Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: March 2010
Cuivre River Headquarters Maintenance worker John Benfatto has addressed a common problem shared by many homes. “We installed some new doors and windows,” says John. “I know our energy use has dropped.”
If you’re in the market for similar home improvements, remember that federal tax credits are still available through December 31, 2010 when you purchase qualified Energy Star products. Visit www.energystar.gov for complete details.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: February 2010
Member Services Representative Maureen Lenk knows the value of adding insulation and sealing air leaks. She says, “We recently had leaky areas in the attic sealed with caulking, plus we added blown in cellulose insulation over the fiberglass batts which had settled.” Adding insulation is one of the easiest home improvements you can make, and get the quickest payback.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: January 2010
Cuivre River Mechanic Dan Wilson knows the benefit of keeping a machine operating at top efficiency. That’s why he takes care of an easy but often overlooked way to save money in the kitchen. “I make sure to clean the refrigerator coils annually,” he says. “The improved air flow helps the refrigerator run at peak performance, which costs less to operate.”
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: December 2009
This month's tip comes from GIS Specialist Terry Stone. His family recently had to replace their washing machine, which presented the perfect timing to upgrade the efficiency of a major household appliance.
"Since you normally don't replace a major appliance that's in working condition, I knew this was our chance to upgrade to an Energy Star high efficiency washing machine. I know that over the washing machine's lifetime, it will save me money on electricity and water."
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: November 2009
Communications Assistant Rod Smerkar advises tackling air infiltration to save energy. “I’ve probably used a dozen tubes of caulk, sealing areas in my garage, basement and outside. It’s a cheap way to combat air infiltration, and get a very fast payback for your effort. ”
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: October 2009
Crew Chief Mark Ziegler sticks to the basics when it comes to saving energy at his home. “I’ve changed out incandescent light bulbs to CFLs,” says Mark. “Since the CFLs operate at a lower wattage than incandescent bulbs, I know I’m saving money when a bulb is turned on.”
According to www.energystar.gov, an Energy Star qualified CFL (compact fluorescent light) will use 75% less energy and last about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb. Your best savings will be seen when you replace the incandescent bulbs in light fixtures you use most often.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: September 2009
Cuivre River Manager of Human Resources Regina Creech shares this helpful tip to save energy costs during warm weather. “When my husband and I leave for work on a hot day, we turn the air conditioner up a couple of degrees and close all blinds and curtains to keep the cool air inside,” she says.
“It’s amazing that such a simple idea can help us save electricity, yet still allow our home to be comfortable when we return at the end of the day.”
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: July 2009
This month's tip comes from Journeyman Lineman Tom Schaper, who lost a large maple tree during a storm some time ago. He misses the tree and the shade it provided on the west side of the house. The shade from the tree helped keep his cooling costs lower.
“This spring, we had reflective window film put on the windows with a goal to help lower our air conditioning costs,” says Tom. There are many types of window film available. Reflective is the key word, because the sun’s rays will bounce off the window film, instead of pounding hot sunlight through the glass and causing discomfort indoors.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: June 2009
Jessica Sullivan-Prater, supervisor of general accounting, shares an energy-saving tip for home computers. "We bought an Energy Star laptop when we replaced our home computer," Jessica says. To save energy, she uses the laptop's power management features, such as automatic settings for stand-by, sleep and shut down modes.
"We also plug the computer into a power strip surge protector we turn off when the computer is shutdown," she adds. "This keeps the computer from using power while it's turned off, but still plugged in."
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: May 2009
Cuivre River Mechanic Mark Gnade recently made a startling discovery while working in his basement. He says, “I can’t believe when I looked up, I could see daylight while inside my basement.”
Mark discovered holes where electric, telephone and air conditioner lines enter the basement. These holes are often drilled too large, which lets Mother Nature rob you of cooling and heating. “I fixed the problem by getting a can of spray foam and sealing around all of the holes,” he says. Mark's tip is a low-cost solution to help you keep your energy dollar where it should be — inside your home.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: April 2009
CREC Service Planning Technician Roger Hammett made low energy use a high priority in the home he built four years ago.
“I put in a ground source heat pump and planned for maximizing its effectiveness by installing good windows and plenty of blown in wet cellulose insulation in the walls,” says Roger. This type of insulation can help reduce unwanted air infiltration as well as insulate walls, ceilings, floors and difficult to reach spaces. Building with energy efficiency in mind and installing energy efficient systems can produce long term savings. “I’m satisfied with my year-round utility bills,” says Roger.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: March 2009
Manager of Branch Offices Keith Stone believes in using ceiling fans year-round. He says, "Ceiling fans are great because, when used correctly, they can make you feel more comfortable in any season."
Most ceiling fans have a switch that will reverse the blade direction. During the heating season, blades can move clockwise to push warmer air from the ceiling downward along outer walls. During the cooling season, blades can move counter-clockwise to create a nice breeze in the center of the room.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: February 2009
Cuivre River’s Safety Coordinator Doug Bagby knows some energy-saving ideas never go out of style. The topic of "insulation" definitely meets that criteria.
Doug purchased a home a few years ago but never explored the attic, other than to just look and see that it was insulated. “We had some cold spots in the kitchen, so I decided it was time to go up in the attic and view the insulation firsthand,” he says. It was worth the exploration. “I found where some of the blown-in insulation wasn’t evenly spread out, and there were some thin areas,” he adds. So he took action.
Cold or hot weather - attic insulation is a very basic way to save energy that’s often and easily overlooked. Doug's energy tip: take a look in your attic!
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: January 2009
Communications Specialist Lonnie Tucker saves energy at home by using a programmable thermostat with his gas furnace. "You can purchase a programmable thermostat at your local home improvement center for $40 — $80," he says. "They're easy to install, program and operate."
He saw a return on his investment right away. "I set my thermostat to 65 degrees when I'm at work and at night. For 96 hours each week my furnace runs at a lower temperature - which saves energy and money!" According to Energy Star®, you reduce furnace run time by up to 33%. (Not recommended for heat pumps.)