Two years ago, Betsy Doling decided the time had come to give her 112-year-old Fall Creek home a major energy makeover. Since moving in back in 1999, a large-and-in-charge chimney had been cramping her kitchen’s functionality. Not to mention, the chimney’s sole purpose was to vent Betsy’s low-efficiency, noisy, and finicky natural gas furnace. Twenty-three years later, Betsy was ready to say, “Sayonara, chimney!”
Three contractor visits later, Betsy discovered that getting rid of the chimney meant she’d also have to part with her old furnace. But how would she heat her home? Undeterred, Betsy immediately began searching for alternative technologies. She excitedly remarked, “The heat pump was right there in my face!” Once she knew what she wanted, Betsy chose Halco Energy for the upgrade, and she couldn’t be happier with her decision.
The team at Halco conducted thorough assessments of Betsy’s home and answered every question she had. Even better, Halco handled the nitty-gritty grant paperwork, connecting Betsy to the Climate Fund and other fantastic resources, ultimately reducing the initial $36,000 project bill to an astonishing $11,000! Betsy shared her excitement, saying, “The whole grant system was really wonderful. Since I’m retired and have been for several years, this made it affordable.” When it came time to install the high-efficiency heat pump, Halco went above and beyond by also insulating Betsy’s basement and attic. They truly put the cherry on top, ensuring her house stayed cozy and snug, with no clean energy escaping! All in all, Betsy’s home energy upgrades will keep an astonishing 176 tons of CO2 out of our atmosphere.
Now, two years later, Betsy has no regrets! Her installation finished just in time for a sweltering July heat wave. She vividly recalled, “Walking into the house, everything was so cool. I tested one of the registers, and this cool air was coming out. It never occurred to me that I wasn’t just getting a heat pump; I was also getting an air conditioning unit for my entire house!” And in the chilly winters, “the heating is wonderful because it provides constant warmth.” Add to that $50 in monthly heating savings and the satisfaction of knowing your home is at the forefront of clean energy—the heat pump truly is the gift that keeps on giving!
Congratulations to Betsy, our climate hero and proud recipient of the 79th Climate Fund Award!
