Imagine getting cash back to make your home more energy efficient. That's what happens under Wisconsin's Focus on Energy program.

When Mandy and Peter Thompson bought an old house in Cottage Grove, they knew they'd have to fight the winter wind.

There were obvious things they could do, like covering up the windows. But News 3's Katy Sai wanted to see what other things could be done with the help of Wisconsin's Focus on Energy experts.

Consultant Dirk Mason diagnosed the home's problems. He found plenty of places where air is coming into the house.

"See how your window is moving," he told the Thompsons. "It's coming in right underneath the glass. You might want to put some caulk inside there."

The smaller leaks are a pretty quick fix.

"What I'd recommend is running a bead of caulk around the housing of the fan on the outside," he said. "We could install some weatherstripping along the top half. For some of these older windows, the glazing comes undone and that allows for air infiltration -- so reglaze the windows."

Most of the windows and doors are already covered in Plastic, which Mason said was smart, but bigger leaks also need to be blocked.

He said a warped door should probably be fixed by a carpenter. And in the basement, larger holes need to be filled in, either with foam or something even sturdier.

"You could almost take a sponge or something solid and stuff it in there, and then cover it with caulk, foam, or some sort of solid material so you stop that connection," he said.

Some of the cold air down here, in the basement is actually coming from the attic where there's very little insulation.

"I'd like to see another 10-12 inches of insulation up here," Mason said. "If you were to do this yourself, Peter, there's several products available, you can buy the rolled batt insulation or you can rent a blower and blow it yourself."

Mason will spell it all out in a report for the Thompson and if the Thompsons do the work, they qualify for cash back rebates from "Focus on Energy."

Some people don't have the money to make all these improvements, so some programs offer cash back rewards -- such as Project Home.

"We go in, we do an energy audit on their home, we find out what would be the most cost effective way for them to save money on their utility bills and then we do the services for them," said Paula of Project Home. "Whether it's replacing windows, insulating their attic, maybe getting them some new energy efficient appliances.. it's all at no cost."

Typically, senior citizens are the ones who meet the low-income guidelines.

"Many of them are just getting by," Paula said. "Their property taxes are high, they're paying for medicines, put food on the table, paying their utility bills falls far down the line sometimes."

But the bills become much more affordable after these changes.

There are lots of things you can do on your own to save energy and money -- from caulking leaks to using fluorescent light bulbs.

Project Home Weatherization Tips

MGE: Saving Energy Tips

Alliant Energy: Saving Money

Appliance Calculator

10 Ways To Save

Need help with bills?

Project Home: Programs and Services

MGE: Energy Assistance

Low-Income Assistance From Alliant

Energy Fund: You can help low-income families

You can also check the cash back rewards offered as part of the Focus on Energy program.

Wisconsin Focus On Energy

Cash Back Rewards