- 22Pages
- 8Pillars
- $50K+15-Year Savings
- 3+1Regions Covered
The $50,000+ number. Stacked, region by region.
Volume IV was "save $1,500/yr on perishables." Volume V is save $50,000+ over 15 years on durables . Heat pumps, water heaters, induction, solar, EVs. Each pays back. Stacked, they retire the household energy bill.
TVA Tennessee
- Heat-pump water heater$5,100
- Heat pump HVAC vs gas + AC$18,000
- ESME fridge$900
- 8 kW solar (no 25D)$27,500
- Insulation + air sealing$3,500
Florida
- HPWH at $0.15/kWh$7,200
- Heat pump (mild winter)$15,000
- 8 kW solar (5.2 sun hrs)$45,000
- Net metering (FL §366.91)12–16 yr
- Hurricane spec required4,000 Pa
Caribbean
- HPWH at $0.32/kWh$14,900
- Inverter splits vs old AC$21,000
- 8 kW hurricane-spec solar$60,000
- EV vs $6.50/gal gas$15,000
- Cool roof + reflective paint$8,000
Eight pillars. One sequence.
Envelope first. Then heat pump. Then water heater. Then induction. Then appliances at end-of-life. Then ERV. Then solar + battery. Then EV. The sequence determines the outcome.
- I
Furniture
TB 117-2013 · PFAS-free fabric · CARB 2 frames - II
Flooring
FloorScore · refinish beats replace · Caribbean tile rule - III
Cabinets + Counters
CARB 2 · drawer-bottom test · the silicosis crisis - IV
Sinks + Faucets
NSF 61 Q≤1 · PVD vs sprayed · 316 marine grade - V
Walls + Paint + Air
ACH50 < 4 · ERV mandatory · CMU assemblies - VI
Heat Pumps + HPWH
Mitsubishi H2i+ · induction · the asthma story - VII
Solar + Storage
Tier 1 panels · hurricane spec · scam watchlist - VIII
Mobility + EV
5-yr TCO · HEPA cabin · charge from your own roof
Most energy guides are sales fronts. This one isn't.
Every claim graded
A / B+ / B / C evidence grades on every claim. RCT-backed gets an A. Wellness fluff gets a C and gets called out by name.Lifetime savings, not sticker
12 to 25-year operating cost on every appliance. The cheap fridge is rarely the cheapest fridge.Solar scams · spotted
A whole page on the door-to-door pitches, "free solar" leases, and contractor red flags. Florida and Texas lead the nation in solar fraud complaints. Buy without getting burned.Hurricane-survivable
RMI Solar Under Storm III specs — 4,000 Pa modules, through-bolted, 316 SS hardware. Same spec saves you in Tampa and Bridgetown.
MKBHD said yes. Scotty said wait. Both were partly right.
"Solar pays back in some markets and not others. The four variables that decide: your electric rate, your sun-hours per day, your roof age, and your installer. Florida pencils at 12–16 years. TVA at 22+. The math has changed since 2023."
Scotty was right about
- Roof damage if your shingles have less than 10 years left
- Inverter replacement risk on string inverters (12-year warranty)
- Door-to-door solar scams + high-pressure sales tactics
- "Zero down" loans with rate escalators buried in fine print
- Contractors who fold before the warranty activates
What he missed
- Enphase microinverters carry 25-year warranties — solves inverter risk
- Florida pencils at 12–16 years even without the federal credit
- Battery storage keeps the fridge running through hurricane outages
- Rooftop solar + EV = the real "solar car" with 7,000 kWh/yr left over
- The 25D federal credit died Dec 31 2025, but state credits live on
The federal credits are gone. The math runs on a longer clock now.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21, signed July 4, 2025) terminated Section 25C (heat pumps + HPWH + insulation), Section 25D (solar + battery), and Section 30D + 25E (EV) for installs after December 31, 2025.
What still lives: TVA EnergyRight rebates ($500–$1,500 heat pump, $1,300 HPWH). HEAR/HOMES rebates launching Q3 2026 with $83.7M allocated in Tennessee. State EV credits in NY, MA, CO, OR, CT, VT. OBBBA Auto Loan Interest Deduction through 2028.
Section 30C home EV charger expires June 30, 2026
Sevierville. Tampa. Boston. Kingston.
Different climates need different specs. Salt air, hurricane wind, and $0.30/kWh change the math. Every pillar speaks to all four.
TVA Tennessee
22–27 yr solar payback EnergyRight rebates carry the math. Heat pump + HPWH are the strongest plays.$0.11/kWhFlorida
12–16 yr solar payback 5.2 sun hrs/day + 1:1 net metering make solar genuinely worthwhile. Hurricane spec mandatory.$0.15/kWhCold-Climate
10–14 yr solar payback Mitsubishi H2i+ delivers 100% rated heat at 5°F. Mass Save + NYSERDA rebates strong.$0.22/kWhCaribbean
4–7 yr solar payback Best math in the hemisphere. Hurricane spec non-negotiable. Battery is the priority.$0.32/kWh
22 pages. In your back pocket.
Print and laminate. Read the relevant pillar on a quiet Sunday evening when you need to replace something durable.
- 01Cover
- 12Heat Pumps for HVAC
- 02The $50,000+ Number
- 13Induction Cooktops
- 03Orientation + 2026 Reality
- 14Solar · Honest Tradeoffs
- 04I · Furniture
- 15Solar Scams + Red Flags
- 05II · Flooring
- 16Panels · Inverters · Batteries
- 06III · Cabinets + Countertops
- 17Hurricane Solar · FL + Caribbean
- 07IV · Sinks + Faucets
- 18VIII · EV vs Gas + Solar Cars
- 08V · Walls + Paint + Insulation
- 19Cabin Air · Tires · Chargers
- 09VI · Refrigerators + Laundry
- 20Decision Trees by Region
- 10VI · Dishwashers + Range Hoods
- 21The Diaspora Dad Visit
- 11VI · Heat Pump Water Heaters
- 22Library · FTC · Close
Read the card. Make the buy once.
$50,000+ saved over 15 years. Hurricane-survivable specs. Honest tradeoffs. Pass it on to the cousin buying his first house, the friend rebuilding after Beryl, the dad next door who just had his third kid.
Every new system, the day it ships.
One email per system. No funnels.