Image provided by: SEIU Local 503; Salem, OR
About The Oregon public employe. (Salem, Oregon) 1981-???? | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1981)
» • » • r CATCH THAT PEPSI SPIRff i f Beware of devices that “save energy e BE A PEPPER P e p s l - C o l a — D r P e p p e r B o ttlin g C o . 3011 Silverton Rd., N.E., Salem, Oregon BYAN Phone 363-9221 w As energy costs increase, so does the availability of energy saving devices of all types. While many pro ducts do save energy, an alarming number of items of little or no value are flooding the market and legiti mate products are being sold with grossly exaggerated claims. We can only assume that,, in a severe energy shortage, claims will become more exaggerated, even more worthless devices will be readied for the marketplace, and il legal sales practices will increase sharply. (F o rm e rly H o lid a y Inn) 745 Commercial S t SE, Salem, 363-2451 All new menu — Luncheon specials — Mon. thur Frl. ** Nightly Lounge Entertainment Mon. thru Sat. Beautiful Motel Units with a State rate available. Large banquet facilities for dining or meetings. ALL OF THESE AND MORE AT OUR OTHER INNS. PIERPOINT INN — Florence, Oregon Lodging, Dining and Entertainment with a beautiful Bay View. SWEPTWING MOTEL AND RESTAURANT — Albany, Oregon Drive in or fly In. Meetings and Banquets our specialty. It pays to be sensitive to these problems when you’re buying. Some things to watch for: “LOOK” TO YOUR CREDIT UNION FOR FINANCIAL NEEDS! If you’re not a MEMBER — NOW IS THE TIME TO JOIN! If you are a MEMBER — use your CREDIT UNION for all Its worth. No Cost Services Watts Line Notary Public Traveler’s Checks Consumer Information -New and used R.V. and Auto Guides $5,000.00 Life Insurance on your loan $2,000.00 Term Life Insurance on your share account SAVINGS A variety of p ro g ra m s to ch oo se from . LOANS For all productive purposes.- ALL STATE EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE ELIGIBLE TO BE MEMBERS EACH MEMBER ACCOUNT INSURED TO $100,000. BY ADMINISTRATOR, NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION. FOR YOUR FINANCIAL NEEDS, CALL YOUR CREDIT UNION. Outside Salem: 1-800-452-7816 ► Insulation is a good investment, but be aware of some-potential pit- falls. Urea formaldehyde foam has been under scrutiny by various federal and state consumer protec tion and health departments. Not only are there discouraging health problems associated with it, but after shrinkage (which can occur even when It’s properly mixed and installed) and the resulting loss of efficiency, the product becomes a very expensive conservation mea sure. Experts are still hammering out just how much effectiveness is lost through shrinkage. Perlite (ceramic) insulation is also under study. One company claims an R-value of 70 for three inches of the product — much higher than cheaper products at this depth. Many companies that inflate claims this much say that standard Insula tion test methods do not apply. In other words, a “ special test” is re quired to substantiate high R-value claims. Under the Federal Trade Commission’s new insulation rule, ► In th e w o rld o f energy saving th is c o m p a n y ’s R-70 c la im w o u ld not be measurable by prescribed test methods. ► Watch for exaggerated claims among home conservation devices. For instance, furnace flue dampers can be of some value, but one com pany claims a 27% .reduction in heating bills. Their literature also implies a DOE Endorsement! Federal agencies do not endorse any brand product. , ► Make sure conservation devices THUHDERBIRD M otor Lodge 1015 South Riverside Medford, Oregon $4 Discount to OSEA Members $23/night single occupancy Ä Best Wesuni Page 8 you buy conform to local codes. An indoor clothes dryer vent, for in stance, can certainly save some heating costs by venting the dryer into a heated laundry room, but many vent manufacturers do not warn th at the devices violate building codes in many areas. devices, probably the best area to find worthless products is in “ gas- savors." Many of these devices and additives have been tested by the Environmental Protection Agency, yet at this writing only two have been shown to increase mileage. If you’re not a garage tinkerer, you’d be wise to stick to tried and true gas economy measures — regular tune-ups, adequate tire pressure, alternative transportation, and sometimes, car replacement. (For a fact sheet on EPA test results and guidelines for assessing “ gas- sa vers," w rite FTC Consumer Education Off., Washington, D.C. 20580.) STATE EMPLOYEES CREDIT UNION 1550 State Street Salem, Oregon 97308 585-7084 99 2 blocks off 1-5 Adjacent to OPEU ► Though there are many effective products in the solar retrofit market, study carefully before you buy. Two things make the solar area ripe for fraud — large tax credits (up to 70% in Colorado, for example), and sim ple lack of knowledge on the part of consumers. State energy offices an<t extension services can be a good source of unbiased solar infor mation, as is the National Solar Heating and Cooling Information Center (call toll free 800/462-4983; in Alaska and Hawaii 800/5234700). ► Several fuel oil “ rip-offs” have come to light. One is ticket switch ing, in which the consumer is given a bill for more fuel than he actually receives. Another is overcharging consum ers w ith a dual pipe. Unscrupulous dealers insert an extra tube into the main, pipe, enabl ing the fuel to be registered on the meter, but the second pipe diverts 7-8% of the fuel back to the truck.
