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City officials warm up to saving energy
(by Sali McSherry - February 29, 2012)
City officials warm up to saving energy
By SALI McSHERRY
Pepper Pike Councilman Scott Newell and city Building Commissioner Nino Monaco said they were convinced by the energy audits performed recently at their homes.
Dominion East Ohio is offering the Home Performance with Energy Star program with up to $1,250 in rebates to encourage property owners to make their homes more energy efficient, said Cynthia Trotta, energy adviser for the gas company's Good Cents program. She gave a presentation last month to Pepper Pike City Council.
The program starts with a comprehensive home-performance assessment, also known as an energy audit, she said. The three- to four-hour evaluation typically costs between $400 and $500, she said, but it's being offered through Dominion for only $50.
Mr. Monaco said Building Performance Institute-certified auditors provide an independent third-party assessment, testing and evaluating such items as heating equipment, insulation levels and air infiltration.
After any work from a participating contractor is completed, a Good Cents auditor will return at no additional change to ensure a safe and high-quality job, Mrs. Trotta said.
Depending on the home, improvements may include sealing gaps, cracks and other leaks that let outside air in, as well as adding insulation and sealing and insulating ductwork that runs through attics or crawl spaces, Mrs. Trotta said. Improvements also may include repairing or replacing old or poorly functioning heating systems and water heaters, she said.
Mr. Monaco said he had a great experience with the program. The assessment included a furnace inspection, combustion analysis of appliances, a blower door test, which indicated air leaks in the home, and an infrared camera that determined the insulation level.
Mr. Newell said the blower door test involved temporarily installing a big fan in one of the outside doorways which drew the air out of the house.
"We then walked through the house with an infrared camera, which clearly showed where the colder air was coming in," he said. "That is something to see, for it shows you visually something that is very hard to detect by feel. Sure, you can feel a draft here and there, but pinpointing just where it's coming from and how much is beyond my senses," Mr. Newell said.
"I was surprised how much air was coming in through some ceiling beams. They looked solidly installed, but it was clear that they needed to be caulked. The auditor told me part of the process allows us to hire someone to seal up the leaks, and we would be reimbursed a certain amount if we used certified contractors," Mr. Newell said.
In addition to the evaluation, the auditor may install low-flow aerators in the kitchen and bathroom, install up to two low-flow shower heads, replace the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning filter, as well as water heater pipe wrap, weather stripping and door sweeps and use up to one can of foam for air sealing, according to Mrs. Trotta. Homeowners also receive a free carbon monoxide detector.
Mr. Monaco said he was given items such as shower heads, faucet aerators, a carbon monoxide detector, door stripping and water pipe insulation and received a detailed written report stating what he could do to make his home more energy efficient.
Dominion also will pay for some materials for those who do their own home improvements, Mr. Newell said. "We installed an energy-saving programmable thermostat, a newer technology that allows us to program different temperatures when we wake up, leave, return and go to bed. It even allows separate programming for Saturday and Sunday. The thermostat wound up costing us about a dollar plus tax," he said.
"In all, it was an eye-opening experience. We learned that we need to really beef up the insulation in our attics plus improve the venting. Yes, the audit takes a few hours," Mr. Newell said. "But I think it's a small investment of time, as well as a small monetary investment that will pay for itself in a short time."
Chagrin Falls, Pepper Pike and Solon lead the region for the most homes per capita saving energy and money in the program, Mrs. Trotta said.
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