Save Money on Energy in Moorestown, NJ: A Homeowner Efficiency Guide

The single best place to start is a home energy assessment. Think of it as a checkup for your home's energy health. A certified energy professional inspects your home from basement to attic, identifying where energy is leaking out and where you can make the biggest impact.

PSE&G Quick Home Energy Check-Up. PSE&G offers a free, hour-long home energy assessment for all residential customers. A certified energy professional visits your home, inspects insulation levels, checks for air leaks, evaluates your heating and cooling equipment, and tests your appliances. You receive a detailed report with personalized recommendations and access to free energy-saving products like LED bulbs, advanced power strips, and faucet aerators. To schedule, call 1-833-207-7777 or visit pseg.com and search for "Quick Home Energy Check-Up."

PSE&G Comfort Partners Program. For income-eligible households, the Comfort Partners Program provides a free home energy assessment plus no-cost energy efficiency upgrades. This can include attic and wall insulation, air sealing, programmable thermostats, refrigerator replacement, and more. Over 126,000 New Jersey homes have been improved through this program. Eligibility is based on household size and income, and the application process is straightforward.

New Jersey Home Performance with ENERGY STAR. This statewide program combines a comprehensive energy assessment with access to significant rebates. A participating contractor performs a thorough evaluation using diagnostic tools like blower doors and infrared cameras. If the recommended upgrades achieve at least 10 percent energy savings, you can qualify for up to $4,000 in rebates on insulation and air sealing, plus 0 percent financing through PSE&G for up to $25,000. This is one of the most powerful programs available to Moorestown homeowners.

PSE&G offers some of the most generous energy efficiency rebates in the region through its Whole Home Energy Solutions program. Here is what is available to Moorestown homeowners.

Whole House Incentive Program. This program provides up to $6,000 to $7,500 in rebates for a package of energy efficiency upgrades that includes insulation, air sealing, heating and cooling equipment, and water heating improvements. You can also access 0 percent interest financing for up to $25,000, repayable over 7 to 10 years with no credit check. The program requires a qualifying home energy assessment through an approved PSE&G contractor.

Individual appliance and equipment rebates. Even if you are not ready for a whole-house package, PSE&G offers individual rebates on qualifying equipment. Rebates are available for ENERGY STAR certified furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners, heat pumps, water heaters, smart thermostats, and pool pumps. Typical rebates range from $50 to $600 per item. Check the PSE&G website for current amounts, as they can change seasonally.

How to claim rebates. For most PSE&G rebates, the contractor you hire handles the paperwork and applies the rebate as an instant discount or a credit on your bill. For DIY projects, you can submit rebate claims online through the PSE&G website. Keep your receipts and product specifications handy.

Weatherization is the single most cost-effective way to reduce your energy bills. The term covers insulation, air sealing, and other measures that keep conditioned air inside your home where it belongs. For Moorestown homes built before 2000, the savings potential is especially large.

Attic insulation. Heat rises, and in an under-insulated attic, it escapes right through the roof. In winter, that means your furnace works harder than necessary. In summer, radiant heat from the roof penetrates into your living space. Most Moorestown homes built before the 1980s have significantly less insulation than modern standards recommend. The current recommendation for New Jersey is R-49 or higher, which translates to about 16 to 18 inches of fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Adding attic insulation is one of the fastest-paying upgrades, often recouping its cost in energy savings within two to three years.

Air sealing. Air leaks are the hidden enemy of energy efficiency. Gaps around windows, doors, baseboards, attic hatches, plumbing penetrations, and electrical outlets allow warm air to escape in winter and cool air to leak out in summer. A blower door test, which is part of a professional energy assessment, can pinpoint exactly where these leaks are. Sealing them with caulk, spray foam, and weatherstripping is inexpensive and immediately effective.

Window improvements. Older Moorestown homes, especially the historic Victorians and Colonials in the downtown area, often have single-pane windows that are beautiful but energy inefficient. Full window replacement is expensive, but there are more cost-effective options. Storm windows, cellular shades, and insulated curtains all reduce heat loss significantly. For homes where the windows are otherwise in good condition, adding low-E storm panels can achieve energy performance close to new double-pane windows at a fraction of the cost.

Smart home technology has become more affordable and more effective in recent years. For Moorestown homeowners, several smart upgrades offer real, measurable energy savings.

Smart thermostats. A smart thermostat learns your schedule, adjusts temperatures automatically when you are away, and lets you control your home's temperature from your phone. ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats save an average of 8 percent on heating and cooling costs, which adds up to about $50 per year for a typical New Jersey home. PSE&G often offers rebates of $50 to $100 on qualifying smart thermostats, which brings the payback period to under a year.

Smart power strips and lighting. Many electronics continue to draw power even when turned off, a phenomenon known as "vampire load" or "phantom load." Smart power strips cut power to devices that are not in use, eliminating this waste. LED bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer. Replacing your home's most-used bulbs with LEDs is one of the cheapest and easiest energy-saving steps you can take.

Smart appliances. When it is time to replace a refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer, choosing ENERGY STAR certified models can save significant energy and water over the life of the appliance. Modern ENERGY STAR refrigerators use about half the energy of models from 20 years ago. The PSE&G rebate programs and federal tax credits can offset some of the upfront cost. Check the ENERGY STAR website for current rebate offers in your zip code.

Not every energy-saving strategy requires an investment. Some of the most effective changes are completely free and just require adjusting daily habits. Here are the biggest-impact behavioral changes for Moorestown homeowners.

Adjust your thermostat settings. Setting your thermostat to 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees in summer can save up to 10 percent on heating and cooling costs. Each degree you adjust beyond that saves an additional 3 to 5 percent. If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, set it to lower the heat or raise the AC when you are asleep or away from home.

Use ceiling fans wisely. Ceiling fans are surprisingly effective. In summer, run them counterclockwise to create a wind-chill effect that makes the room feel cooler, allowing you to set the thermostat higher. In winter, reverse the direction to clockwise at low speed to push warm air trapped near the ceiling back down into the living space. Turn fans off when no one is in the room; they cool people, not spaces.

Manage your water heating. Water heating accounts for about 18 percent of home energy use. Lowering your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees (instead of the default 140) saves energy and reduces the risk of scalding. Insulating your water heater tank and the first six feet of hot water pipes also reduces heat loss. Take shorter showers and run full loads in the dishwasher and washing machine.

Close blinds and curtains strategically. In summer, close blinds and curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the hottest part of the day to block solar heat gain. In winter, open them during the day to let sunlight warm your home naturally, then close them at night to add an extra layer of insulation.

In addition to PSE&G rebates, Moorestown homeowners can take advantage of federal and state tax credits for energy efficiency improvements. These incentives can stack with utility rebates for significant combined savings.

Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C). This federal tax credit provides 30 percent of the cost of qualifying improvements, up to an annual maximum of $3,200. The credit covers up to $1,200 for building envelope improvements (insulation, air sealing, exterior doors, windows, and skylights) and up to $2,000 for heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and biomass stoves. There is no lifetime cap, so you can claim the credit each year as you make qualified improvements.

New Jersey state incentives. New Jersey received $183 million in federal Inflation Reduction Act funding for Home Energy Rebate programs. These include the Home Efficiency Rebates (HER) for whole-home energy savings projects and the Home Appliance Rebates (HEAR) for high-efficiency electric appliances and equipment. Rebate amounts depend on household income and project scope, with higher rebates for low- and moderate-income households.

Combining incentives. You can typically combine PSE&G rebates, NJ state rebates, and federal tax credits on the same project, but some rules apply. Work with a participating Home Performance with ENERGY STAR contractor who can help you navigate the incentive stack and maximize your total savings. A well-executed whole-home energy upgrade in Moorestown can save $500 to $1,500 per year on utility bills while the rebates and credits cover a significant portion of the upfront cost.

Moorestown's housing stock is diverse, with homes ranging from 18th-century historic properties to brand-new construction. Each era of home has different energy efficiency characteristics and opportunities.

Historic homes in the downtown area. Moorestown's historic district is home to beautiful Victorian, Colonial, and Craftsman-style homes. These houses often have original wood windows, plaster walls, uninsulated attics, and basements with stone foundations. The key to improving energy efficiency in a historic home is to choose reversible upgrades that preserve the character of the house. Interior storm windows, attic insulation (installed from the attic side, not from inside the walls), and air sealing in the basement are all effective and sensitive approaches. The Moorestown Historic Preservation Commission can provide guidance on approved materials and methods for exterior work.

Mid-century and 1970s homes. Many of Moorestown's residential neighborhoods, such as the areas around Hartford Road and sections of Lenola, feature homes built in the 1950s through 1970s. These homes typically have some insulation but often fall short of modern standards. They may have original windows, aging HVAC systems, and outdated appliances. For these homes, the most impactful upgrades are attic insulation, air sealing, and replacing heating and cooling equipment with high-efficiency models. The payback period is often three to five years given the before-and-after difference in energy use.

Newer construction neighborhoods. Moorestown continues to see new home construction, particularly in developing areas. Newer homes generally have better insulation, double-pane windows, and more efficient HVAC systems. However, they can still benefit from smart thermostats, LED lighting, and energy-efficient appliances. The efficiency gains may be smaller in percentage terms, but the investment required is also lower.

Tree cover and landscaping. Moorestown is known for its beautiful, mature tree canopy, which provides natural shade that reduces cooling costs in summer. Homes on tree-lined streets like Maple Avenue, Chester Avenue, and the older sections of town benefit from this natural advantage. Maintaining healthy trees, adding shade trees on the south and west sides of your home, and using native plants in your landscaping can further reduce energy use while enhancing your property's curb appeal.