PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Duke Energy is reminding homeowners of some free services they provide to help lower your bill. It’s part of their free energy efficiency assessments and home improvement rebates program.

What You Need To Know

  • Homeowners with Duke Energy may qualify for free energy efficiency assessments and home improvement rebates

  • The program includes a report of the homeowner's past and current energy usage as well as recommendations by experts for any

Customers who have not had a home energy check within the past two years can complete a free assessment online, over the phone or in person. They will then receive a report with their past and current energy usage. Experts also provide any recommendations for improvements.

“If you’re dropping the thermostat and you’re not feeling it anymore, it could be that you have some duct leakage up in the attic or the attic insulation is low,” says Gordon Appleton, Senior Energy Advisor for Duke Energy. “We’ll help you correct those. You’ll move the thermostat up and be more comfortable than you were before, and now you’re saving even more money.”

Duke Energy says heating and cooling accounts for about half of a home’s energy use. It’s a program that is helping homeowners save money.

“Anything I can do to help reduce that cost, then I’m all for it.”

Working away inside his home office is Danny Noguez.

Being a graphic designer, Noguez does most — if not all of his work — on a computer. Which can use quite a bit of energy.

“I spend most of my time here at home and could run up that energy bill if we’re not doing things correctly around here,” says Noguez.

For that reason, Noguez is no stranger when it comes to conserving electricity, often cutting back as much as he can.

“One good way that I’ve learned, being at home, is that I can easily have all of my lights on and all of my fans on. So, to cut back, I turn those fans off and turn everything off around the house that is not in use. Even the coffee machine if it’s not in use, just trying to find more ways to save money.”

And that’s only the beginning. Members from Duke Energy were providing a home energy check on that particular day, touring Noguez’s home to see where he could be saving even more money. He’s already noticed a dip in the amount he’s had to pay each month.

“The average cost of our bill has been around $140 and, in these last couple of winter months, we’ve seen it cut down to $77 to $80,” he says. “So almost half of that.”

Having Duke in his home has opened his eyes to even more potential savings — savings that can come from his A/C system and even from his attic.

“Learning more about the A/C and how it works and generates. I always believe that the more knowledge you have, the more powerful it is. So any ways to help put more money in my pocket, essentially, I’m all for that.”

Useful knowledge that he hopes can save him a little green.