How we did it!

Linda W.

Last year I renovated an older and very beat up bungalow and had to do extensive and expensive work to make it livable and comfortable. I started with advice from an Electrify Ashland Now volunteer, who gave me a lot of her time and was extremely knowledgeable.

Next came an audit from Dan Cunningham with the City of Ashland. Dan was so responsive and efficient, and made sure my rebates were filed promptly.

I received $900 for replacing a gas furnace with an electric heat pump. Attic and crawl space insulation rebates totaled $1,104, and when I replaced a failed window, I received another $106. (This was all for a 1,000 sf house!) The paperwork was nearly non-existent. Using the Electrify Ashland website, I found recommendations for reliable contractors who knew what I needed in terms of receipts to get the rebates.

Finally, it was a happy day when I returned home one afternoon and noticed my Avista meter had been removed at my request — for free!

I’m saving money, but best of all, I feel I’m actually doing something positive on the climate front and helping Ashland meet its emissions reductions goals. I’m very grateful for the Ashland Climate Collaborative, and for the assistance from the City.

Linda W, Third Street, Ashland

Ben and Vanessa Scott

Ashland home energy efficiency guru Ben Scott and his wife Vanessa recently decided to slash their carbon footprint by ditching their gas furnace and AC system in favor of a Variable Speed Heat Pump for upstairs and a ductless mini-split for downstairs.

Next they went after their gas stove and converted to an induction stove.

Click here to read Ben and Vanessa’s story.

Lorrie and Bob Kaplan

“Our new heat pump water heater and heat pump space heater give us plenty of heat and hot water! We used the existing ducts from the old HVAC system so it was a relatively simple switch.

“We also swapped out our gas range for an induction cooktop, so we’re now an all-electric household! We cooked with gas for decades and were worried whether induction would measure up, but we love our new cooktop. It cooks more evenly, is more responsive, and has better fine-tuning than any professional quality gas ranges we’ve had in the past.”

David and Erika Bekermeier

David and Erica decided to explore converting their gas cooktop to an electric induction unit to shrink their footprint, reduce indoor and environmental pollution, and eliminate the aggravating cleanup needed for a black gas cooktop.

Click here to read David and Erika’s story.

Andra Hollenbeck

Andra writes to the Mail Tribune about experiences with purchasing a new home and immediately upgrading it to save money and energy. Andra’s words show us how easy and possible it is to make real-world changes that benefit the environment – by investing in high-efficient electric appliances!

Click here to read Andra’s story.

Induction Cook-tops

Why are electric induction cook-tops suddenly so popular? Many who convert from gas to induction say that their new stoves perform better than their gas stoves, with much lower greenhouse gas emissions and improved indoor air quality and fewer health impacts. And they’re much easier to clean!

Watch our video on Youtube about this modern and efficient appliance! Featuring: Ashland-based home energy experts Ben Scott and John Spillman, and our Moderator and ACC Board Member Candace Turtle.