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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 27, 1996)
P agi B4 N ovember 2 7 , 1996 • T he P ortland O bserver (TI je -JJnrtlanh w haeruer Northwest natural gas provides free weatherization advice Northwest Natural Gas encour ages you to save energy and money by taking advantage of existing pro grams to weatherize homes and up grade inefficient heating equipment Northwest Natural Gas offers free home energy audits to its residential customers. The company’s auditors perform an evaluation o f the home and offer advice on which weatherization measures will pay back quickest in energy savings. The company makes low interest loan or rebate options available to install weatherization measures for those customers who have natural gas heating systems. "One of the most effective things you can do is to upgrade your heat ing system,” said Susan Dodge, man ager of Market Services. “Consider the efficiency of the equipment If you have an older, 70-percent-elTi- cient furnace, that means that for every dollar of energy purchased, about 30 cents are going up the flue." Here are some additional Ups that consumers can use to cut down on their fuel costs while conserving energy: ♦Heating System: Change or clean your furnace filter every month during the heating season. Turn the thermostat down at nigh,. Reducing the temperature by 10 degrees a, night or when the house is unoccu pied can save as much as 20 percent on heating costs. ♦ H e a tin g Duct In su latio n : Wherever heating ducts are exposed to unheated areas, you're losing mon ey. Ensure that all heating ducts are sealed with screws and tape and are well insulated with fiberglass bat ting (rolls of insulation). ♦Ceiling Insulation: If there is sufficient attic space, ceilings should be insulated to an R-38 level, which is about 15-inches of loose-fill fiber glass insulation. Either loose-fill in sulation or batting can be used in many ceilings. If batting is used, the kraft face should always be installed toward the living space. Different types of ceilings require different types of insulation to avert heat loss. Our auditors can determine the best type of use. Adequate ventilation is important to prevent moisture build up. Northwest Natural’s energy au ditors also can calculate the number of roof vents your house needs. ♦W all Insulation: Many older homes have either no wall insulation or inadequate insulation. Unfinished Tenants’ Rights Forum Learn your rights as a renter at Oregon Housing NOW!’s tenant forum. The forum will include a legal overview of the Landlord/ Tenant Law in Oregon and a dis cussion on how tenants can collec tively act to strengthen their rights as renters. Skyrocketing rents in the Portland area are leaving tenants in creasingly susceptible to abuse and neglect from landlords. This is a rare opportunity to learn valuable legal information which may help prevent such problems. The forum will be held Wednes day, December 4, 7:00 pm in the Oregon Housing NOW! office at Augustana Lutheran Church, 2710 NE 14th Ave, Portland. This event is free and childcare will be available at no cost. For further information, or to register for childcare, call Oregon Housing Now! a, 288-0317. Oregon director to national board Baruti L Artharee, Directorofthe Oregon Housing and Community Services Department (OHCSD), has been elected to serve a 2-year term on the Board ofthe National Associ ation of State Housing Authorities (NCSHA). “My election to this board is in recognition ofthe many accomplish- mentsJof the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department with its partners throughout the state,” said Artharee. “Oregon is a leader in the nation in addressing affordable housing needs and supportive ser vices.” NCSHA is a national, non-profit organization created in 1970 to assist housing agencies in the 50 states to advance the interests o f lower in come and undeserved people through financing, development and preser vation o f affo rd ab le housing. NCSHA’s members are state Hous ing Finance Agencies with statewide authority. NCSHA represents these agen cies in Washington before Congress, the Administration, federal agencies concerned with housing such as HUD and Treasury, and other advocates for affordable housing. Artharee, 44, is responsible for the Oregon Department which pro vides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for quality affordable housing for low-income Oregonians. The Depart ment also administers federal and state anti-poverty, homeless and en ergy assistance community service programs. Clean those dirty bird feeders to prevent disease By Carl Savonen Imagine a fast food joint where nobody ever cleaned the kitchen, the tables or the bathrooms. Now think about your bird feeder. When is the las, time you cleaned it? Autumn is a good time of year to check and clean up your bird feeders for the winter feeding season. Like a crowded restaurant con stantly used by a large group of cus tomers, a bird feeder needs some sanitation practices to protect visit ing birds from disease, explained Ban Edge, wildlife specialists with the Oregon State University Exten sion Service Four diseases commonly affect birds using feeders: Salmonellosis: The most com monly spread disease at feeders is caused by the “Salmonella” group of bacteria. Birds can die quickly from this disease. Symptoms include ab scesses in the lining of the upper digestive tract of the birds. Infected birds spread the bacteria in their drop pings. Other birds get sick when in fected droppings land on food. T richomoniasis: It is caused by a one-celled protozoan parasite. Mourning doves are particularly sus ceptible Trichomoniasis cause sores in the birds’ mouths and throats, making it difficult for birds to swal low or drink The disease spreads when sick birds drop contaminated food or water at a feeder or watering area. Aspergillosis: A mold that grows on a damp feed and in the debris beneath feeders Birds inhale the mold spores and infection spreads in the lungs, causing bronchitis and pneumonia Avian Pox: A virus that causes wartlike growths on featherless sur faces of a bird’s face, fee, legs or wings. The virus spreads by direct contact, by insects or by viruses shed on food by infected birds. To minimize the spread of disease a, your feeder, make sure you prac- \,h e rtis e In kt lie jJnrtl.iiiò (111,sem er ( all 5II3-2XN-OO.V tice sound bird feeding sanitation. Edge suggests: ♦ Give the birds enough space Do you have only one feeder ? Get another i f your feeder is crowded ♦ Clean yourfeeder and the drop pings on the perching area each lime you Jill your feeder. ♦ Disinfect the feeder once or twice a month with one part o f liquid chlo rine household bleach in nine parts o f warm water I f possible, immerse the feeder fo r two to three minutes and allow to air dry. ♦ Feed birds only high quality food Moldy seed or bread or spoiled leftovers doesn t do them any more good than it would you. ♦ Keep rodents out o f food Mice can carry some bird diseases. ♦ Act early and spread the word. Don I wait until you see sick birds huddled at the feeder And tell your friends who feed birds to take the above precautions. ♦ Check your feederfor sharp edg es where birds might cut themselves Small scratches or cuts allow bacte ria and viruses to infect a bird more easily. Presenting the perfect contest for all budding young Rembrandts, O ’Keeffes, Picassos and Michelangelos. walls can be insulated with batting, but finished walls require that loose- fill insulation be blown in, prefera bly by an experienced, professional contractor. ♦ Craw l Space Ventilation and Insulation: Crawl spaces should be insulated to an R-25 level. The craft backing should face the living space, and the insulation under a floor. Ad equate ventilation is important to prevent moisture buildup. In winter, homeowners should close off crawl space vents on all but one side of the house and reopen them in summer. Also, be sure and place a plastic vapor barrier over crawl space soil to prevent moisture from rising into the house. ♦ W ater Heater: Using a natural gas water heater can save approxi mately 50 percent compared to elec tric models. Natural gas models heat water about twice as fas, as conven tional electric water heaters. And if a super high-efYiciency natural gas water heater is installed, the savings will increase. ♦ W ater pipe insulation: Like heating ducts, uninsulated waterpipes- -both ho, and cold—waste energy. Our auditors will show you where these pipes are and est imate how much wrap ping them will save you. ♦ W eatherstripping Doors and Caulking Windows: The bad news- -most doors and windows let in lots of cold air. The good news—a few dollars’ worth o f weatherstripping or caulking can appreciably cut heat loss These measures reduce drafts and building heat loss while saving you money and improving home comfort ♦Storm Windows and Doors: Although they can be less cost-ef fective than other conservation mea sures because of their high cost and long payback, and because o f the low R-value of glass and wood, storm windows and doors remain popular because of their contribution to se curity, home comfort and noise con trol. To find out more about upgrading your natural gas furnace, converting to natural gas water heating, or to ask about weatherization audit call Northwest Natural Gas in Portland at 220-2361 or 1-800-422-4012. Make herb vinegars For holiday gifts Herb vinegars are easy and fun to make and can be given as elegant holiday gifts. They are welcome additions to salad dressings, sauc es, meat dishes and cooked vegeta bles. All it takes to produce herb vin egar is some garden-fresh herbs, clean glass jars and lids, vinegar and some containers to put the vin egar into when it is done, explained Nellie Oeh ler, home economist with the Oregon State University Exten sion Service. “A great variety of herbs can be used to make flavored vinegars, either by themselves or in combina tions,” said Oehler. "Mint, basil, tarragon, dill, oregano and chives all are popular. “Use about 3-4 sprigs of fresh herbs or three tablespoons of dried herbs for each pin, of vinegar,” she said, “the new leaves at the tip of an herb plant are usually the most fla vorful.” Oehler recommends the follow ing procedure for making herb vine gars: ♦ Sterilize glass containers such as quart or gallon jars by boiling for 10 minutes. Sterilization inhibits mi croorganisms that cloud herb vine gars. ♦Insert the desired amount of herbs into a sterilized glass jar and fill the jar wit the vinegar of choice. ♦ Distilled white and apple cider vinegar are most affordable, but ap ple cider’s amber color may night be as desirable for light colored herbs. White wine vinegar is more expen sive, but has a very smooth flavor. ♦ Put a pint of vinegar in the jar per each three to four sprigs for fresh herbs. The vinegar may be added either hot or cold. “Some people prefer to heat the vinegar to just below the boiling point and then pour the hot vinegar over the herbs, said Oehler “Others like the flavor better when cold vinegar is added.” ♦ Tightly cap the jar. Plastic lids or corks make the best seals , as metal jar tops will rust. Store your herb vinegar in a cool, dark place for several weeks. After the desired flavor is reached, filter the vinegar and put it into sterilized smaller containers for gifts or use in your own kitchen. ♦ Add a sprig of fresh herb for appearance. Or leave the vinegar unfiltered. Citrus rind, garlic, pep pers or peppercorns can also add unique flavors to herbal vinegars. ♦ Label your vinegar with the type of base vinegar used, the fla voring ingredient and the date. Use the vinegar up within three to four months for best quality. 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