Put some of your energy into saving energy!
- ebjella
- May 4
- 5 min read

One of the biggest expenses of running a household is paying for energy. This month we want to let you know about the ways to save money regarding your energy bill.
The Grays Harbor PUD has an informative website (www.ghpud.org) that clearly explains a variety of programs that could save you energy and money.
Senior Discount Program
People who are 62 years old or older and have an annual gross income of $35,567 or less, may qualify to be in the senior discount program. To be considered, a person must receive an electric bill from the PUD in their name and not live in federally subsidized housing.
To apply for this program, you need to complete an easy application – available online, and have proof of age, identification, a social security card and one of your PUD electric bills.
Disabled Discount Program
To qualify for the Disabled Discount Program, the household must have a gross income of $35,567 or less, meet the disability requirements under Social Security Act 42 U.S.C. Chapter 7, receive a Labor & Industries pension, and not be living in federally subsidized housing.
In addition to a completed application, the applicant must have a picture ID, copy of the current SSI award letter or L & I pension certification letter and proof of income for everyone living at the home.
Energy Audit available
Regardless of income level, it is possible you could be eligible for a free energy audit that could uncover information that could end up saving you big on your energy bill.
For the audit, the PUD sends an energy advisor to your home to do a thorough inspection of your house looking for ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency. From top to bottom, they can determine the efficiency of your current setup as well as give you the latest information on various rebates that can make energy efficiency improvements more affordable.
To arrange for a free audit, you can email energyservices@ghpud.org or call Energy Services today at (360) 538-6383.
Duct Sealing Program
The ducts inside a home that move air to and from a heat source such as a forced air furnace, a ducted heat pump or from a central air condition can waste energy – and money! – if they aren’t as efficient as they could be. In fact, the Grays Harbor PUD says on its website that sealing and insulating ducts can improve a home’s heating and cooling system by up to 20 percent!
Not only does the PUD have a program to help homeowners seal their ducts correctly, they’ll also help you pay for it! It’s definitely an investment worth looking into. This program involves having the ductwork professionally sealed for air leaks and insulating all accessible ducts.
Not only can this save you money, often quickly paying for itself, it can also make your home more comfortable by reducing hot and cold spots and healthier by sealing out contaminants that enter your living areas from garages, attics, etc., that enter the living areas because of leaky ductwork.
To help pay for the program, $250 is available for single family homes and $200 for manufactured homes. In addition, federal tax credits may be offered for residential efficiency upgrades. (Visit the Department of Energy and energystar.gov, or ask the folks at the PUD for more information.)
It is critical to note, that pre-approval is required and that the home must be in the Grays Harbor PUD service area and use permanently installed ducted electric heat.
Heat pump upgrade or conversion
One way to save money every month on your energy bill is to have a heat source that is properly sized and installed. For our climate, the Grays Harbor PUD recommends heat pumps – and we do too.
A properly sized and installed heat pump with sealed cuts can reduce energy waste by as much as 50 percent, according to the Grays Harbor PUD. A Grays Harbor PUD approved contractor can help you choose the right equipment and install and maintain it properly.
And, in addition to getting comfortable, consistent hot and cold air for your home, there are financial incentive to convert or upgrade an existing electric air forced-air furnace.
For a home that has an existing electric forced-air furnace, a rebate of $1,000 for an air source heat pump conversion or $1,200 for a variable speed heat pump conversion will help with the financial investment. In addition, upgrading to a variable speed heat pump for a home that already has an existing heat pump, ductless heat pump, zonal heat new construction or non-electric heat, a $200 rebate is available for a variable speed heat pump upgrade.
If your existing heat pump is more than 10 years old or is failing, you may also be eligible for this program.
It's critical to note that pre-approval is required! (You can’t have a heat pump installed and go back to the PUD hoping for a rebate. Instead, check with them first!)
It's also possible that federal tax credits may be available for residential efficiency upgrades. Again, talk to the folks at the PUD or visit the Department of Energy website or energystar.gov for the latest information.
Other money- and energy-saving programs
If you are planning to make some energy-related improvements to your house soon, talk to the folks at energy services at the PUD or look on the website for additional rebates and incentives.
In addition, for those with natural gas, Cascade Natural Gas, offers rebates to customers for a variety of power-saving residential appliances and weatherization measures for homes. For the latest on these, visit the utility’s website at cngc.com/energy-efficiency or give them a call at (866) 626-4479.
That’s not all. We here at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor have a small home repair loan program available to help people finance home repair projects that will improve the health, safety and affordability of their home.
Earlier this year, NeighborWorks received some grant money from the Aberdeen Community Foundation which was matched by NeighborWorks to implement this program. This is a loan that must be repaid, but the rate and terms are as favorable as possible to keep payments low. Certain household income limits apply and loan amounts are limited.
The loan program will remain available until funding runs out. For more information, call NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor and ask about the Home Repair Loan Program.
Eric Bjella is the executive director of NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor; a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing opportunities for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, housing counseling, homebuyer education and financing, call (360) 533-7828, listen to the extension picks that will best help you and leave a callback name and number.
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