Business & Tech

West Hartford Residents Have New Option to Increase Home Energy Savings

Dr. Energy Saver improves and repairs houses to create savings for homeowners.

has existed in one form or another since 1978 in East Granby, with a focus on planning communities and building homes.

Kirk MacNaughton and his son Reed often brainstorm new concepts, bouncing ideas off of each other and developing them in hours-long strategy sessions. At one of those sessions, the idea that developed into the MacNaughton’s new business began with a practical question, “What should we do with our [already constructed] houses?”

From that idea, and a commitment made in 2011 to construct new homes with Energy Star certified products, sprung many hours of research, data analysis and the location of an already extant energy-saving business concept. By then, the MacNaughtons had found their newest venture: Dr. Energy Saver.

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The business provides home evaluations, repairs and improvements, all designed to improve temperature regulation and otherwise cut down on unnecessary home energy use. The ultimate goal of Dr. Energy Saver is to save homeowners money.

“The work pays for itself,” Reed MacNaughton, the manager of Dr. Energy Saver, said, noting that savings on heating and electrical bills will make up for expenditures on repairs and continue to provide savings. “I think we’ve got it figured out pretty well.”

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Additionally, the improvements, especially those related to temperature regulation, increase a home’s livability.

“We’re saving them money and making their houses more comfortable,” MacNaughton said.

Some of the most common improvements are air sealing and insulation work, which also improve the effectiveness other energy-saving measures like new mechanical components and systems. But there is no magic cure for home energy loss.

“Every house is different, there’s no one fix all,” he said.

The savings derived from increasing energy efficiency are relatively constant once improvements are made and the rough average for annual return on investment (ROI) is 15 percent. Comparatively, MacNaughton said the average annual ROI for stock market investments is about 7 percent and are much more volatile, dependent on changes in the market.

MacNaughton said increasing energy efficiency at newer homes was relatively easy due to current building codes and standards. The bigger challenge is to fix up older homes, including those built during the post-World War II housing boom in the 1950s and 1960s. He pointed out that the issue isn’t poor construction or a bad job performed by builders, but a lack of understanding of energy-efficient construction practices during that time period.

A particularly distinct project for Dr. Energy Saver took place at a 1881-vintage farmhouse. That building totally lacked any sort of insulation, except for the unique efforts of a person who owned the home around the beginning of the 20th century. An entire wall was filled with corncobs in an attempt to insulate that part of the house.

“They were petrified,” MacNaughton said.

MacNaughton said business has been good so far at Dr. Energy Saver and the company is working every day. Depending on the type of work done and the state of the home, improvement projects usually take between a day and one week.

Being in a business that is sustainable and profitable but also helps others save money is a big positive of working for Dr. Energy Saver, MacNaughton said.

“It’s great to be in a business that is a good business but also does good for other people,” he said. “Once we actually convince [homeowners to have the work done] and we do it, they’re always very happy in the end.”

Dr. Energy Saver performs work on-site from the Massachusetts border south to Berlin, as far east as Somers and as far west as Barkhamsted and Winsted. The company offers free estimates. To learn more, visit the Dr. Energy Saver website.


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