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Heating bills in Mt. Pleasant MI climb every October and do not recede until April. Isabella County seven-month heating season — January average lows 13F, cold snaps to -20F — demands continuous furnace operation in under-insulated homes. But 20 to 40 percent of the typical Consumers Energy heating bill represents recoverable heat loss, not unavoidable cost. Here is where it goes.
An attic with R-11 to R-19 insulation — common in pre-1990 Isabella County homes versus Zone 5 R-38 minimum — continuously allows heat to rise through the ceiling and escape through the roof. Blown cellulose to R-38 or R-49 in a single day. Energy Star average savings 15 percent on heating and cooling. Consumers Energy rebates up to 400 dollars. Federal 25C tax credit up to 1,200 dollars per year.
Single-pane aluminum windows in Isabella County homes have an R-value of approximately R-1. The wall beside them is R-13 to R-19. Each single-pane window radiates cold into the room from several feet away on a January night in Mt. Pleasant. EP VueSeries replacements: R-3 to R-5, Zone 5 rated. EPA estimated savings 100 to 600 dollars per year. Federal 25C tax credit up to 600 dollars per year.
An unencapsulated crawl space in Mt. Pleasant drives cold air into first-floor living areas through the stack effect all heating season. First floors perpetually cold regardless of thermostat setting. Spray foam encapsulation stops this pathway permanently. Federal 25C tax credit up to 1,200 dollars per year.
Every ceiling penetration in an Isabella County home is a potential bypass for warm air into the cold attic. Energy Plus includes air sealing at all top plates and penetrations as standard with every attic insulation project.
Call Energy Plus Home Improvements at (989) 833-1000. We identify your heat loss pathways, give projected savings for each fix, and explain every available Consumers Energy rebate and federal tax credit.
