A quarter-inch gap around the perimeter of an attic access hatch potentially can leak the same amount of air supplied by a typical bedroom heating and cooling duct. It's easy to stop the leaks with weather stripping.
Your old refrigerator isn’t doing you any favors
Keeping your 15- or 20-year-old refrigerator in operation after you buy a new one may seem like a good idea. However, the old appliance probably is costing you a lot more on your power bill than it’s worth; you’ll likely be better off buying a new, low-cost, Energy Star® qualified unit. Check the predicted operating cost of your current older refrigerator with the Refrigerator Retirement Savings Calculator at www.energystar.gov.
In this month's issue:
Older adults face the greatest risks, with people over age 65 being more than twice as likely to die from a house fire as the general population. In addition, homes with aging electrical systems are at a heightened risk for electrical fires, posing a serious danger for people who have remained in the same home for an extended time.
In marking its 15th birthday, Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives – the branding program for the nation’s electric cooperatives – can point to a host of accomplishments. There now are 741 member co-ops across the U.S. (including most in Iowa) and more than 50 different programs that help electric cooperatives bolster operations and better serve their members.
With every window company making it sound like its windows are the best and most efficient, it can be extremely difficult to sort through all the marketing hype to make the proper decision for replacement windows. In fact, the proper selection depends not only on the characteristic of the windows, but also on your specific house and family’s lifestyle.
From past issues:
CFLs are safe to handle and use in your home, and they release no mercury when in operation. To prevent breakage, always screw and unscrew a bulb by its base.
Connect the generator directly to your home's electrical service panel through a professionally installed, permanent transfer switch that isolates individual circuits in your home from the co-op's power lines.
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Win a set of eight extra-bright solar landscape lights!
There’s no easier way to brighten your front walk, backyard or garden than with solar-powered landscape lights. These units feature 7.5-lumen, white LEDs and stand more than 18 inches tall once they’re in the ground.
Co-op Cooks
Power up safely when you use a portable home generator
During a power outage, you can connect a heavy-duty extension cord to a portable generator and run it to a few essential lights and perhaps an appliance. However, it's much safer to connect the generator directly to the electrical service panel through a professionally installed transfer switch that isolates your home from the co-op’s power lines.