For people building new homes in the coming months, the ever-increasing pain of monthly utility bills for cooling and heating their homes has them looking for more energy-efficient construction methods. In 2014, homeowners have been burdened with electricity costs that rose 5 percent, heating oil 7 percent and natural gas 10 percent, as reported in […]
Specials
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Prevent your heating bills from going through the roof
• Check and maintain your insulation. Improperly insulated walls, floors, attics, basements and crawl spaces drain away heat and can encourage mold and mildew. • Add weather stripping and caulk around windows and doors to prevent drafts which waste energy and money. • Install a programmable thermostat that shuts itself off during the day when […]
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Farmington church expected to save $8,000 annually by heating with pellets
Leaders of the Old South Congregational Church in Farmington expect to save about $8,000 a year with the conversion from conventional oil burners to high-efficiency wood pellet boilers to heat the 13,000-square-foot church. “We decided to switch to wood pellet heating to better support the local economy, to be more environmentally friendly and, of course, […]
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A look at vent-free gas appliances
As Old Man Winter makes his mighty push, 79 percent of Americans expect to pay the same or more to heat their homes as compared to last winter, according to a survey by the Vent-Free Gas Products Alliance, a section of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute. To save money on those heating bills, though, […]
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How thermostats save money and energy
Homeowners who have not yet upgraded to a programmable thermostat could be doing themselves a significant disservice. Not only are programmable thermostats key to saving energy, they also save money. The Alliance for Environmental Sustainability note that for every degree they adjust their thermostats, homeowners save between 1 and 3 percent on their heating and […]
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Space heater safety 101
Space heaters can be an effective method of supplemental heat when the weather outside gets cold, but the Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that space heaters can cause fires and lead to burns and, when using electrical heaters, may cause electrocution from faulty wiring. When operating a space heater, it is important to follow some […]
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How to inspect your furnace before winter arrives
Furnace maintenance should be done on a regular basis. The best time to do so is in late summer or early fall, when you still have enough time to address any problems before it gets too cold outside. HVAC systems malfunctions are typically caused by one of a handful of common problems. Inspecting certain components […]
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Solutions for heating the coldest room in the house
This condition can be caused by several factors including inadequate insulation, air leakage or failure in your heating system. If you’ve cleaned your registers or heating ducts, checked for furniture or carpeting blocking hot air from coming in, and yet that one room is still cold, these ideas from local experts may be the solution […]
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Matters of efficiency and cost drive home heating decisions
“In any type of system,” he said, “there are lower and higher efficiency options [and] people are spending more money to get the higher efficiency systems because the pay back is quicker and worth it.” A significant percentage of Maine homeowners heat their homes using some type of fossil fuel. Whether that fuel is oil, […]
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Weatherproof your home before the weather turns cold
“Exterior caulk and insulation can provide a formidable defense against the cold,” said Debbie Zimmer, spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute. “By using these products to seal cracks and openings in the home exterior, you can save a small fortune on heating cost, and on the cost of air-conditioning as well.” Caulk and insulation work […]