Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
A9
HOME & GARDEN
Making your home energy efficient
Insulation,
window and
heating
system tips
By Richard Hanners
Blue Mountain Eagle
mproving the energy effi-
ciency of a home can save
residents thousands of dol-
lars in the long run, but while
some steps are simple and
don’t even require tools, other
steps may require the assis-
tance of professional contrac-
tors and technicians.
According to Touchstone
Energy Cooperatives, heat-
ing and cooling accounts for
about 56 percent of home
energy costs on a national
average, with appliances and
lighting accounting for 23 per-
cent, water heating 16 percent
and refrigeration 5 percent.
Homeowners should re-
view the previous year’s utili-
ty bills to see how their mon-
ey was spent on energy use.
Based on the national aver-
age, a homeowner who spent
$2,500 a year for home energy
would have paid about $1,400
for heating and cooling, $575
for appliances and lighting,
$400 for heating water and
$125 for refrigeration.
There are simple steps that
can be taken to save on energy
bills. Air that moves through
cracks, crevices and holes, for
example, can increase energy
consumption. Homeowners
should seal openings around
pipes or cables that pass
through exterior walls and en-
sure weather-stripping around
doors and windows is tight.
When a fireplace is not
operating, the flue should be
closed tightly, with a warning
sign hung from the flue han-
dle. Outside dryer vent doors
should close when a dryer is
not in use, which means peri-
odically removing lint accu-
mulation. Attic fans should be
sealed tightly during winter,
and crawlspace vents should
be closed in winter and re-
opened in summer.
I
Insulation
Home insulation, whether
it’s fiberglass batts, foam pan-
els or loose-fill cellulose, is
rated by an “R” value. Home-
owners with R-19 or less in-
sulation in their attics should
consider bringing it up to R-38
in moderate climates and R-49
in cold climates. In cold cli-
mates, homeowners with R-11
or less floor insulation should
consider bringing it up to R-25.
Tyler Sheedy Construction
of John Day uses a high-pow-
ered fan to blow loose-fill cel-
lulose into attics and walls of
new and existing homes. The
work can often be done in a
day or two, depending on the
size and layout of a home.
“Loose-fill cellulose is
made of recycled paper that
has been treated with borate
for fire and insects,” Sheedy
eH
The outdoor unit of a mini-
split heat pump mounted
on a concrete pad on the
south side of a house.
said.
The cellulose material
doesn’t decompose and does
a better job of filling in small
spaces than fiberglass batts.
The ease of installation also
makes it more cost efficient
than fiberglass, he said.
“I bring in bags by the
semi-load,” he said, noting
that he recently insulated the
attic space at the John Day Se-
nior Center.
Windows
A significant amount of
heat is lost through windows.
Homeowners with single-pane
windows should consider
tightening and weather-strip-
ping older windows and add-
ing storm windows. The best
option, however, is to replace
single-glazed windows with
new double-glazed windows.
Mobile Glass of John Day
can swap out older windows
in a matter of days, depending
on the size of the home and
how many windows are locat-
ed on upper floors. New win-
dows will fit into the existing
frame and trim, so there’s no
need to change interior sheet-
rock or exterior siding.
The insulating value of a
window is called the U-fac-
tor, Billy Hickerson said. To
qualify for energy rebates,
the U-factor must be below
0.29, with argon gas between
the panes and a Low-E 366
coating on the interior pane
to reflect infrared radiation.
While windows with Low-E
glass generally cost 10 to 15
percent more than windows
with standard glass, they can
increase energy efficiency by
30 to 50 percent.
“The Low-E coating not
only keeps homes warmer in
winter and cooler in summer
but also protects carpeting
and furniture from fading,”
Hickerson said.
Mobile Glass also installs
pre-hung
energy-efficient
doors with a fiberglass core
and double-pane glass.
Heating systems
Heating, ventilating and
air conditioning (HVAC)
equipment account for a large
portion of a homeowner’s
energy bills. Homeowners
should be aware of potential
problems but rely on a profes-
sional technician for proper
maintenance.
HVAC systems should be
checked to verify they are
moving the correct amount of
air. A technician can check for
duct leaks and seal them with
fiberglass mesh and mastic
sealant.
Heat pump systems should
be checked annually to ver-
ify they are charged in ac-
cordance with manufacturer
guidelines. Inside and outside
heat pump coils should be
kept clean and free of debris.
Gas and oil furnaces should
be tuned for maximum com-
bustion efficiency, and return
filters should be changed
monthly.
A major improvement to
heating and cooling bills can
come from installing a mini-
split heat pump, which can
be readily installed without
ductwork. While the state
mandates that heat pumps
have a seasonal energy effi-
ciency rating (SEER) of 14,
newer mini-splits range from
18 to 22 SEER, said Matt
Turner of MD Enterprises in
Canyon City.
“The unit in my house
was putting out 80-degree air
when the temperature outside
was 15 below,” Turner said.
Installation of a mini-split
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652
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heat pump can be completed
in a day or two depending on
the size and layout of a house.
Outside units can be mounted
on a concrete pad or hung on
a wall. A single outdoor unit
can be connected to multi-
ple heads located in differ-
ent rooms and controlled by
different thermostats, Turner
said.
Assistance
programs
Energy assistance pro-
grams can help residents pay
for the energy efficiency im-
provements needed in their
homes.
Oregon Trail Electrical Co-
operative has completed more
than 25,000 member-initiated
conservation projects since
1989 for homes where electrici-
ty is the primary source of heat.
Rebates and assistance are
available from OTEC for mini-
split ductless heat pumps, in-
sulation, windows and smart
thermostats used with electric
forced-air furnaces.
These financial incentive
programs and criteria as well as
the amount of rebates change
regularly. For more informa-
tion, contact Susie Snyder at
the OTEC office in John Day
Rick Turner of MD Enterprises in Canyon City with the
outdoor unit of a mini-split heat pump capable of heating
a home in minus 15 degree weather.
at 541-575-5426 or visit otecc.
com.
The Low Income Home En-
ergy Assistance Program, fund-
ed through the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services,
is designed to help low-income
households with home heating
costs. Both homeowners and
renters are eligible.
To be eligible for energy
assistance through LIHEAP, a
household’s income must be
at or below 60 percent of Or-
egon´s median income, which
is based on household size and
income. A household also must
provide documented energy
costs.
For more information on
LIHEAP, contact Communi-
ty Connection of Northeast
Oregon through the Grant
County Senior Center in John
Day at 541-575-2949 or visit
oregon.gov/ohcs/Pages/low-in-
come-energy-assistance-ore-
gon.aspx.
For more information on
local contractors, call Tyler
Sheedy Construction at 541-
620-1811, Mobile Glass at
541-575-1055 and MD Enter-
prises at 541-575-2010.
Find your
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Canyon City
541-575-2050
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Eagle photos/Richard Hanners
Billy Hickerson of Mobile Glass with a set of double-pane energy-efficient windows on
his truck ready for an installation.
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