Franzoso Contracting Blog Home Improvement Resources

Westchester County is launching a new program that will offer free home energy assessments to homeowners who want to learn how they can make their homes more energy efficient and, of course, save money.

Contractor Mark Franzoso gives tips to Ossining homeowner Lori Damato about how she can save energy.

The Home Energy Assessment Program – sponsored by Westchester County, the Workforce Investment Board and the Business Council of Westchester – will be offering free home energy assessments for 2,000 county residents on a first-come first-served basis.  The assessments will be offered by professional contractors and the homeowner can decide whether or not to go forward with more comprehensive testing and repairs if needed.

“These assessments are free, come with no obligations and may help homeowners save money in the long run,” said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. “Wasted energy costs money and hurts the environment, and this program can help on both fronts.

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Homeowners can call 211 to set up an appointment with an authorized contractor. A representative will screen the caller to determine whether they qualify for a free assessment and answer any questions.  An authorized contractor will then call the homeowner directly within 24 hours to schedule an appointment.

The following contractors have been hired by the county with the help of a $200,000 federal grant: Bright Homes Energy Ideas, Comfort Solutions, Green Star Energy Solutions, All HVAC Service, Bright Home Energy Solutions and Franszoso Contracting. The participating contractors (who responded to a bid request by the county) are being reimbursed $100 for each audit they complete.

To be eligible for the program, the homeowner’s property must be located in Westchester County; the person contacting the Call Center must be the owner of the property; and the prospective client’s dwelling must by 4,000 square feet or less. The program will run through May 31, 2011 (or until 2,000 audits are conducted – whichever comes first).

Homeowners will get the results of the complimentary assessment immediately after the contractor’s visit. At that point, homeowners can decide whether they should follow up — at their own expense — by hiring that contractor, or another, for a more comprehensive assessment, which usually involves several diagnostic tools and specialized computer software. At that point, if additional repairs are needed, the homeowner would need to arrange for those independently.

Call takers at the 211 Call Center can also help homeowners learn about federal grants or state incentive programs that could help with any needed repair costs.

Thanks to Westchestergov.com for this article. The article can be found here: http://www3.westchestergov.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2794:new-program-to-help-homeowners-save-on-energy-costs&catid=74:news&Itemid=300137

Having an energy-efficient home offers myriad benefits, not least of which is the significant savings in your utility and heating bills. Here in the Northeast, where we have a significant heating season, we must be aware that windows and doors are a major cause of our home’s heat loss, causing us discomfort, condensation problems, and of course having our money literally “flying out the window”!

However, good news is at hand! Recently, windows have undergone a major technological revolution, offering lower heat loss, less air leakage, and warmer window surfaces that improve our home’s comfort dramatically. Properly installed energy-efficient windows and doors deliver better protection against cold, heat, drafts, moisture, pollution, and noise. An energy-efficient home ensures consistent temperatures between rooms, improved air quality, and overall a better, healthier environment for you and your loved ones. And, an energy efficient home helps save money all year long – to the tune of hundreds of dollars a year.

What makes a window energy efficient?

• Quality Frame Materials: A variety of durable, insulated and low-maintenance framing materials reduce heat transfer and help insulate better.
• Multiple Panes: Two panes of glass, with an air or gas-filled space in the middle, insulate much better than a single pane of glass. Some ENERGY STAR-qualified windows include three panes for even greater energy-efficiency, increased impact resistance, and sound insulation.
• Low-E Glass: Special Coatings reflect infrared light, keeping heat inside in winter and outside in summer. They also reflect damaging ultraviolet light, which helps protect interior furnishings from fading and the more a window product can reject or absorb the UV energy the longer the life of the furnishings being protected. Franzoso Contracting, Inc. can offer insulated glass packages with as high an R-value as R-10 and double or triple pane glass with multilayered gas coatings.
• Gas Fills: Some energy-efficient windows have argon, krypton, or other gases between the panes. These odorless, colorless, non-toxic gases insulate better than regular air.
• Warm Edge Spacers: A spacer keeps a window’s glass panes the correct distance apart. Nonmetallic and metal/non-metal hybrid spacers also insulate pane edges, reducing heat transfer through the window.

What Makes a Door Energy Efficient?

• Multiple Glass Panes: Double or triple-paned insulating glass is used to reduce heat flow.
• Tighter Fit and Improved Weather Stripping: New frames may include a magnetic strip to create a tighter seal that reduces air leakage around the edges which is similar to the way your refrigerator
• closes and seals itself.
• Improved Core Materials: Fiberglass, wood cladding, and steel with polyurethane foam core are among the most energy-efficient door materials available today.

Franzoso Contracting can easily help you determine how you can best improve your home’s energy efficiency with beautiful new windows, doors or skylights. Our extensive showroom here in Croton is packed with samples of quality products that can make a real difference in your daily life. And, there’s even special state and federal programs that offer financial incentives and low- or interest-free financing to help make it easy to decide to go the energy-efficient route for your home!

So call or come in today! Franzoso Contracting is always here for you, our knowledgeable staff will help you make the right choices for your needs, and our expert installers will do a beautiful job to help make your home the energy-efficient showplace of your neighborhood! Please visit our comprehensive website at http://www.franzoso.com, or call us at 914-271-4572.

This Free Report brought to you by: Franzoso Contracting : 33 Croton Point Ave • Croton On Hudson, NY 10520 • (914) 271-4572