Seal air leaks around windows, doors and other openings to improve comfort and save on electric bills.

Energy audits conducted for the nine families in Chelan PUD’s Reduce Your Use Contest show that air leaks are the most common source of energy loss in homes.

PUD staff used sophisticated equipment to depressurize homes and detect air leaks. But customers can do the same using a box fan. Place the fan in an open window on a cold day and seal around the edges so that the fan blows warm air from the house to the outdoors, creating a negative pressure inside. (If you don’t have a box fan, simply turn on all your exhaust fans.) Then walk around the house feeling for cold air coming in around windows, doors and other openings. Seal air leaks using caulking, spray foam, backer rod, weather-stripping or mastic (for ductwork).

Links to information on how to seal air leaks throughout your home are available on the PUD’s Reduce Your Use web page.

For help with ducts, view this WSU Energy Extension video on Duct Sealing for Comfort, Energy and Indoor Air Quality.

Federal tax credits are available to homeowners who make energy efficiency improvements or invest in solar energy systems.

If you’re starting to think ahead to filing your 2010 federal tax return, keep in mind that energy efficiency improvements made to your home this year may entitle you to a tax credit. Adding insulation and replacing windows — the two components of Chelan County PUD’s weatherization program — can put you in line for both the PUD rebate and federal tax credit.

The tax credit  for insulation and windows is for 30 percent of the cost up to $1,500. The home must be an existing home and your principal residence. New construction and rentals do not qualify. The credit is for materials only; installation costs can’t be included. The credit expires Dec. 31, 2010.

Tax credit amounts for other measures vary as do expiration dates. Energy Star maintains a detailed listing of energy-efficiency measures that qualify and answers to frequently asked questions. It’s a good idea to consult your tax advisor as well.

Now’s the time to add insulation to your home; PUD incentives can help with costs

Adding insulation to your home is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency. Act now and you’ll enjoy the extra warmth this winter and reduced electric bills. And Chelan County PUD will pay a portion of the cost.

The PUD will pay 25 cents per square foot for added insulation. New insulation must increase the R-value by R-10 or greater (both fitted/batt type and blown-in). For attic insulation, the existing insulation must be R-19 or less. For wall and floor insulation, existing insulation must be R-5 or less. Insulation must be installed only where cavities separate conditioned (heated/cooled) from unconditioned areas of the residence. Any insulation installed outside the cavity, such as siding applications, does not meet incentive requirements.

The PUD also offers incentives for replacing old windows and glass doors; an incentive payment of $3 per square foot is available. Windows must have a U-factor of .30 or lower (the lower the U-factor, the more efficient the window). Glass patio doors must have a U-factor of .35 or lower. Both must be rated by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). Existing windows and patio doors that are being replaced must be single-pane, or double-pane with metal frame.

All electrically heated, existing homes are eligible. New homes are not eligible. The maximum total payment per household is $2,500.

Customers are required to fill out an application and submit contractor invoices and window stickers. Customers may also do the work themselves; do-it-yourself projects will be inspected by a PUD energy adviser.

Complete details and an application form are available here or call (509) 661-8008.

Keeping energy bills low is high on the priority list of Dave Gerlach, manager of the Wenatchee Community Center building.

When Dave Gerlach began managing the Wenatchee Community Center building in 2006, one of the first things he did was install energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs. It’s one of the last things he did as well, because the bulbs have continued to burn without fail.

“The architect (in charge of renovation and new construction) planned for all new lighting and fixtures (that would accommodate energy-saving bulbs),” Gerlach said. “The choice was judicious, because I replaced bulbs for the first time just 2 ½ months ago.”

There are about 400 fixtures in the center at 504 S. Chelan Ave., outfitted with a variety of compact fluorescent light bulbs and energy-saving T-8 fluorescent tubes.

Keeping the electric bills low is high on Gerlach’s to-do list. It’s a tall order.

The center is a conglomeration of old and new structures, including the former Catholic Church and rectory dating to 1921 and a brand new Veterans Hall built in 2006. The buildings were remodeled and constructed using federal grant funds. The facility serves low-income and disadvantaged families, primarily in the south end of Wenatchee, through agencies offering literacy tutoring, GED instruction, housing, early childhood education and other programs.

The Wenatchee Community Center, 504 S. Chelan Ave., is the former home of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.

The complex covers about 6,000 square feet and is served by seven different heating and cooling units. Large meeting rooms go unoccupied much of the time yet offices need to be kept comfortable for workers five days a week, 8-10 hours a day. Because the church is on the National Register of Historic Places, stained-glass windows can’t be replaced with more energy-efficient models, and ceilings can’t be lowered to improve heating and cooling.

Gerlach has done what he can. Four inches of foam insulation was applied over the old roof, covered by new sheeting. New thermostats hold unoccupied rooms at a specific temperature before switching to warming or cooling just prior to meetings. Wenatchee Valley College instructor Greg Jourdan has been through the buildings and recommended changes to the air handling system, which Gerlach has carried out, to improve comfort and efficiency.

If additional grants or community donations become available, more improvements could be made, Gerlach said.

In the meantime he’s focusing some of his energy outdoors, where a new community garden is growing behind the center. Local residents rent 10 x 10 plots for $5 per year to grow squash, tomatoes, corn and flowers. Sixteen gardeners cultivated 26 plots this summer.

Local celebrities share their energy- and water-saving tips
We asked people active in our communities — local celebrities, if you will — to share their favorite conservation tips. Watch the video to learn what the mayor of Wenatchee, the Apple Blossom queen, the AppleSox Coyote and others are doing to save energy and water.

Do you have a favorite tip? Post a comment to share yours.