MPBN's live, call-in radio program Maine Calling is talking about aging in place today. It's a great conversation, and it reminded us how important energy efficiency is for older homeowners.

Take Michael and Jody. Though their Rockland, Maine home had been in the family for 85 years, rising fuel prices made them question their ability to stay there. “It was getting impossible to live here,” Michael says.  “We’d been talking for years about moving out of the house, which we didn’t want to do… but it was so cold.” Evergreen’s comprehensive air sealing & insulation cut Michael and Jody’s heating costs by 30%, and because they financed the project with a long-term, low-interest loan, there were no up front costs.  Energy savings covers their loan payments, so they’re getting paid to be more comfortable.

Whether you’re aging in a beloved family home or a new space, you’re probably seeking lower maintenance, lower bills, greater comfort, and greater health.  Energy efficiency upgrades from Evergreen Home Performance make homes more comfortable, durable, healthy, and energy efficient – and they’re essential to making aging in place possible.

Here’s how:

Energy efficiency controls costs for fixed-income budgets.
Most homes – even those built fairly recently – are more expensive to heat and cool than they should be.  Cold air leaks in around doors and windows and through the small cracks that, in most homes, add up to the equivalent of an open window.  These leaks lead to cold floors, uneven temperatures, and high heating costs.  Energy efficiency upgrades seal those air leaks to better hold warm air, insulating homeowners from the cold and from the uncertainty of rising fuel costs.

Home performance makes beloved homes comfortable and healthy.
As we age, lung function decreases and respiratory problems become more serious.   Allergens that were once just annoying become acute health risks, and good housekeeping only goes so far toward lessening them.  Damp basements are a breeding ground for mold and mildew and, because air enters below ground level, most of the air in your home has passed through that petri dish – not a healthy proposition.  Home performance solutions that keep moisture outside the building envelope lower the risk of asthma by 33%.  Studies have also linked efficiency and weatherization with the reduced use of asthma medication, a decline in high blood pressure, and shorter hospital stays during colder months.

Home performance can prepare a family home for the next generation.
A home is more than a place to live.  It’s the repository of fond memories and future dreams, and many retirees look forward to passing that on to their children.  But an expensive, inefficient, uncomfortable house doesn’t always feel like a gift.  The next generation is much more likely to embrace a family home that’s been upgraded with efficiency measures that make it as practical as it is sentimental.

Want to learn more? Contact Evergreen for a free energy consult and learn how energy efficiency can help you age in place.