Nerds rejoice – yep, it’s Pi Day again. 3.14.  Next year will be even more pi-like: 3.14.15. The best day to be a math geek, ever. There’s just something about this day that really does run in a circle. It’s pi day, pies are round, Albert Einstein liked pies, and it’s his birthday.

We are so pleased that Lana has joined our window team. With her doggone extensive background in remodeling and home energy, she hit the ground running and is ready to take orders! When you stop by showroom, be sure and ask Lana to show you our full Milgard line of beautiful energy-saving windows.

1. How much does the average household save on their energy bills by making simple energy-efficiency improvements?

a)   2 to 4%

b)   5 to 10%

c)   20 to 30%

d)   40 to 50%

2. True or False: CFLs, or compact fluorescent light bulbs, can save you $30 to $60 in electricity costs throughout their lifetime.

a)  TRUE

b)  FALSE

3. Which of the following can be major sources of air leaks in your home?

a)  Recessed lighting

b)  Door and window frames

c)  Dropped ceilings

d)  All of the above

4. Which of these activities uses the most water?

a)  Taking a 10-minute shower

b)  Washing one load of laundry

c)  Running the dishwasher

d) Washing a sink full of dishes by hand

5. In a typical house, how much of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks, holes, and poorly connected ducts?

a)  5%

b)  15%

c)  10%

d)  20%

HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT?  SEE ANSWERS BELOW.

What do tortilla chips have to do with Home Performance? Well.. um.. nothing really. But, they’re definitely delicious and a day that celebrates the almighty chip is worthy of acknowledgement.

Anybody got nacho cheese?

FOR HOMES BUILT BEFORE 1990:

The full Home Performance with Energy Star analysis measures every aspect of your home’s energy performance and weatherization. This analysis results in a full report of our findings, with photographs, followed by a proposal that details the recommended improvements by line item, with pricing. Our line item detail allows you to select specific improvements. This analysis includes:

Evaluation of insulation levels

• measures type and amount of insulation throughout the home
• walls may be checked using a thermal imaging camera

Combustion zone testing

• checks furnace & appliance safety
•  tests combustion efficiency and CO₂ levels
•  identifies drafting or back-drafting issues

Blower door testing

• measures air leakage

Duct blaster testing if the duct system is outside of the heated space

• checks for blocked, cracked or broken air ducts

Check and measure windows

Visual inspection top to bottom

• locate water or moisture issues, etc.

FOR HOMES BUILT IN 1990 OR LATER:

The Home Performance Weatherization Review is ideal for newer homes, since many weatherization factors are already known, i.e., insulation is already up to code. This analysis results in a summary of recommendations detailed by line item.

Blower door testing

•  measures air leakage

 Duct blaster testing

•  checks for blocked, cracked or broken air ducts

Visual inspection

•  locate water or moisture issues, etc. 

We normally recommend in a newer home is a complete walk through to look over the home for safety issues, problems with the duct work (ducts not connected, etc.) and so on. Then we perform the blower door test and a duct blaster test and generate a proposal of our recommendations with detailed line items.

We welcome the opportunity to perform either option for you.

Please let us know how we can HELP.

Check out these numbers from Clean Energy Works!  H.E.L.P. Group Inc. has worked closely with CEWO since the early pilot phases, and we’re very proud to have been a part of these energy savings and home comfort improvements. Packaged financing and instant rebates make it so affordable for homeowners to:

• have a cozier and more comfortable home
• save on home energy bills
• take advantage of low-cost financing, including on-bill payments
• receive instant rebates for up to $2,000

CEWO.ORG  USE OUR SIGN-UP CODE: CNHLP

Looks like we can use an InfraRed camera for more than checking insulation levels. Our tells us the temperature of the surface of windows, and now it shows us the thermal make-up of a Christmas Tree.

A Very Thermal Christmas!

Is your home as comfortable as it could be? The H.E.L.P. team will test it for

• air leakage
• missing or inadequate insulation (IR camera)
• blocked, disconnected or broken ducts
• radon levels

These tests help determine how your home can be warmer, safer and healthier with a home performance project by H.E.L.P!

HELP Founder Berenice Lopez-Dorsey and HELP Project Leader Sary Dobhran testify at Jeff Merckley’s Senate Subcommittee on Green Jobs and the New Economy. Berenice and Sary each told their stories about what prompted them to enter the Home Performance Industry, and their pride in helping over 800 Oregon families to enjoy healthier, safer, more comfortable homes, with lower utility bills!

Derek Smith, Jeff Merckley, Berenice Lopez-Dorsey, Sary Dobhran

The UK has completed its first Green Deal package, marking a milestone for the government’s flagship energy efficiency policy.

Government statistics released today also revealed 133 households had signed up to the Green Deal by the end of July and 286 homes are poised to embark on a Green Deal plan after obtaining a quote.

The figures showed that one Green Deal Plan went live in July, with energy efficiency measures installed in the property and loan repayment information attached to the household’s energy bill.

Today’s figures also showed that the government had now paid out more than 4,250 cashback vouchers with a value of nearly £1.2m, most of which covered the cost of boiler replacements. DECC said a further 3,205 vouchers had been issued by the end of the month but not yet paid.

Commenting on the figures, Climate Change Minister Greg Barker, said he expected uptake to continue over the coming months.

“This ambitious long-term programme is still in its initial months, but over 58,000 Green Deal assessments shows genuine consumer interest and we expect continued steady growth as we go into the winter,” he said.

“Already, over 130,000 homes will be cosier this winter after getting energy efficiency measures installed under ECO.”