With winter fast approaching and energy costs continuing to rise, saving on household energy bills seems like an impossible dream.A stretch of severe weather like the minus-22-degree days of last February can become an energy nightmare, which is especially true for the 500,000 homes in El Paso County built before 1970.Back then, there was little or no requirement to insulate walls, said Peyton resident Christopher Heinen, owner of RetroFoam in Colorado Springs. RetroFoam is used to insulate empty walls and improve the insulation of walls that have fiberglass batt or blown-in insulation.The foam’s shaving-cream consistency allows it to be pumped into wall cavities where it fills nooks and crannies and provides an air-tight seal that keeps the house warm in the winter and cool in the summer, Heinen said.For the typical homeowner, along with attic insulation and good windows, the foam cuts the home’s heating and cooling bill in half, he said.Unlike expanding polyurethane foams that harden and prevent any future installation of wires and pipes in a wall, Heinen said his foam is a non-toxic, water-based tri-polymer resin that stays soft enough to allow for pipes and wires without losing its ability to insulate. Heinen began installing the foam last January.This summer, Heinen insulated the nearly 120-year-old farmhouse owned by Peyton resident Bob Joly.Joly said his propane bill last winter was $1,200. This winter, he is looking forward to paying a lot less. ìThe first thing I noticed was how quiet the house was after the insulation was sprayed in,î he said. ìI don’t hear the traffic on Highway 24 anymore.îHeinen said noise abatement ñ a loss of 45 to 50 decibels ñ is another advantage to the foam insulation. Interior walls, such as those between condominium and townhouse units, can also be foamed to eliminate the transfer of sound.Heinen said it costs about $2,000 to foam the exterior walls of a 1,500-to-1,800-square-foot house. Bigger jobs can be as much as $4,500.With the $200 federal tax rebate for 2011, a foam installation typically pays for itself in three to five years, Heinen said. The time frame is less if the homeowners utility company offers a rebate, such as the $750 rebate available from Black Hills Energy.For Heinen, business is booming in El Paso County.He and his three-man team have done 100 installations so far this year, and he’s booked four weeks in advance. He expects to have a second team ready to work in December and a third team in March.ìOur goal is to help everyone save money,î Heinen said. ìEvery year, utility rates keep going up, so homeowners have to do something to save money.îEnergy Resource CenterLow-income homeowners and renters can improve the energy efficiency of their homes at little or no cost by contacting the Energy Resource Center in Colorado Springs.The ERC serves residents of El Paso County with incomes at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty limit, said Howard Brooks, director.When contacted by a qualifying resident, an ERC technician audits the home for energy efficiency and does whatever work is determined cost effective, whether itís a new furnace, new hot water heater, insulation or weather sealing.ìA lot of older homes have very inefficient furnaces that are often unsafe,î Brooks said. ìWhen their heat goes out, homeowners find creative but dangerous ways to try to stay warm. We see a lot of people living in an unsafe situation.îThe ERC works with a few local contractors, but the majority of work is done by its staff of 45 technicians.Last year, ERC technicians worked on 1,200 homes in El Paso County and the other four counties (Elbert, Douglas, Fremont, and Teller) the center serves.Brooks said most of the work on mobile homes is done in the spring, summer and fall. ìWe try and stay off mobile home roofs in the winter but work can sometimes get done during a winter warm spell,î he said.The ERCís waiting list ranges from 60 to 90 days; however, workers are quickly available in emergency situations.ERC, a United Way Agency, is funded by federal and state grants and private donations from individuals and companies, such as local utilities. For more information, visit https://erc-co.org or call 719-591-0772.
