Thursday, January 3, 2013

Home Energy Makeover Grand Prize Winner: The Reichert Family

One part of the winner selection was asking our semi-finalists to submit creative answers to "why we need a home energy makeover". Here is the essay written by our grand prize winner, the Reichert family:

Home Energy Makeover

I was born in Boulder March of 1968.  We recently moved to Table Mesa to raise our 6 year old son.   If you have kids, one of the unexpected joy of raising one is that you get to re-live your childhood.  We have had many adventures in Boulder as I show him my old stomping grounds.  He is already aware of the importance of conserving resources (we  ride bikes to school often) and he makes sure we are recycling (have you ever been busted by a 6 year old for putting aluminum in the trash can? :)) 

Everything in the home is as it was in 1962; original single pane windows, leaking hot water heater, old furnace on its last leg, no insulation in ½ of the walls and little in the attic, inefficient appliances.  The main sewer line collapsed and most of the money tagged for energy improvements went to ensure we could continue to flush the toilets and use the sinks.  My position at work was eliminated; it seems dream of living in Boulder in an efficient home may be slipping from our grasp.  It is going to be a cold winter and we could really use the help.
  
Thank you for your consideration –
John Reichert

Posted by Shawn Lindabury

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