#energy

2 articles

$50 LED Swap Pays Back in 4 Months. $15K Window Replacement Takes 25 Years.

Energy upgrades ranked by payback period: LEDs (months), smart thermostats (1-2 years), insulation (3-5 years), heat pump (5-8 years), windows (20-40 years, often never). Start with the cheap fixes.

Without the 30% Federal Credit, a US-Average Solar Roof Pays Back in 10.7 Years Instead of 7.4

The 30% residential solar credit ended for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. We reran four US scenarios at 2026 net costs of $16-19K: payback runs from 4.4 years in high-rate states to 17.6 years where power is cheap.