Heating and cooling  no longer make up the majority of home energy use

Last week the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that space heating and cooling now account for less than half of energy consumption in U.S. homes. Forty-eight percent of energy consumption in U.S. homes in 2009 was for heating and cooling, down from 58 percent in 1993. “Factors underpinning this trend are increased adoption of more efficient equipment, better insulation, more efficient windows, and population shifts to warmer climates,” the report states.

More proof that upgrading insulation and installing new windows saves energy while improving the comfort of a home.  And more reason for Chelan PUD to promote its program offering rebates on insulation and windows.

While energy used for space conditioning has declined, energy consumption for appliances and electronics continues to rise, the report notes. Although some appliances that are subject to federal efficiency standards, such as refrigerators and clothes washers, have become more efficient, the increased number of devices that consume energy in homes has offset these efficiency gains, EIA states. Non-weather-related energy use for appliances, electronics, water heating and lighting now accounts for 52 percent of total consumption, up from 42 percent in 1993.

Chelan County PUD will begin offering rebates on energy-efficient appliances in April 2013.

The shift in how energy is consumed in homes has occurred even as per-household energy consumption has steadily declined, the report notes. Read a report summary here.

Gadgets, gizmos and lots of good stuff for your home and garden await you at the KPQ Home and Garden Show, March 8-10 at the Town Toyota Center.

Chelan PUD staff will be on hand with information on new programs including appliance rebates, refrigerator recycling and duct testing and sealing for manufactured homes. Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter and receive your choice of an LED night light or a compact fluorescent light bulb. Interested in paperless billing? We can help with that, too.

More than 150 exhibitors will set up displays inside and outside the center.  Learn the latest in home construction, decor and — of course — energy savings and green living.

WSU Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer your gardening questions, share about the Xeriscape and Community Education gardens, and diagnose problems you may be having in your backyard. Need a pair of gloves or a Day by Day Resource Guide on what to do in your garden when? You can get both at this year’s show. A schedule of seminars and workshops is available here.

Show hours are Friday, March 8, noon to 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 9, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, March 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

See you there!

Matthew and Stacy Luckensmeyer's home on Chapel Street in Cashmere is getting a slowly-but-surely upgrade that is saving money on electric bills.

Energy-saving recommendations gradually put into practice at a 1930s-era home are paying off, a Cashmere couple reports.

Energy use at the home of Matthew and Stacy Luckensmeyer, who participated in Chelan PUD’s Reduce Your Use Contest two years ago, is down 25 percent this winter from historic levels. 

The Luckensmeyers removed old insulation from half their attic and replaced it, Stacy reports. “The other half involves having layers and layers of old sawdust insulation vacuumed out, and we’ve budgeted to hire someone else to do that particular job next year,” she said. “Then we will have them blow in new insulation.” 

The Luckensmeyers replaced three windows last fall and purchased three more this winter that they will be installing soon. 

Stacy Luckensmeyer

They replaced exterior doors, liberally applying spray-in insulating foam. And they installed energy-efficient blinds custom-fit to each window. “There is a distinct difference in both the summer and winter” in comfort levels, Stacy said. 

The family also installed a fireplace insert, resulting in significant savings, Stacy said. Traditional fireplaces waste electricity because they suck heated air up and out the chimney.

The Luckensmeyers aren’t done yet. They plan to replace 11 more windows, and are considering ductless heat pumps for air conditioning; they have no air conditioning now.

The Reduce Your Use contest ran from January 1 through March 31, 2011. Nine contestants received home energy analyses and recommendations from PUD experts about how to save energy – from adding insulation and weather-stripping to adjusting their thermostats – as they competed against each other to see who could reduce their energy use by the greatest percentage. Overall savings averaged 19 percent.

Recommendations made then still are applicable now. Find recommendations for contestants – many of which may apply to your own home – on the Reduce Your Use web page.

PUD customers who upgraded to energy-efficient windows during the last three months of 2012 received an average rebate of $890. Rebates are based on square footage; the PUD pays $6 per square foot.

Warmer rooms, fewer drafts, less noise and improved appearance.  Those are among the benefits Chelan PUD customers say they’ve received from installing new windows and adding insulation through the PUD’s weatherization program.

In a recent survey, several customers told us how much they like their new windows,  insulation, and the PUD  program that helped pay for the improvements:

• “The new windows look great and I believe you can feel a difference in the comfort of our home. We are able to lower our thermostat by a degree or two.”
• “I am sure our windows are helping keep out the cold as they do not feel cold when you touch them. Neither do the frames as our old ones did.”
• “Our house is no longer drafty and looks much better.”
• “Wish I had replaced my old double pane metal framed windows earlier.”
• “My house feels warmer with the new vinyl windows (versus the old aluminum ones), and traffic sounds from outside are muffled. Wonderful! The rebate made this improvement possible.”
• “Installing the new windows has made a significantly noticeable difference. My house is so much warmer and the noise from outside is diminished. They brightened up the inside of the house and gave the outside a fresh new look. Thank you so much for the rebate!!! I would not have been able to afford it without your incentive.”
• “Wish I had replaced my old double pane metal framed windows earlier. Much warmer and heat from the sun doesn’t come in. On a fixed income the rebate made it affordable.”

Through 2013, we’re offering incentives of $6 per square foot of installed energy-efficient windows and 50 cents per square foot of added insulation. Learn how you can take advantage of our rebate program on our website here.

The local builders association has a new name but is back with an old favorite: The Building! NCW Home Show runs Feb. 8-10 at the Town Toyota Center.

Chelan PUD conservation staff will be there, helping customers sign up for double rebates for adding insulation and upgrading windows and explaining how to get money back on super-efficient ductless heat pumps. We’ll unveil new offers for customers in 2013 to help pay for energy-efficient appliances, recycle old refrigerators, and seal leaky ducts in manufactured homes.

Home show coordinator Lindsay Shultz said dozens of vendors will be on hand with ideas for new construction, remodeling, landscaping, HVAC, flooring and more.

Feeling a little cooped up? A complete outdoor living space will be set up “that people can walk through and get a feel of what it would be like if they had one of their own,” Shultz said.

Lowe’s will return with its Kids Zone where youngsters can build something, plant something, or get rid of the ants in their pants in the inflatable castle (jumping is mandatory).

Hours are Friday, Feb. 8, 2 to 8 p.m.; Saturday, Feb. 9, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for seniors. Shultz said coupons for $1 off will be available around North Central Washington and on the Building NCW website closer to the show. The website still bears the old name – North Central Home Builders Association — but the group is now officially called “Building! NCW.”