New Buffalo Impact
New Buffalo Impact 34 Peuquet Pkwy Tonawanda, NY 14150 (716) 881-1477 inquiry@newbuffaloimpact.com
June 2013 e-newsletter
Hello, I am Brian Paterson, Vice President of New Buffalo Impact. We are a nonprofit corporation established in 1998 to assist homeowners, both single and multi-family, to achieve energy savings in their homes. We offer a WholeHouse (comprehensive) Energy Audit which provides homeowners with a complete assessment of suggested energy related improvements and solutions. NBI also does all the work necessary to meet the improvement specifications. The purpose of this newsletter is to help you become aware of what you can do to lower your heating and cooling bills. Brian Paterson
Here are some great tips for cooling your home this summer while keeping a lid on energy usage and costs!
We pulled these tips from the U.S. Department of Energy. Here’s what they had to say.
Don't
Heat Your Home with Appliances and Lighting
- On hot
days, avoid using the oven; cook on the stove, use a microwave oven, or grill
outside.
- Install
efficient lighting that runs cooler. Only about 10%–15% of the electricity
that incandescent lights consume results in light—the rest is turned into
heat.
- Take
advantage of daylight instead of artificial lighting, but avoid direct
sunlight.
- Wash only
full loads of dishes and clothes. Consider air drying both dishes and
clothing.
- Take short
showers instead of baths.
- Minimize
activities that generate a lot of heat, such as running a computer, burning
open flames, running a dishwasher, and using hot devices such as curling irons
or hair dryers. Even stereos and televisions will add some heat to your home.
Keep
Hot Air from Leaking Into Your Home
- Seal cracks
and openings to prevent warm air from leaking into your home.
- Add caulk
or weather stripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
Lower Your Water Heating
Costs
Water heating
can account for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your
home.
- Turn down
the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You'll not
only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands.
Use Your Windows to
Gain Cool Air and Keep Out Heat
- If you live
in a climate where it cools off at night, turn off your cooling system and
open your windows while sleeping. When you wake in the morning, shut the
windows and blinds to capture the cool air.
- Install
window coverings to prevent heat gain through your windows.
Operate Your
Thermostat Efficiently
- Set your
thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The smaller the
difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall
cooling bill will be.
- Keep your
house warmer than normal when you are away, and lower the thermostat setting
to 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. A programmable thermostat can
make it easy to set back your temperature.
- Avoid
setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your
air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in
excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.
Use Fans and
Ventilation Strategies to Cool Your Home
- If you use
air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting
about 4°F with no reduction in comfort.
- Turn off
ceiling fans when you leave the room. Remember that fans cool people, not
rooms, by creating a wind chill effect.
- When you
shower or take a bath, use the bathroom fan to remove the heat and humidity
from your home. Your laundry room might also benefit from spot ventilation.
Make sure bathroom and kitchen fans are vented to the outside (not just to the
attic).
Keep Your
Cooling System Running Efficiently
- Schedule
regular maintenance for your cooling equipment.
- Avoid
placing lamps or TV sets near your room air-conditioning thermostat. The
thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air
conditioner to run longer than necessary.
- Vacuum registers regularly to remove any dust buildup. Ensure that furniture and other objects are not blocking the air flow through your registers.
In case you missed this last month! New Buffalo Impact supports the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI).
NBI has added to our normal weatherization services to support the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI).
NBI auditors will now identify health and safety concerns, allowing crews already in the field to address the issues immediately.
When auditors find issues that are beyond the expertise of the NBI staff, particularly lead paint issues, then the issues will be referred to Erie County’s lead program. NBI will then track the status of that referral to allow for full weatherization services once the identified hazard has been eliminated.
New services offered by NBI in support of GHHI include:
- Electric upgrades such as replacement of dangerous knob and tube wiring, a major fire hazard;
- Hand rails and stairs to prevent unintentional injuries;
- Roof replacements to prevent excess moisture and resultant mold growth; and
- Kitchen stove replacements, preventing excess carbon monoxide.
The Green and Healthy Homes Initiative was charged in 2009 by the Council on Foundations and the White House Office of Recovery to lead the national efforts to integrate lead hazard control, healthy homes, weatherization, and energy efficiency work. This GHHI project is directed by The Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (Coalition).
According to the GHHI website,
www.greenandhealthyhomes.org, “The Coalition is committed to the creation of resources, programs, and policies to prevent childhood lead poisoning and home-based environmental health hazards. We work in collaboration with families, community organizations, educators, government agencies, insurers, property owners, and health care providers to construct real, attainable and cost-effective means to create lead-safe and healthy homes. The Coalition is dedicated to the primary prevention of childhood lead poisoning and the creation of healthy home environments that eradicate environmental and social injustices and result in healthier children, better school performance, the revitalization of our housing stock and more productive communities.”Schedule your comprehensive energy assessment from NBI.
A comprehensive energy assessment from NBI will analyze a house as a complete unit. The results will let a homeowner know where specific issues exist, and what can be done to correct them. A whole house approach to energy efficiency will pinpoint energy use areas of a home that need improvement.
A comprehensive home energy assessment from New Buffalo Impact gives a homeowner the whole picture.
Developing a home energy improvement plan based upon the results of a comprehensive audit, and following it, will save you money each day you reside in your home by reducing heating and cooling costs.
You can start saving now because NBI offers a free, or reduced cost, Comprehensive Energy Assessment.
In addition, New Buffalo Impact provides a free, no obligation, home energy improvement estimate based on assessment findings; helps customers apply for home energy improvement loans offering special low interest rates available through Home Performance with ENERGY STAR; completes all work with experienced work crews; and leaves your home as tidy as they found it!
Our community music/information programs are still available for 2013!
NBI is once again be sponsoring free energy savings tips and old time rock and roll music programs in the Spring, Summer and Fall of 2013. Events have been held in ten communities within WNY.The program combines information on ways NBI can help reduce heating and cooling costs, along with live music performed by Papa and Mama Root. NBI and Papa and Mama Root have been delivering these entertaining and informative events for the past four years to community organizations within the Western New York area.
These fun events can still be scheduled this summer and fall. For more information contact Papa and Mama Root at (716) 631-2023. Check out their web site at:
www.papaandmamaroot.com.The NBI web site is a great source for home energy improvement information and tips.
The NBI web site, at
www.newbuffaloimpact.com, is designed to be a money saving home energy improvement resource. We have included everything from self help tips to informative video clips.So, check out
www.newbuffaloimpact.com and pass the address on to your friends.And, do not forget, you can also read our monthly e newsletter right on the web site, and sign up to follow us on Twitter too!
Turn to NBI for energy efficient appliances.
When you work with NBI you'll get brand name appliances at lower than retail prices. We can even help you find out if you qualify for financial incentives for your appliance purchase.
Check us out for refrigerators, washers, dishwashers, stoves, furnaces, boilers, central air conditioning, hot water tanks and more!
Qualified appliances must be combined with at least one major measure installed by NBI such as air sealing, insulation, a heating system, or water heater. Maximum Assisted Subsidy for each appliance varies. For more information contact us today at
inquiry@newbuffaloimpact.com, or call (716) 881-1477.Follow NBI on Twitter!
More than 6,000 people follow NBI on Twitter. Join the movement and follow NBI on Twitter and stay current on energy saving tips and news. Sign up through our web site at:
www.newbuffaloimpact.com. Follow us direct on Twitter. Note: If you feel that you have received this e-mail in error, or do not wish to receive any additional e-mails, reply to: pleaseremoveme@northamericannewswire.com. We are sorry for any inconvenience.