[Ever since we had our home energy audit done back in November, we’ve gotten several more solicitations from companies offering to do one for us, and only charge us $75. Luckily, since we are Wallingford residents our energy audit cost us nothing, as the cost was covered by the town. As we’ve said before, energy audits are a great service that can pinpoint the places in your home that can rob you of precious heat and allow you to have them fixed.

But, are the audits done through the utility companies all they’re cracked up to be? After a conversation with our good friend and home inspector extraordinaire Jim Quarello, we’re not so sure. Jim was kind enough to provide us with a professional’s viewpoint and has allowed us to publish it here.]

Are the Utility Companies Duping the Public?

by James Quarello, ASHI Certified CT Home Inspector

As everyone is well aware, the cost of energy has gone significantly higher in the last couple of years. This has spurred an interest in energy conservation. A little late in my opinion, kind of like closing the door after the dog gets out, but I digress.

Because higher energy costs hit everyone where it hurts, their wallet, the utility companies have been forced through public outcry to offer some kind of relief. Now I do not know what is being done or proposed in other states across the nation, I will only be focusing on where I live and work, Connecticut.

What has been instituted in Connecticut through the two major electric utilities, Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and United Illuminating (UI) is a program titled Home Energy Solutions (HES). This is touted by the utilities as; “A Comprehensive Service to Help Lower Your Energy Bills”.

The HES program is funded through the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund (CEEF). The CEEF is financially supported by all CL&P and UI customers through the conservation charge on their electric bills and paid for by customers of Connecticut Natural Gas, Southern Connecticut Gas and Yankee Gas. In other words, the customers are paying for this service. In essence, it’s a give back.

The service, however, is not free; there is a charge of $75 for most customers, with the only exception that I’m aware of being for Wallingford Electric Division (WED) customers. This program is free for those lucky enough to have WED as their electric provider.

The cost of the program is a bargain and I encourage everyone to take advantage of this service with one caveat: do not expect to save much money on your utility bills after the job has been completed.

The focus of the program is repairs to the home. Not specific repairs identified for each individual home, but more a blanket approach. The web page explaining what the program encompasses states:

The service may include, followed by a list of energy repairs and upgrades.

The most significant and impressive of these is the blower door assisted air sealing. Unfortunately, the job is focused on finding big leaks in order to drop the reading a few hundred points. The job performed is in no way complete or comprehensive.

The purpose of this dissection of the HES program is to provide understanding to homeowners in Connecticut who are seeking relief on their energy costs. The utility companies are selling the perception that this program will provide a significant and comprehensive solution to homeowner’s high energy costs. This, in fact,, is not the case.

As a home energy auditor/inspector, I have performed many audits on homes after the HES program was completed. The homeowners contacted my company because:

1. Their energy bills were still high and they were dissatisfied, and
2. They were seeking advice from a knowledgeable, independent energy professional

My company conducts a service called the Home Energy Tune-uP, a comprehensive energy efficiency improvement analysis specific to the individual home. No repairs are performed; instead,, the energy wasting culprits are first identified and then a report is assembled in which each available cost effective energy saving measure is charted. What in effect is presented to the customer is a pin point plan of how and where they can save money on energy in their home.

The other, and most important, aspect of the Tune-uP service is the fact it is performed by Connecticut licensed home inspectors, not contractors (who are not licensed). Home inspectors analyze homes almost every day. In order to perform their jobs, home inspectors must be knowledgeable on the plethora of components and systems found in a home. As a licensed profession this requires initially obtaining formal training and doing an in field apprenticeship followed by continuing education in order to maintain the license.

So, are the utility companies duping the public? Maybe a little, but it’s always been caveat emptor, buyer beware. The utility customer should research the program to understand the scope and focus of the service. It is certainly worthwhile for every utility customer to take advantage of the program. If the homeowner is seeking solutions and expert advice, a Home Energy Tune-uP should be the first step to resolving their high energy costs. In fact, having a Tune-uP done before the HES program would provide the homeowner education on precisely what their home needs to be more energy efficient.

[Thanks to Jim for this article. If anyone is interested in availing themselves of his services, Jim can be reached at (203) 697-1147 or through his web site at JRV Home Inspections.]

Post from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne Harriman

Are the Utility Companies Duping the Public?

Don’t forget to turn those clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night! Daylight Saving Time is ready to bless us with its presence again on Sunday morning at 2 AM sharp. Did I say bless us? It’s taking away a hour of our sleep, that can’t be a blessing, more like a curse!

But anyway, we lose an hour of sleep until November 1st, at which time we can blissfully sleep in an extra hour…or two.

Did you ever wonder where DST came from? Who was the crackpot that thought we’d all get by better with an hour less sleep on a cold day in March? What was its original intent?

No? Well, too bad, here’s a little timeline of the major moments in DST history:

1784: Ben Franklin writes a paper extolling the virtues of extending daylight in order to save candles. [Candles??]

1883: The U.S. and Canada listen to the cries of their railroad executives and adopt Standard Time. [As opposed to Irregular Time...]

1918: The U.S. establishes a daylight-saving time to run for seven months to conserve electricity during World War I. Once the war was over, the national law is dropped and daylight-saving time became a local option. [So we needed a war to save a few light bulbs?]

1942: During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt orders a year-round daylight-saving time, called “War Time,” which runs for three years. [Gee, we must still be on War Time!]

1944: For the next two decades, there is no national law. States and jurisdictions can choose whether to observe daylight-saving time and when to begin and end it. [And that's when everyone started being late for work...]

1966: Congress passes the Uniform Time Act of 1966, establishing a beginning and end date for daylight-saving time, but leaves it up to local jurisdictions to decide whether to use it. [We don't care if ya use it, but if ya do, ya gotta start it and stop it like WE say!]

1973: Congress enacts the Emergency Daylight Saving Time Energy Conservation Act in response to the Arab oil embargo. Daylight-saving time is extended to eight months rather than the normal six. The Department of Transportation says the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil each day was saved. [Sounds like a plan...when do we start?]

1986: Daylight saving is moved from the last Sunday of April to the first Sunday of April. The end date is left the same. [April Fools! You were late for work again, weren't you?]

1987: Chile delays its time change by one day to accommodate a papal visit. [The Pope stops time!]

2005: Congress passes the Energy Act of 2005 which starts daylight-saving time one month earlier in the spring and extends it one week later in the fall, beginning in 2007. [Geez, took 'em 32 years to try to save some more energy? And gas is STILL 2 bucks a gallon...]

Well, there you have it. The, um, highlights of the history of Daylight Saving Time. Oh, and before we go, here are two more little tidbits for you:

• Two states—Arizona and Hawaii—and three U.S. territories—American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands—don’t observe daylight saving time. Indiana adopted DST in 2006. And,
• It’s officially “Daylight Saving Time”, not “Daylight Savings Time”. But in the end, who cares…we still lost an hour of sleep!

Post from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne Harriman

Daylight Saving Time Starts Sunday, March 9th!

We were getting our annual furnace check-up from Yankee Gas a couple of days ago and after telling us our furnace was good to go, the service tech said something in passing about getting a home energy audit. I had heard that these audits could be done, but I was under the impression that they were on the expensive side, and mentioned this to the tech. “Not at all,” he said, “they’re really cheap considering the potential savings in energy costs you can get.”

Did someone say savings in energy costs?? OK, that officially hooked me, since I’m all about saving money on whatever I can. So, I asked him where I could find out more and he said to just call Yankee Gas and they’d point me in the right direction, and I did just that.

They told me to go to their web site for more information, and I found some great info on the Home Energy Audit Program. Administered by Yankee Gas and Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and with assistance from the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund, the program provides a wealth of energy efficiency services. First, download the application in PDF format here , fill it out and mail it to the applicable address on the form or fax it to the appropriate number listed, depending on if you’re a customer of CL&P or United Illuminating (UI). They tell you that there may be a wait for the service (assuming you’re eligible for it at all; there are income restrictions) and it’s subject to availble funding, but it’s worth it to applt and see what they say.

Here’s a list of the services the technician will perform during the visit:

• A home energy assessment including a blower-door test which pinpoints critical drafts and air leaks. After they are found, the technician will professionally seal them during the visit.
• A duct test to assess air leaks within the duct work system. The technician will seal those significant leaks.
• Hot water saving measures including low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators will be installed.
• Rebates up to $600 for qualified central air conditioning systems and up to $400 for replacement of certain inefficient appliances with qualifying energy-efficient models.
• Incentives for insulation upgrades (gas and electric heated homes only)
• Installation of energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. (not available for Wallingford electric customers)
• A “kitchen table wrap-up” where the technician will review the work that was done in your home and tell you about additional resources that can help you save energy and money.

The fee for this service is a paltry $75 for those who heat their homes with electricity or natural gas, $300 for any other type of fuel; however, for a limited time, the fee is reduced to $75 for customers who heat with oil, propane or kerosene. For more information on OPM programs available for oil, propane or kerosene heat users, including a furnace “Clean, Test & Tune service, please visit CTEnergyInfo.com. The fee is collected at the time the audit is performed.

So, for a measly $75, you can find out just how well your home uses the energy you pay so dearly for. Even the $300 fee would be a bargain if the savings realized are substantial. We sent in our application and will now wait to see if we qualify. In these hard economic times, any money saved is a good thing, so we recommend that you also consider applying for this valuable service. Plug the holes in your home, and you’ll plug some of those holes in your wallet.

UPDATE: Wallingford Electric customers can go to this web site to complete an energy profile for your home. You can choose to do a full profile which is very detailed, or an EZ Profile, which still asks a lot of questions, but is not as detailed as the full profile. It would be best to have all your electric and gas bills (if applicable) with you when you create your profile, as it asks for figures from those bills. The results, when complete, are also very detailed and include energy tips as well; the report can also be printed as a PDF document. We highly recommend our Wallingford readers complete this audit, especially if you cannot qualify for the Home Energy Audit. Stay warm this winter!

Post from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne Harriman

Is Your Home Energy Efficient?

Wallingford residents are about to get a double jolt when two increases to their electric rates go into effect. The summer rate increase, made during May to October, will add $7.46 to your monthly bill. But, because of the rising costs of wholesale energy, the Public Utilities Commission has also approved an additional $11.41 increase to the bottom line. This amounts to an $18.87 increase to your monthly electric bill during the summer months. This total is for an “average” residential customer who uses 870 kilowatt hours of electricity. If you are good at conserving energy, you’ll see a smaller increase; if you run all your electric appliances full tilt all the time, your rates will jump accordingly.

According to the Wallingford Electric Division, the price they pay for wholesale power has increased from $37.6 million in 2004 to $62.1 million in 2008. The division buys its power from a Norwich-based co-op of municipal power companies.

I don’t know about you, but any time the price of something I can’t do without goes up, I get a little testy. The cost of gas has been headed north of $4.00 for some time with no end in sight, taking a lot of other things with it, like food, transportation, leisure activities, etc. I suppose it was only a matter of time before electric rates jumped on the bandwagon. The summer rate hike is only temporary, of course; it should be lowered again once the peak energy season is over in October. But I sure don’t have to like it.

So what do ya do to ease the pain? Here are a few tips to take the bite out of those increases:

1. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact flourescent ones. (Make sure you dispose of the fluorescent ones properly!)
2. If you ain’t using it, turn it off! This includes lights, TV, stereos, computers, appliances, transformers, chargers, AC, etc.
3. Take shorter showers. Heating water can be up to half of your electric bill!
4. Rinse dishes and do laundry in cold water.
5. Open your curtains on cold days to let the sunshine help heat the room; close them on hot days to keep heat out and help increase the efficiency of your AC.
6. Use ceiling fans correctly to draw cold air upwards through the room. (Cold air sinks, remember?)
7. Line dry your clothes when possible.
8. Use programmable thermostats. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees or off when you are away.
9. Don’t open the fridge door too often, and fill up the fridge with food. Having lots of food in your fridge keeps it from warming up too fast when the door is open. So your fridge doesn’t have to work as hard to stay cool.
10. Lastly, if you’re looking for energy-saving investments, use ENERGY STAR® appliances and windows, install a whole house fan, increase attic insulation, consider using window shading, fix faulty weather stripping and caulking, or use a more efficient AC unit.

While these tips (and there are many more) won’t eliminate your energy drain, it could possibly lower it enough to where you can still enjoy the warm weather, and rate hikes be damned.

Post from: Wallingford Wired©2009 by Pat & Wayne Harriman

Wallingford Electric Customers Get Double Jolt