Two homes in South Holland and Calumet City are in the midst of energy makeovers.
With a CNN crew present, ComEd auditors visited the residences on Wednesday and gave owners ideas on how to save energy and dollars.
One home audited by ComEd last year reduced its energy use by 50 percent in the first four months of 2007 compared to the same period in 2006, ComEd spokesman John Dewey said.
"We're trying to demonstrate to customers how much they can save on electrical bills by taking some energy efficiency steps," he said. "These homes become models for how much people can save."
Some of the audited homes will be featured on www.comedcares.com and possibly CNN.
The goal is to make improvements in energy efficiency that pay for themselves over time, said George Malek, ComEd manager of Energy Efficiency Services. Refrigerators, air conditioners and other appliances predating the EPA's Energy Star program are some of the biggest "culprits" for wasting energy, he said.
Energy Star identifies the top 25 percent of appliances for energy efficiency, Malek said. Old boilers, furnaces and water heaters can cost homeowners long-term, he said.
Auditors used a blower door test and infrared camera check to see if more insulation was needed in the homes. They also checked mechanical systems and used a duct blaster to check for blocked air ducts at the two homes.
Alyce Sanders' Calumet City home in the 200 block of Luella Avenue needed additional attic insulation and auditors found some energy leakage around pipes and an electrical outlet in the basement, and from windows in the bathroom and bedroom, Malek said.
And by reducing the hot water temperature from 145 degrees to 120 degrees, a homeowner could save about $40 a year, he said.
Getting a professional opinion was great, Sanders said, adding she was already interested in saving energy. She had already added compact fluorescent bulbs in her home.
The day after the audit, Sanders said she was replacing all the bulbs in her house and planning other improvements
"It's nice to know what else you can do," she said.
State lawmakers have been gridlocked all year on how to help consumers deal with electric bills that have doubled or tripled after a 10-year rate freeze ended in January. The House has backed another rate freeze, while the Senate is pushing rate relief through credits on customers' bills.
The latest proposals for voluntary rate relief from utilities would give $300 million to ComEd customers and $200 million to Ameren customers.
Meanwhile, a House committee Thursday advanced a rate freeze plan that includes a new tax on power generators.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.
