nobody likes a high electric bill. CPS Energy wants to help you save money, not just during the summer when the temperatures are extreme, but all year round.
Arthur Giron's family has lived in their 100-plus year old home since the 1950s. It had a slew of cracks and crevices where air could seep through, driving up their monthly electric bill. "I think one of the times it was about $400," Giron said.
Air leakage was a big reason their bill was that high. Oscar Medina, a CPS Energy weatherization field representative said, "There are a lot of hidden air leaks that customers don't know how to find. They don't know what they are looking for."
Giron added, "When Texas weather kicks in and it's about 100 and something degrees, it would be just as warm inside as it was outside."
Some of the energy-saving upgrades in the Casa Verde program may include attic and wall insulation, weather-stripping and caulking, replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs or LEDs, duct sealing and thermostats, as well as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. "It'll alarm the customers it'll start beeping letting them know there are high levels in the home," Medina said.
Adding insulation was a big task for the team. "Not only is the floor insulated, but the whole wall is insulated also," said Medina. With that and weather-stripping inside and out they were able to reduce air leakage by 30 percent. Giron added, "This program is something that a lot of people need and a lot of them don't know about it."
To get into the program, homeowners need to meet income requirements. Then a CPS Energy contractor will evaluate the home, determine what improvements are needed and install weatherization measures.
If you find you don't qualify for the Casa Verde program, CPS Energy has another way to help you weatherize your home on your own for free. "They can get an HEA done which is a Home Energy Assessment," Medina said. "They will send a tech out to kind of help the customer point out the opportunities they can take to make their home a little more energy efficient."
To learn more about that assessment and the Casa Verde program, just call 210-353-CASA.
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