Concerned about climate? Volunteers tell how to retool your home 

Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN) will hold an open house tour in Oak Park on Oct. 4.  OPCAN is a volunteer network of Oak Park residents working to eliminate the village’s contribution to the global climate crisis through equitable policies and practices. 

Along with advocacy for the implementation of the goals of Climate Ready Oak Park, OPCAN also supports climate friendly policies with other local taxing bodies, residents, businesses and organizations. As part of its resident outreach, OPCAN partners with local homeowners to offer tours to demonstrate the type of changes that can be made to lessen a home’s impact on the environment. 

Wendy Greenhouse, a walk organizer, says OPCAN wants to make it easy for residents to make the switch to clean energy. She points out that 2030 is a deadline year for the planet saying, “We need to halve our emissions to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Homeowners can do their part by gathering information and making a plan for these upgrades.” 

Two homes will be open as part of the tour this fall. One home is an example of the affordability of green measures. Its owners made changes gradually to retrofit their home. 

The second house demonstrates what changes can be made when a house is opened up for a major renovation. Macey and Lee Majkrzak bought their Gunderson Avenue home knowing the house needed a gut rehab, so they went all in on green updates during the major renovation. 

Macey notes that as a climate coach, she always knew she and her husband wanted to take the climate into account when renovating their home.  “We had the luxury of buying a house that needed a complete renovation,” she said. “We gutted the inside and left the four walls.” 

The couple is passionate about combating climate change, and it shows in what they put and didn’t put into their home. They went with a geothermal system that heats and cools their air and their water instead of a gas-fueled system. They added foam insulation throughout the home and electrified their entire home, adding solar panels. A charger in their garage charges their one electric vehicle and their electric cargo bike. 

Macey said all of these changes came at a slight financial premium over conventional gas-powered solutions, but she emphasizes that the solar and geothermal system were expected to have payback periods of well under 10 years. The couple plans to stay in their home for many years to raise their family, so the initial payback periods weren’t daunting.  

“With the price of gas going up, the payback period is even shorter,” Macey said. 

She’ll be on hand at the open house to share the family’s energy bills. They no longer have a gas bill. Electricity covers all of their heating, cooling and car fueling needs.  She says that in the worst of the winter, when snow was covering their solar panels, their highest bill was $350. In the summer, their only charge was the supply fee as the solar panels provided more than enough energy to power their entire home. 

The couple also monitors air quality and says that not having to worry about gas exhaust around their two daughters gives them less stress. 

“It was a big decision when we were going through it, but now we love it.” She said the house is indistinguishable from a conventional home in terms of comfort and finishes.  “We didn’t sacrifice anything,” she said. 

While it made sense for them to implement a houseful of green updates all at once, she knows that for many homeowners it is more approachable to make incremental steps. She said, “It’s just so important to make good decisions when you’re making the decision. When your furnace goes out, get a heat pump. When your gas stove dies, make the switch to induction.” 

During the Oct. 4 open houses, homeowners and OPCAN volunteers will be on hand to share contractor recommendations and cost analyses. Contractors will also be on hand to share their professional expertise.