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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2020)
HOME & LIVING TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2020 THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — 3B Heat pump can cut your bills Coping with as well as greenhouse gases COVID-19 and the holidays By Todd Woody Bloomberg News Whether you want to reduce the greenhouse gases your home produces or lower the cost of your utilities, a heat pump might seem like a good idea. Here are some important factors to consider before you make a purchase. IT’S A HEATER AND AN AIR CONDITIONER The most commonly installed are air-source heat pumps, which resemble air conditioner units that sit out- side your house. During win- ter, a liquid refrigerant in a copper coil extracts heat from the atmosphere as warm air naturally moves toward the cold. The heat transforms the refrigerant into a cold gas and a compressor then pressurizes the gas, raising its temperature and heat- ing the air inside the house. The reverse happens in hot months, when heat inside the house is absorbed and transferred outside. That’s increasingly useful in temper- ate areas of the U.S., where people typically don’t have air conditioners but are being hit with climate-change-fueled heat waves. By Martha Quillin The News & Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) Dreamstime/TNS Whether you want to reduce the greenhouse gases your home produces or lower the cost of your utilities, a heat pump might seem like a good idea. thermal heat pumps cost $10,000 to $25,000 — a lot of that is the expense of digging trenches for the necessary underground pipe system — but they can reduce energy costs by 70%. Regardless of the type, you’ll need to decide whether you want to use your home’s existing air ducts or install a so-called duct- less system, in which heater units are placed in individual rooms. A heat pump will warm your house as well as a fossil fuel furnace, though its effi ciency decreases in colder climates. system. That compares with $2,000 to $6,000 for a gas furnace, but the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy estimates that a heat pump can lower a homeowner’s energy costs by hundreds of dollars a year. Meanwhile, a study published in October in the journal Nature Energy found that houses with heat pumps get a premium of as much as $17,000 on average when they sell. The environment also benefi ts: A 2018 paper published in the Electricity Journal found that air-source heat pumps could reduce household greenhouse gas emissions from heating in California by as much as 54%. 0% fi nancing and rebates in Massachusetts, and a $1,000 rebate in New York. CHOOSE A CONTRACTOR CAREFULLY “The biggest barrier right now to adoption of heat pumps is contractor readi- ness,” McKenna says. “I hear time and time again from people who have talked to fi ve contractors and only one is willing to install a heat KNOW WHAT TYPE OF pump. The lack of competition HEAT PUMP YOU NEED drives up costs.” Shop around, In the U.S., air-source heat and check to see if your utility pumps are especially well- or state rebate program lists suited to the Southeast and recommended installers. the West, where winters tend AN ENERGY-SIPPING Northeast Energy Effi ciency to be mild. Claire McKenna, MONEY SAVER Partnerships publishes a Since heat pumps trans- a senior associate at the guide to choosing a contractor fer heat from one place to nonprofi t Rocky Mountain and the questions you should Institute, says technology im- another rather than generate DO ENERGY AUDIT FIRST ask. it through the combustion of The cost savings from a provements now allow heat A HEAT PUMP CAN ALSO pumps to operate effectively fossil fuels, they’re up to four heat pump will go out the window if your windows and REPLACE A GAS WATER even in cold climates. But in times more effi cient than a HEATER regions where temperatures natural gas furnace, depend- doors are leaky and your There are air-source heat ing on the local climate, ac- walls aren’t well insulated; routinely drop below zero degrees Celsius, they’ll need cording to a Rocky Mountain the same goes for your ducts. pump water heaters. Another Before installing a pump, hire option is a device called a to be equipped with a heated Institute analysis. Equip- desuperheater, which can an energy auditor to detect coil to provide extra warmth ment and installation costs typically run from $4,000 to and plug leaks. The size of the funnel excess energy from a on frigid days. That would geothermal system to a water consume more electricity. One $12,000 for an air-source heat pump depends on a home’s pump, depending on the size energy demand — you don’t tank. A 50-gallon heat pump alternative is a geothermal want to spend more money water heater costs about of the pump, the brand, and heat pump, which extracts whether you use a ductless on a bigger unit just to keep a $1,300, vs. $500 for a con- heat from the Earth. Geo- ventional water heater. Heat drafty house warm. pump water heaters qualify MAKE SURE YOU’RE for a $300 federal tax credit, GETTING YOUR TAX and the U.S. Environmental BREAKS AND REBATES Continued from Page 2B Protection Agency estimates Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Lower The federal government that a typical household will heat to medium, cover with a lid and simmer 15 minutes. offers a tax credit of up to save $330 in annual energy The squash should be soft. Cook a few more minutes, if $300 for Energy Star-rated costs. States and utilities also needed. air-source heat pumps, but offer rebates for heat pump Meanwhile toast the pecans and baguette. When soup it expires on Dec. 31, 2020. water heaters — California is ready, add the nutmeg and salt to taste. Remove soup to Qualifying geothermal heat utility Pacifi c Gas & Electric a blender and process until smooth. Divide between two pumps are eligible for a 26% Co. gives customers a $300 large soup bowls and swirl cream onto the soup. Sprinkle tax credit if they’re installed rebate. The state this year pecans and apples on top and serve with the toasted before Jan. 1, 2021. The tax approved a $44.7 million pro- baguette. credit declines to 22% for gram to promote the adoption Yield 2 servings. systems that come online be- of heat pump water heaters, tween Dec. 31, 2020, and Jan. which could reduce residen- Per serving: 542 calories (47% from fat), 28.2 g fat (4.5 g 1, 2022. Some states also offer tial greenhouse gas emissions saturated, 14.3 g monounsaturated), 10 mg cholesterol, 11.4 incentives for air-source heat from heating water as much g protein, 72.6 g carbohydrates, 11.1 g fi ber, 362 mg sodium. pumps, such as a rebate of as 70%, according to the 2018 as much as $1,500 in Maine, Electricity Journal study. SOUP SHERRY’S They were willing to work hard and we know that many of them later Continued from Page 1B became entrepreneurs. This was the The local Harris Furniture Co. case with our brothers. Thomas was proudly advertised that they had working for the railroad in Sherman furnished the new hotel with “fi ne County in 1910. James would have 25-year guaranteed springs.” been only 16 at this time and we All of this was accomplished at a don’t know where he was or what he cost of $3,000. was doing. But by early November Just who were the Kapellas 1914 James was the proprietor of brothers and how did they fi t into Kapellas’ Cigar Store and Shining the picture? parlor. And we know that just two It is not known when these years later both brothers were living bachelor brothers arrived in La in and running the Imperial Hotel Grande. We do know that they were at 1106 1/2 Adams. born in Greece. Thomas was born in After establishing the hotel there December 1887 and James Kon- was not much local information stantine was born in March 1894. about the brothers — only bits and We know that Greek immigrants pieces. For example it was re- began arriving in Portland in the ported in February 1917 that “Tom early 1900s with many of them subscribes to twelve newspapers. coming to work on the railroads. He reads them all. He sends the Evening Observer away every day to friends in Greek army.” In July we learn that James was drafted. The brothers put the hotel up for sale. By August 1917 a Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Daubenberger who were visiting relatives in La Grande purchased the hotel. They were not new to the business as they had just recently sold the Wilson Hotel in Centralia. Then on Oct. 3, 1917, it was reported that “James and Tom were leaving tonight for Chicago and New York ... James will join the aviation corps.” But this still didn’t feel like the end of the story of either the Impe- rial Hotel or the Kapellas. So I dug a bit deeper. The hotel over the years had a real problem in keeping owners. Home cooks fi nishing up Thanksgiving shopping lists and rearranging patio chairs for an outdoor feast got a word from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that landed like an off-color joke at the holiday table. “As (COVID-19) cases continue to increase rapidly across the United States,” the CDC warned, “the saf- est way to celebrate Thanksgiving is to celebrate at home.” For those trying to adhere to federal and state guid- ance on preventing the spread of the novel corona- virus — and still enjoy a small, safe Thanksgiving dinner with friends or family — the CDC’s admonish- ment was heartbreaking. And forecasts for rising case counts well into December suggest it’s starting to look like a socially distanced Christmas, as well. But just as people have found ways to honor other milestones throughout the pandemic, faith leaders and mental health professionals say it’s possible to sacrifi ce some of the intimacy of traditional gatherings and still have a meaningful holiday season. After months of mostly staying home, it’s natural to feel defl ated at the prospect of curtailing Christ- mas festivities too, said Lisa Ficker, a clinical health psychologist with Breyta Psychological Services in Ra- leigh. She co-authored a blog post in December 2019 titled “Coping with the Holiday Blues” about how hard it is when idealized holiday visions don’t get realized. That’s likely to hap- “What I’m seeing is a lot pen to many people this year. of emotional burnout.” “What I’m seeing — Lisa Ficker, clinical health is a lot of emotional psychologist burnout,” Ficker said — people who over the past eight months have stress-eaten too much food, binge-watched too much TV and become alienat- ed from people they once loved over the politics of the coronavirus response or the outcome of the election. Normally, the holidays might provide an emotional salve at such a time, through the renewal of familiar traditions that include get-togethers with family, friends and coworkers. “That’s the challenging thing,” Ficker said. “We want familiarity. But the familiar way of doing things doesn’t come without a great deal of risk, and it’s risk to society as well as one another. “That’s where we need to remind ourselves that one of the skills of being human is learning to adapt to new ways of doing things.” Some of the Facebook followers of Raleigh’s High- land United Methodist Church tried something new for Thanksgiving. The church bought an online devotional package called “30 Days Thankful” that launched Nov. 1 and offers a daily Bible verse or a quote from a hymn and asks participants a question about what they’re thankful for. Janet Baucom, minister of communications and spiritual formation for the church, said the effort is based on the body of psychological research that has found that intentionally practicing gratitude is benefi - cial for mental health and emotional resilience. For those who are struggling with the sense of isola- tion imposed by the pandemic, Baucom said, “It may help to know they are not alone in feeling alone.” Ficker agrees, and says many people have become more aware of the value of their friendships and fam- ily connections because not being able to see others has made it clear how important they are to our lives. “COVID has given a chance as a society to real- ize that love is what is keeping us alive,” Ficker said. “It’s not just avoiding sickness. We need one another emotionally.” Another way to stay upbeat through the holidays is to help others, which takes the focus off whatever is troubling a person and also serves as an antidote to feelings of helplessness and powerlessness in the face of something as pervasive as a worldwide pandemic, Ficker said. By May 1918, the Daubenbergers were ready to sell and advertised “furniture, bedding, linen, carpets, all complete ... priced cheap to sell.” It was purchased by a Mrs. Elsie Cox. I am not exactly sure what kind of an establishment that Elsie ran, but the Oct. 2, 1919, Observer had the following notice: “Mrs. Elsie Cox, who was arrested several days ago for running a disorderly house at the Imperial hotel, forfeited her $50 bail Tuesday evening and left for part unknown. She disposed of the Impe- rial hotel a few days ago.” The new owners were Mr. and Mrs. John Frawley who planned to make it a very comfortable hotel and one of the best of the smaller room- ing places. By May 1929 the hotel was for sale again priced at $1,400 on terms, $900 down or $1,200 cash. Come Check Out Our New Location & New Menu! The Kapellas brothers fared much better than the Imperial. They both married and settled in Gary, Indiana, 30 miles south of Chicago, where they operated Ka- pellas Bros. Real Estate, Contrac- tors, Loans and Insurance. They turned their $3,000 investment in La Grande into much larger ones. One of their deals of $400,000 for a 99-year lease was one of the largest leasehold transactions ever re- corded in Gary as of May 16, 1924. Two years earlier they had made one of the largest real estate deals in Gary for selling a large commercial building with three fi ve-room fl ats on the second fl oor for $60,000. This was just the beginning and they were still both in their 30s. Keep looking up! Enjoy! New Family Friendly Location! New Menu! Bar Bites, Wood Stone Pizza and More! MON-TUES CLOSED WED-SAT 11-9 • SUN 11-7 1106 Adams Avenue Suite 100 • 541 663-9010 • tapthatgrowlers.com
