They say ask and if the answer is “no” you haven’t really lost anything. A few weeks ago, I received an email from a representative from Washington Gas with questions in regards to water heaters. She was asking questions about our costs and trying to gather information on how to market to their customers about the benefits of installing energy-efficient appliances. In response, I asked if she would be willing to talk with me for our blog.

Let me back it up some- our company, along with 104 other Maryland companies, is an approved contractor for the EmPOWER Maryland Program and have been for a year plus now. What is the EmPOWER Maryland Program? The EmPOWER Program allows customers who install energy-efficient appliances (dryers, furnaces, water heaters – most gas fixtures) to get a rebate submitted through their installer. Installers must be licensed and vetted through Washington Gas before they are approved. **Whoop Whoop for our crew being approved**

I have never asked anyone to talk with me for our blog, nor have I ever written a blog for Clarksburg Plumbing. Thought I can try, right? A few weeks ago I chatted with two wonderful ladies, Abby & Fiona, on Microsoft Teams. If this pandemic has done anything for me, I am now able to virtually meet someone and carry a conversation even to people I have never met before. I also believe the humanity in this situation of wanting to meet new people and learn about how they got into the spot they call their job/career.

Abby began with Washington Gas in 2020. Prior to that she worked in strategic energy management in Portland, OR – basically helping industrial customers discover energy savings through no- and low-cost solutions.

Fiona has been with Washington Gas since 2018 and is their marketing specialist, doing a little bit of everything from consistent and correct branding to engaging social media pieces.

I came prepared with a list of questions. Numbers mean something to my brain. It’s all about the metrics for me and my customers. My customers want to know what their rebate will be. Washington Gas offers a $350.00 rebate for a tankless water heater replacement or installation. Do you know what you can buy for $350.00? That’s two trips to Aldi with groceries for a family of 4-5! By the end of the last cycle of the EmPOWER Program which ended December 31, 2020 Washington Gas had processed 194 tankless water heater rebates. 194!! 194 x $350.00 = $67,900.00 back in customers pockets…. that’s insane.

On a green metric, the installation of all these new energy-efficient appliances saved our Earth 217,460 therms, which is equivalent to 249 passenger vehicles emissions or 2,664 barrels of oil. That’s a lot of emissions saved.

As I’m finalizing this post, it’s International Women’s Day. Our crew stands out in that we are one of 6 out of the 104 contractors on this program that is a women owned company. 6/104 or ~ 6% are women. Whoop whoop let’s get it ladies!! Save that money. Save the time. Save that energy. I have a lot more to share with you but you will have to keep reading to find out more…..