For homeowners, the option to go green is a tempting one. It's a lifestyle choice that is both good for the environment and good for your wallet, as energy efficient homes cut down considerably on utility bills. But for many, those long-term benefits are offset by the upfront costs required in upgrading the energy use of your home, which can be enough of a detractor to keep people from going green at all. Starting next month, though, a new energy savings loan program aims to help fix this issue for some Florida residents.

Local news source Florida Today reports that the nonprofit group Solar and Energy Loan Fund (SELF) is rolling out a new energy savings initiative designed to offer homeowners or business owners low-interest, no-money-down loans to help cover the initial expenses necessary for eco-friendly improvements. Like other home inspection contractors, the group uses a team of professionals to conduct an energy audit of someone's property, identifying the best possible application of green technologies to reduce power consumption. Loans that range from $1,000 to $50,000, with fixed interest rates as low as 6 percent and terms for up to five years, are then offered to the customer.

The end result saves these consumers 20 to 22 percent in energy costs.

"We lower their electric bills," Alonzo Mitchell, a clean energy specialist with SELF, told the source. "It's also an opportunity, in some sense, to modernize their home."

Homeowners in Maryland or Virginia looking to take advantage of similar programs should schedule an appointment for a home inspection. Qualified home inspection contractors will help you find the most affordable way to install green technology upgrades in your home and reduce your bills in the long run.