Avoid Base-Plus Usage
The long hot summer is finally over. Did you have to spend your kid’s inheritance on your SMUD bill this year! Every year the utilities keep going up. Early this year SMUD sent out their “Residential Rate Guide” and from June 1st thru September 30th with the base usage costing $.1177 per KWH (kilo watt hour) and if you use over 1100 KWH in a month (base-plus usage) the rate jumps to $.1928 per KWH! Now you understand why you’re paying more than you paid last year.
Check The Filter – Your Best Defense
Obviously your largest electricity usage is your Air Conditioner in the summer months, and if you are not changing your filter monthly and making sure the unit is running at its peak performance you could be paying a lot more to try and stay comfortable throughout the summer months.
If you are getting into the base-plus (over 1100 KWH per month in summer) that is a 60% cost increase over the base usage, and even in the winter, spring and fall the base-plus usage is costing you $.1861 a 57% increase, you might want to consider being a Photovoltaic generator (making your own electricity)! If you just make enough electricity to get you out of the base-plus, the system can be fairly inexpensive and a very good ROI (return on your investment).
Only the Best Solar Panels
The solar panels Buckley Heat Air Solar uses are made in the USA and come with a 25 year warranty; they also come with a very user friendly monitoring system to keep track of the energy you are producing. SMUD will even give you a $500 rebate for installing and the federal tax credit is still available to offset the cost by 30%!
Increase Your Home’s Resale Value
The other thing to keep in mind is the increase in your homes appraisal value with photovoltaic solar. It equals 20 times the annual reduction in operating cost! An actual Folsom customer of ours was paying $2198 (per year) for their electricity before the solar system and after we installed the bill went down to $1342 (savings of $856 per year times 20 years was $17,120). The total cost of the system was $14,877 and they received a rebate check from SMUD of $500 and a federal tax credit of $4313 with an out-of-pocket cost of $10,064. Also, they are producing 4,816 KWH per year!
Savings PLUS Comfort PLUS Value
If saving on your expenses (today and in the future), increasing your appraised value of your home and helping the environment sounds like something you would enjoy, please contact me. I will be glad to show you how much you can save! Call me personally at (916) 473-2711