High Electric Bills
Bob and Lorrie’s home had relied on electric heating for decades, and winter electricity bills could reach $400 to $500 per month. The Goodmans had already been considering installing a cold climate heat pump, but they wanted to better understand how their home was performing and determine which improvements would make the biggest difference. An Energy Smart Colorado Home Energy Assessment provided those details.
Enrolling with Energy Smart
The Goodmans’ first interaction with 4CORE and Energy Smart Colorado was through requesting a home energy assessment. Upon enrollment, 4CORE connected the Goodmans with a local analyst who performed diagnostic tests throughout their home. During the visit, the analyst installed a water heater blanket, added pipe insulation to the hot water lines, and replaced incandescent light bulbs with energy saving LEDs. The hot water heater was set to the recommended temperature of 120 degrees. Each of these “quick fixes” were provided at no cost to the homeowners.
The assessment gave them a closer look at how their home uses energy and helped identify opportunities to improve its efficiency. The personalized report influenced their decision to improve their attic insulation and reduce air leakage around their doors and windows by sealing their doors rather than replacing them entirely.
The assessment also reinforced something the Goodmans had already been thinking about: the potential value of replacing their electric baseboard heating system with a cold climate heat pump.
Finding a Better Way to Heat Their Home
The Goodmans had been considering a cold climate heat pump because their existing electric heating was expensive to operate. “We wanted to lower our electric bill in the winter and make the home more comfortable,” explained Lorrie.
Their home’s open layout made the decision more complicated. With a large loft and areas of the home that experienced temperature variations, they weren’t sure whether a cold climate heat pump would be able to keep the entire home comfortable. But after considering alternate options, they decided the cold climate heat pump would meet their needs.
Less expensive heating was the primary driver for the decision. Cooling was less important because Lorrie had already developed her own strategy for keeping the home comfortable during the summer months. She opens the windows early in the morning while the outdoor air is still cool, lets the house warm during the day, and then opens everything again in the evening when temperatures drop. The new system has given them another mechanism for cooling when they need it.
Once the Goodmans were connected with a local contractor, Pinnacle Building Performance, the heating system replacement came together quickly. The cold climate heat pump was installed in about six hours – an afternoon and the following morning.
““We were surprised by how easy the heat pump was to install.”
– Bob Goodman, Durango homeowner
More Comfort at Home
The Goodmans say the new heat pump system has helped make the home more comfortable throughout its different living spaces, including a partially underground entertainment room that tends to be one of the coolest areas of the house.
They have put the cooling system to work during hot weather. When temperatures reached around 88°F outside, Lorrie said the home was staying around 72°F using the system’s cooling function.
Making the Most of Available Incentives
Financial assistance played an important role in making the project possible. The energy programs team at 4CORE helped the Goodmans understand the funding opportunities available in Colorado and identify rebate programs they could pursue. Stackable incentives from multiple sources significantly reduced their out-of-pocket cost.
The experience also taught them the importance of planning for the full scope of a home improvement project. Some of the smaller improvements ended up costing more than they initially expected, but overall, they said they were pleased with the outcome.
Advice for Other Homeowners
Since completing the retrofit, the Goodmans have advice for other homeowners considering an energy upgrade: start planning early.
Lorrie’s sister and brother-in-law recently installed solar and are also considering a heat pump. Hearing about how busy local contractors can become reinforced the importance of getting ahead of the process and making sure homeowners have time to research their options and available incentives. “It’s a good idea to start at the beginning of the year to get ahead of the queue for winter,” Bob shared.
For Lorrie and Bob, the process started with an Energy Smart home energy assessment that helped them better understand their home and identify where energy efficiency improvements could make the greatest impact. Today, their forever home is more comfortable, their heating system is more efficient and less costly to operate, and they have a clearer path for making additional improvements in the future.
Costs, Rebates and Energy Savings
PHOTO GALLERY
Early Signs of Energy Savings
Lorrie has been carefully tracking the household’s electricity bills since 2022, giving the family a detailed record of their energy use over time.
Their initial utility bill comparisons show lower winter electricity costs and a slight increase in costs for their first summer with the cold climate heat pump.
“The $40 increase for this past July is probably explained by the fact that we have not had air conditioning for the previous 43 years,” Bob explained. “We will be happy to pay for the comfort the heat pump provides during the three hot summer months. We still open all the doors and windows in the early mornings and evenings when the outside temperature is less than the inside temperature.”
These early results are encouraging, but given the mild temperatures of the 2025/26 winter, the Goodmans are waiting to see how the system performs through a more typical cold Colorado winter. “We’re hoping for a normal winter to properly test the system,” Lorrie noted.
