Quote Originally Posted by BAMA S View Post
Our lake house is 3200 sq ft with open cell everywhere. We average 150 power bill year round. That's using 13 seer heat pumps with variable speed air handlers. And 30 a month is the underwater light. You do the math, open cell works.
It truly does work. I have 5500 sq ft heated and cooled. We built energy star with the foam encapsulation, low e argon filled windows and doors, sealed plates, tyvek, dual fuel 95 percent efficient heat pumps with 16 sear ac that is zoned per room. All my utility bills combined didn't equal my water bill this summer (3 acres of irrigation). We have averaged less than $175 a month from April until January on electricity and natural gas combined. It is just unbelievable.

With interest rates so low, I don't see how someone could not build energy star. You are either going to pay it in utility bills or a house payment. Energy isn't going to get cheaper and interest expense is tax deductable, so it was an easy decision for me.