Energy Efficiency

Want to save money with smart energy use?

The following links provide valuable information to help you get started.

Smart homeowners want to get the most value from their energy dollar. One way to increase the comfort of your home while potentially saving money is to make energy efficiency improvements.
To make this process easier, Coweta-Fayette EMC has partnered with GEMC Federal Credit Union to develop the HomePlus Loan Program, a fast and economical way to finance your energy efficient upgrades.

How do I get started improving my home?
First determine the improvements you want to make to your home and obtain an estimate for your home energy upgrades from the approved contractor list. Then complete a simple GEMC FCU HomePlus Loan application and submit it to Coweta-Fayette EMC.

Who can qualify?
Any existing homeowner receiving electrical service from Coweta-Fayette EMC who has a good credit score and payment history with the cooperative is eligible to apply for the loan.

How long does it take to process my loan application?
Once we receive your completed application, we generally process them within 24 hours. Please do not proceed with your home improvements until you have received confirmation from GEMC FCU.

What improvements can I finance through GEMC FCU?
You may finance all EMC approved energy upgrades including Energy Star rated heat pumps, water heaters and double pane windows, plus weather stripping, attic and floor insulation, caulking, duct insulation and sealing.

How and when are my contractors paid?
Coweta-Fayette EMC will verify the completion of your home improvements. You will then sign your loan documents and the check will be made payable to you and the contractor.

What is the interest rate for a HOMEPLUS loan?

How will I make my loan payment?
Your monthly loan payment will appear on your Coweta-Fayette EMC bill and will be applied to your HomePlus Loan.

Together We Save - This is designed to provide you with energy saving tips, tricks and practices. Discover ways to improve energy efficiency on this room-by-room cyber journey of a typical home. You can also see how much you can save by replacing standard incandescent lights with Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs). Quite a lot!

Online Home Energy Audit - This easy-to-use tool is designed to help you identify the best ways to save energy in your home.

Energy Saving Ideas

1. Use cold water instead of hot for washing clothes.

2. In winter, lower temperatures in the home to around 68 degrees. In summer, keep air conditioning set at 78 degrees or above.

3. Install storm windows and doors where possible. Caulk cracks and weatherstrip windows and doors. Insulate walls, ceilings, and floors in your home.

4. Check and maintain your heating and cooling system for the most efficient performance.

5. Reduce the use of lighting in the home. Use low-power light bulbs and lower wattage where strong light is not necessary. Don’t leave lights on in unoccupied rooms.

6. Don’t use the dishwasher for less than a full load of dishes.

7. Turn off the heat in unoccupied rooms and close those doors, unless you have a heat pump.

8. Don’t let hot water run while washing, shaving, or doing dishes. Fill basin or sink with only as much water as needed.

9. Don’t block heat outlets, such as radiators or registers, with furniture, carpets, or draperies.

Home Energy Calculator - Determine the cost of your current energy use and see how that amount changes by creating various scenarios for comparison.

Touchstone Energy Home Rebates – Are you building the home of your dreams and want to make it energy efficient? Do you want to make your home a Touchstone Energy certified home? If so, the Touchstone Energy® Home Program may be what you are looking for.

Coweta-Fayette EMC, your local Touchstone Energy® Cooperative has long placed a priority on promoting energy efficiency to our members. We are constantly hearing that you are interested in homes that are well insulated, more energy efficient, more economically heated and cooled, cleaner and safer and more comfortable. Therefore, Coweta-Fayette EMC has decided to reward members for exceeding the ordinary and going a step further to meet these energy efficient standards. To qualify for the Touchstone Energy New Home certification, nine of the eighteen following energy efficient features must be included in the dwelling. When choosing your features, please note that electric heat pumps, electric water heaters, water saving devices, and a load management switch are considered mandatory and must be used.

The Touchstone Energy Home features are:
R-16 wall insulation, minimum
R-38 attic insulation, minimum
R-19 floor insulation for closed and open crawl spaces
Programmable thermostat
Double pane windows or single pane with storm window
Metal insulated exterior doors
Infiltration control
Energy Star appliances
Electric water heating must be either Marathon or solar (mandatory)
Energy efficient electric heat pump (mandatory)
Load management switch (mandatory)
Water conservation devices (mandatory)
Exhaust system in kitchen and baths
Exterior vapor barrier or house wrap
Duct located in conditioned space
Heat recovery system
Radiant heat barrier
All windows have low-e glass

Heat pumps must have an SEER of 14.5 or more, an HSPF of 8 and be sized per the Georgia Energy Code. The following gas applications will be allowed: natural or propane gas logs, cook tops, and piggyback heating and cooling systems.

Touchstone New Home Incentives
$1000 for homes using electric heat pumps or geothermal systems and a Marathon water heater
$1500 for homes using electric heat pumps or geothermal systems and a solar water heater
$750 for homes using duel fuel (piggyback) heating and cooling systems and a Marathon water heater
$1250 for homes using dual fuel (piggyback) heating and cooling systems and a solar water heater
If you would like to certify your new home as a
Touchstone Energy Home, please contact the marketing
department at 770-502-0226 today.

Touchstone Existing Homes

These incentives can assist those of you looking to replace heating and air equipment, water heaters, insulation and windows. If you need help determining what modifications to make in your home, please call our marketing department at 770-502-0226 for assistance.

All heat pumps must have a 14.5 SEER or higher energy rating. These rebates are only available for equipment replaced since January 1, 2011.

·$300 for gas to electric heat pumps

·$200 for gas to dual fuel heat pumps

·$150 for heat pump replacements

·$750 for geothermal

·$750 for electric/gas to solar water heaters

·$250 for gas to electric water heaters

-$250 for heat pump water heater

·$150 for R-11 to R-38 attic insulation; $90 for R-19 to R-38

·$150 for R-13 floor insulation

·$50 per window for double-pane or storm windows (up to $500)

·$25 per programmable thermostat (maximum $50 per home)

Energy Tax Credits -

Efficiency Benefits Extended for 2011, but at Lower Levels

On December 17, 2010, President Obama signed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This law extends the tax credits for energy efficiency into 2011, but reduces the amount a consumer can receive. The levels revert back to those in effect in 2006 and 2007, before the federal stimulus bill was enacted.

This new legislation lowers the total lifetime credit that can be claimed on energy efficiency improvements made between 2006-2011 (excluding 2008, when no credit was available) from $1,500 to $500. Additionally, it reduces the percentage of efficiency upgrade costs consumers can recover from 30% in 2009-2010 to 10% in 2011.

Kids Zone – Calling all co-op kids! Visit this special section to have hours of fun with CFL Charlie, the Touchstone Energy mascot. You’ll find interactive games, coloring pages, educational info, energy tips and much, much more!

For more information on energy efficiency, visit the Touchstone Energy Savers website, and start spending less today!