The crisp autumn weather has made us feel cozier than ever in our newly insulated home.  Last spring I shared a three part series ( 1 , 2 , 3 ) on our participation in the pilot phase of the Clean Energy Works program. I wasn’t planning a final evaluation until after a winter’s worth of energy bills, but I feel like I need to defend the program after a pretty critical article in the Tribune.


The Portland Tribune criticized the program and concluded that it was shy on results. While I agree with some points, we are still among the many satisfied customers of the program. I know that our family would have dipped into our emergency fund in order finance the home improvement, and we were glad to take out a micro loan that will be paid off mostly through improved home efficiency.


Here’s the skinny so far from a finance perspective:

• We’ve been paying $49.24 extra since the loan was processed (Our previous average was $97, and went up to $146.24 in April)
• When the annual average was reevaluated, we received a $3.90 credit in September
• We’re on an equal pay bill plan, but it easy to see that our bill will go down further
• And that’s even after signing up for the Smart Energy program.

We first turned on the heat on October 15th, and we’ve all felt too hot at night at 67 degrees! Yes, we used to turn off our heat at night, but with radiant heating it’s more efficient to keep the temp relatively constant. But it does feel strange not to feel the wind inside any longer 😉  Insulating your home is really a smart investment, and probably the one that will give your family the most comfort for your buck.


Have you been satisfied with Clean Energy Works?
Do you wish it were available nationwide?


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The story of a family creating an abundant and sustainable life.