DENVER -- If the summer heat is getting the best of your home energy bills it might be time to look into making some changes. The average homeowner who makes energy efficiency upgrades can save up to 23 percent, according to the City of Denver.
It can often be difficult for homeowners to know where to start when it comes to making these upgrades, and difficult to know which ones will make the biggest impact.
An energy audit is a great place to start.
Xcel Energy offers rebates for the service where a participating contractor will do a top to bottom assessment of your home. Audits range in price, the customer pays upfront and Xcel will reimburse 60 percent of the cost up to $200.
Pamela Whitney discovered the program when she was running out of ideas to keep her 1957 mid-century modern home cool.
"The big motivator was that our house was basically 90 degrees for days on end and we needed to figure out a solution," said Whitney.
Her air conditioning was constantly running and her home was still hot. An energy auditor went through Whitney's house and recommended several changes, including a swamp cooler.
Most of the recommendations are typically low-cost and do not need to be done by a contractor.
"You can use that information not just right away, you can use it for years to come," said Jeremy Lauffenburger, an Sustainability Advisor for the City of Denver.
Lauffenburger walked Denver7 through a home in Central Denver and pointed out some areas where improvements are needed. Some of the most basic fixes include weather stripping and changing out light bulbs to LEDs. He also recommends a programmable thermostat.
For more information about energy savings visit the Denver Energy Challenge webpage or Xcel Energy.