The Christensen family of Geneva, NY, has cherished their over 100-year-old home for two generations. When Donald Christensen inherited this historic house from his father, he soon realized it needed a bit of TLC! Over the years, the house had developed substantial leaks in the envelope and was burning over 1200 therms of natural gas annually to keep warm and provide hot water.

In the spring of 2023, the Christensens partnered with Halco Energy to give their beloved home some much-needed upgrades. By insulating the rim joist and attic hatch, upgrading the electric panel, fixing broken duct runs, and replacing the furnace with an efficient air source heat pump and the gas water heater with a heat pump water heater, they have prevented 186.97 tons of CO2 from entering our atmosphere! Thanks to this significant emissions reduction, the Christensens received our maximum Climate Fund award of $2,500. By combining the Climate Fund award with incentives from NYSERDA and NYSEG, they ended up covering only 10% of the almost $36,000 project cost!

Thanks to these energy improvements, the Christensens will enjoy significantly reduced energy bills, consistent heating and cooling (since heat pumps double as air conditioners!), and improved air quality. We are thrilled to have supported the Christensens, our 88th climate heroes!