Scott Eisensmith has heard all the stereotypes about having a so-called "green" house.,

"i guess we could go hug a tree," he laughs.

But after three years of using the sun to heat his Haslett home, he wouldn't trade his solar panels for anything.

"It's really fascinating to see the power of the sun heat the air and heat the water," he says.

Eisensmith would like to say his switch to solar was driven by eco-friendly motives. Saving the earth is a big bonus, he says, but the financial benefits shine too.

"My gas bill is down to about $12," he says, pointing out it used to run more than $100 a month.

Thanks to renewable energy contractor Shane Redfield, Eisensmith and his wife have said goodbye to cold floors in the winter. Pipes full of solar-powered water run up through the basement ceiling and run underneath the floors, heating both the entire house and the people inside it.

"A lot of people are coming in to find ways to cut energy costs and make a positive impact on the earth," notes Jennifer Malinowski of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association.

During a solar homes tour Saturday, people learned the cost of making that impact can be pricey, oftentimes thousands of dollars. But Malinowski says it's a one-time cost that will pay you back forever.

"The biggest thing people have to deal with is making the initial investment in renewable energy," she says.

"People ask, gee, what's your return? Well, every day I get free hot water and free heat in my house," Eisensmith says.

And because of his solar system, Eisensmith says the electric company now sends him checks, not bills, in the mail.