There are many reasons why people choose their home. One might look for the standard “location, location, location,” while others continue to search for the special place that just “feels” like home. But as economic strain and ecological shift become key factors in how we choose our lives, more of us are beginning to take the alternate route. This path is not new, but one that simply guides us back to our roots; to a place where alternative energy, green home design and sweat equity thrive.

That is what two families, who are local to our region, decided to do. One family spent over two years constructing their straw bale home; where the other focused energies on giving back: dedicating 160 acres to Mother Earth. Both families are living off the grid, in country settings that are “close enough” to town. Their stories are different, but share the same voice overall: change.

Teresa Howell, single mother of two, lives with her youngest daughter in Winnemucca, Nevada. She and her family built the first straw bale home in Humboldt County. With a goal of going completely off grid, this English teacher at Great Basin College is doing just that.

After selling her “city” home in Winnemucca, Teresa set out to make a life on the five acre parcel that is four miles from town and six miles from her work. With diligent research, she decided that a straw bale house would fit her budget and the lifestyle she was seeking.

Together, the Howell family spent evenings, weekends and entire school breaks building their home. They worked on numerous projects including installing insulation and the interior plaster walls. With a combination of family initiative, friends and contractors, the home was complete in two and a half years.

To insure the stability of her investment, Teresa had the home engineered and followed the Nevada permit and inspection process. She also paid a little more for upgrades in her home including a metal roof, knotty pine, good windows and slate flooring. In the end, she found that the idea of a straw bale home being “incredibly cheap to build” was a myth. The total cost was close to one hundred thirty thousand dollars.

“Before I started the process, I talked to several banks. I was told that although they wouldn’t give me a construction loan, they’d finance me once I was finished,” Teresa commented. She believes that the housing market collapse created a problem, as she was still not able to get a loan in the end.

As Teresa explained the financial discrepancies, the positive outcome of her undertaking was still present. She described working with her daughters and how you could tell who did what, as they used their own hands to work and move the plaster on the wall. It is apparent that the effort these women put into their home ties them to it, almost on a spiritual level. “I bet I bled into every single piece of this house,” Teresa said.

Now, there is a 25 ft by 30 ft straw bale home—with a 20 ft by 26 ft interior, plus loft—sitting on that five acre parcel that is just four miles from town and six miles from work. Teresa has large gardens, where she plants a variety of fruits and vegetables. Her electricity is completely off grid, coming from what she calls her “juice box.” She does not own a vehicle, but rather hoofs or bikes into work on her commuter bicycle. Her next plan: chickens, a goat or two and to not buy groceries for one year; relying solely on her gardens.

Howell “Post and Beam” Straw Bale Home Stats:

Exterior: 25 ft by 30 ft

Interior: 20 ft by 26 ft, plus loft (20 foot ceiling)

Foundation: Concrete, 3” blue foam insulation (natural heating)

Square Footage: approx 900 sq ft

Roof: gable, 7/12 pitch – solar panels mounted on top

Energy: Solar, back-up generator (propane), propane hot water, dryer and cook stove

Heat/Cooling: JOTUL Wood Stove for heating the entire home (firebox is 16” L X 12” W), strategic placement of windows, sun Roofs

Water: Well (110 volt AC pump)

More than twenty years ago, Janaia Donaldson and Robin Mallgren, of Yuba Gals Independent Media, chose to move away from mainstream and create a self-sustainable life for their family. During a time when “going green” was not a current fad or trend, these women placed value in connecting with nature.

It was during the early eighties when Janaia and Robin met at Xerox, where they both worked. Janaia was working as a graphic designer and Robin as a software programmer. After a few years, and reading a powerful book on the binding role that finance plays in one’s life, they felt a “higher calling,” they recalled. Janaia created a goal to become debt free. She envisioned complete financial independence. Robin tied her calling to nature; she grew up in Olympia National Forest and truly felt complete in a natural setting. Given the fact that they lived in the San Francisco Bay Area at the time, both of these goals seemed more idealistic than realistic. But after a few years of planning, living frugally and finding the perfect spot, the couple bought a 40 acre parcel of land in the mountains near Nevada City, CA, known as Lone Bobcat Woods.

Starting with 40 acres and a web-work of trees and nature, they began the work that was needed to build a home, a life. While doing so, they were able to keep their jobs with Xerox and work remotely. This provided the financial means to purchase land, a home and all of the materials for their projects.

Ultimately, they wanted two things: 1) to use renewable and self-sustaining resources and 2) to keep the land that surrounded their home undeveloped. This would also tie into financial freedom, as living off-grid is much less expensive in the long run.

Instead of building a home, they chose a manufactured home; with a few added eco-friendly designs of their choosing. This gave them more time to focus on implementing the first part of the plan. Robin and Janaia put their own sweat and tears into this project, as they dug trenches, laid telephone and electric wiring, hauled rocks, helped with the water and natural gas (propane) lines, etc. Over time, they added two porches, a deck and a three-car garage, and did so with many salvaged materials.

Within one year of purchasing their first parcel of land, Janaia and Robin purchased another parcel that was connected to theirs; and within five more years, the couple purchased two more parcels, making a combined total of 160 acres of land.

Far beyond the fact that these women purchased land and built a life on it, based on self-sufficiency, is the achievement they made with nature. After purchasing and paying off the land, within less than ten years, they were able to create conservation easements, working with a land trust to do so. While Janaia and Robin hold the title, or possess the main ownership of the land, the land trust they are working with holds the conservation easements that prevent development and old growth clearing. This means that no matter what happens to Janaia, Robin or the land trust, the easement is permanently attached to the deed of the land. It is now and forever, protected land.

In the early 2000’s, Janaia and Robin stopped working for Xerox. Since then, they have been living debt-free and find financial support with their current online television series, “peakmoment.tv.” The series focuses on use of peak oil, industrialization collapse, environmental concerns, living simply, financial freedom, etc.

After making the shift to an independent lifestyle years ago, and watching what was happening in the world, they wanted to provide others with the knowledge they acquired. Equipped with a mobile studio in their RV, they travel the US, conducting interviews with authors, researchers, scientists and so on. Their current plans: to continue traveling for most of the year and rent what they call their “big house” in Lone Bobcat Woods, beginning this summer. It will not only insure that their home is taken care of during their travels, it will also serve as a learning tool for others. Helping yet another family connect to their roots.

Janaia and Robin’s Lone Bobcat Woods “Big House” Stats:

Exterior: 24 ft by 44 ft

Interior: 2 bed, great room and 1 bath

Square Footage: approx 1156 sq ft

Energy: 24 Solar Panels, AC Inverter, DC (fridge and water pump) propane range and water heater, back-up generator

*An average American household uses 35kwh/day, where Janaia and Robin use about 3kwh/day.

Heat/Cooling: Wood stove (they use to cook on as well), homemade insulation coverings for each window, sky light in every room

Water: 235 ft Well (DC pump)

Energy Savers: Turn off the battery inverter at night. Hang clothes to dry outside in the spring and inside during the winter. Small, non-essential electric appliances are not needed (microwave, waffle iron, etc).

As we stare into the face of a changing world, we prepare for the worst; while making the best of what we have. Change, however, is inevitable and it is beginning…we are changing the way we spend money, but more importantly, the way we live our lives. Most people were forced into this situation, having to give up their lifestyle due to financial setbacks. But more and more of us are making this decision on our own; choosing to take our lives into our own hands, while breaking through social norms, “tradition” and the cookie-cutter phenomenon.

References:

1. www.peakmoment.tv

2. www.ahouseofstraw.com

3. www.strawbale.com.

4. www.caneloproject.com

Health & Quality of Indoor Environments  •  Part 3 of a 6 Part Series

Written by Kimberly A. Phipps-Nichol |

It’s New Year’s resolution time, a perfect time to set a goal of positively impacting your health by getting more access to daylight. Prior to the advent of electricity, mankind generally lived by the seasons. While oil and gas lamps have lit dark places for thousands of years, civilization ran by the sun’s clock. In modern times, electricity has given people the ability to live beyond the light of the Sun, laying the foundation for a 24-hour lifestyle. Recently, academics and scientists speculate this equates to western cultures losing touch with

Mother Nature’s timing, causing the normal circadian rhythm (natural sleep/wake cycle) that exists in all creatures to go out of balance. Daylighting, the practice of designing a space so that the use of natural light is maximized and the augmentation with electrified light is reduced, is one of the fastest growing sectors within the green building industry. Not only is there a reduction of the electrical load, there is an added benefit of greater occupant access to the sun-produced light that feeds the natural circadian rhythm.

While most folks understand the role that an East facing bedroom for early risers or a West facing one for Western coastal regions plays in the occupant comfort of a home, few residents understand the impact that designed access to sunlight has on occupants. Recent reports by Carnegie Mellon University of studies of commercial office spaces incorporating Daylighting strategies netted annual energy savings costs of $112 per employee (approx. $1/SF) and annual productivity gains of $2,475 per employee, for a total savings of $2,587 per employee annually. The same and similar studies also show an increase in employee morale in Daylit designed spaces. With an increase in morale/mood and the more effective/efficient work environment, imagine what this can mean when translated to your home.

A critical component of Daylighting is the appropriate use of window systems. There has been a great deal of research and development invested into creating windows that help clients meet the increasing demand for daylight access without compromising the thermal envelope of a building. Due to the winter wonderland of our bioregion, this is key. Of equal importance is the thermal mass of a solid indoor flooring material located next to windows. In our climate, dark, solid stone-type surfaces along the length of a South facing room will retain the heat from the day’s sun and radiate it’s warmth into the cool evening well after the sun has set. Not only is this pleasing to the occupant experience, it also reduces heating load requirements at night and in winter. A working knowledge of the various transmission and solar heat gain values of window systems is pivotal to designing for high indoor environmental quality. Consider consulting with one of this region’s numerous experienced green building design and construction experts to help you Design for Daylighting.

Even if you are not in a position to design a home or workplace using Daylighting principles, consider the benefits of getting outside more, even in cold weather. As our readership is mostly situated below Latitude 40, the sun generally remains at an effective strength throughout the year to trigger Vitamin D production in humans. The bonus is that we average around 300 days/year of sunlight. Many doctors and nurse practitioners recommend that we make time outdoors daily to keep one’s face exposed for about 15 minutes to best absorb the Vitamin-D producing rays. Exposure times longer than 15 minutes may require some level of SPF application, so always consult your primary care provider about balancing protection and times with the important physical processes that benefit from sun exposure. SPF strengths above 15 block the UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D conversion. Resolve to get out this winter and get a few moments daily of sun to naturally support healthy vitamin production and circadian rhythm balance. Wishing you a bright 2009!

References:

1. Is Vitamin D Deficiency Casting a Cloud Over Your Health? 2005, updated 2008. by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP

2. Building Investment Decision Support Tool, 2007, Carnegie Mellon University Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics; by Loftness, Hartkopf and Gurtekin

For more info, contact Kimberly A. Phipps-Nichol, President of Blue Water Studio, at (775) 560-2612.

Household Energy

Americans spend more than $160 billion a year to heat, cool, light and live in their homes, and this energy bill continues to grow. Houses use about 21 percent of the energy used in the US each year, consume a significant amount of electricity and natural gas, and contribute to 17 percent of national greenhouse gas emissions. While our homes are more efficient today than they were 30 years ago, considerable opportunity remains for greater home energy efficiency and the associated benefits.

When the need to conserve energy in your house is considered, then the focus should be mainly on heating and cooling processes. They are the major uses of energy. Hot water heating is also a sizable use of energy, as is the cooking process with surface unit and oven. Refrigerators and lighting use a significant amount of energy.

The price of power per kilowatt-hour has gone from an average of 2 cents to 10 cents over the past 40 years. Many households could save 20 to 30 percent on their household energy bills through cost-effective household improvements such as buying more energy-efficient products and appliances, sealing air and duct leaks, and adding insulation.

References:

1. http://www.energysavers.gov/phee.html

2. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/thermo/houseenergy.html

For more info, contact Scott W Albrecht, specializing in Indoor Air Quality and Home Energy Consulting at

Preferred Ecosystems, at (775) 626-6800 or 4usa@ecoquestintl.com.

By Brittany Russell |

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, wind energy is the fastest-growing energy source in the world.

Advantages:

• A clean fuel source. Wind energy does not pollute the air, and wind turbines do not produce atmospheric emissions that cause acid rain or greenhouse gasses.

• Wind energy is a domestic source of energy.

• Wind is a renewable energy resource, a form of solar energy.

• Wind is one of the lowest-priced technologies, costing between 4 and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour.

• Wind turbines can be built on farms or ranches, which would benefit the economy. Also, wind power plant owners make rent payments to the farmer or rancher. The land can still be worked because only a fraction of the land is used.

Challenges:

• Depending on how energetic a wind site is, the wind farm may or may not be cost competitive. The technology requires a higher initial investment than fossil-fueled generators.

• Wind energy cannot be stored (unless batteries are used) and not all winds can be harnessed to meet the timing of electricity demands.

• Good wind sites are often located in remote locations.

• There is some concern over the noise produced and visual impacts.

Is wind power possible in Nevada?

A resource map of Nevada published by the Department of Energy’s Wind Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) depicts wind speed estimates at 50 meters, a speed suitable for utility-scale wind development. In the future, plans are to provide wind speed estimates at 30 meters, useful for small wind turbine opportunities.

The Department of Energy has also stated that lower elevation areas of good-to-excellent resource are located near Las Vegas and near Ely, as well as on the

higher ridge crests throughout the state.

Economic Impact

Wind Powering America’s Nevada arm, Wind Power Nevada, outlines the direct and indirect economic impact of 1000 MW, which under the 20 percent wind power by 2030 nationwide vision is Nevada’s nameplate capacity:

Direct Impact:

• $2.7 million per year in payments to landowners

• $7.3 million per year in property tax revenue

• 1346 new construction jobs ($189 million to local economies)

• 226 new long-term jobs ($21.2 million a year to local economies)

Indirect Impact:

• 1240 new construction jobs ($133.9 million to local economies)

• 172 local jobs ($19.1 million a year to local economies)

Total Impact – construction plus 20 years of operation:

• $1.3 billion

• 2586 new local jobs during construction

• 398 new local long-term jobs

Local Contact: Nevada State Wind Working Group, Bob Cooper, Chairman 775-684-1184.

References:

1. U.S. Department of Energy – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program, www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro

2. Wind Power Nevada Policies Affecting Wind Power, www.windpowernevada.com

By Scott Albrecht, IAQS, AOS, CMI, NTP |

Rising energy costs are hitting Americans hard these days. Not only do we use more electricity than we ever did before, we’re paying more per kilowatt-hour (kWh). And the cost continues to rise. On 7/01/08, Sierra Pacific Power Company was granted an increase of >10%. However, the problem with electricity isn’t just inflation; its also that the quality is getting worse because of the demand from new technologies.

Think about your home or business. All the appliances you use have a motor that runs on electricity. Washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dish washers, vacuum cleaners, ceiling fans, HDTVs… they are all made to operate most efficiently when running at full capacity. But in reality, most people don’t operate their appliances at full capacity and money is wasted. Literally thousands of times a day, power surges and electrical spikes run rampant through your home, inflicting a perpetual assault on the life and performance of your appliances – especially big-ticket items like high definition televisions.

And then there’s noise; the all-too-familiar static you hear on your radio receiver, the “hum” of the fluorescent lamp, the “snow” you see with a weak TV signal and much more we can’t see or hear. Worse, the interference or noise created from all the various electronic appliances, lights and games we plug in, harms these very same devices, causing premature failure. Our homes and businesses are filled with them. This wasteful electronic noise drains more wattage than it uses, adding unnecessarily to your electric bill.

We need an electronic body guard for our homes and businesses. “Whole house energy management systems” have existed for years and are used by the military as well as industrial and utility companies. They are now available on a small scale for your home. Why haven’t we heard of this technology before? Because up until recently, it wasn’t cost effective; electric rates in America were very low: 2, 3 or 4 cents per kilowatt-hour. Now they are between 8 and 14 cents per kWh, and in some places, over 19 cents per kWh; New York City is 22 cents per kWh and Hawaii is 33.5! At cheaper rates, energy management systems did not make sense, but as rates skyrocket, you may want to consider them.

Miles-per-gallon, mpg, measures fuel efficiency of our cars. With electricity, the  efficiency measurement is called the “power factor.” In an AC electric power system, it is the ratio of real power to apparent power, and is a number between 0 and 1 (0 being the least efficient). Today, the average American home operates at a power factor of 0.77. In other words, 23% of the electricity is wasted. Fortunately new technology for residential and light commercial uses can increase that power factor from 0.77 to 0.98 – lowering usage and saving you money.

Look for energy conditioning technology that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy and is UL tested and listed. Any licensed professional should be able to install such a device in an hour or less.

The most cost-effective product will do all 3 of the following in a superior way: power factor optimization; equipment protection with whole-house surge and spike shielding; and electrical harmonic noise filtration. But buyer beware; there are many manufacturers of similar products that can only address a single issue – not all 3. The savvy home-owner should compare benefits, specifications, warranties, and the return on investment.

Most people don’t realize the benefits of ultra-clean, ultra-efficient energy powering their homes or businesses: just 500,000 such small systems will reduce the need to generate 17 megawatts of electricity, saving 42,500 tons of coal or 231,000 barrels of oil and reduce carbon dioxide by 98,250 tons, nitrous oxide by 42,000 pounds and sulfur dioxide greenhouse emissions by 221,500 pounds annually. How green is that?

References:

1. Reno Gazette Journal, July 1, 2008; Sierra Pacific Power Rate Increase.

2. www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/bestpractices/pdfs/mc60405.pdf

3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_factor_correction

4. www.continentalpowercorp.com/residential.htm

5. www.ecotrustenergy.com/4usa

For more info, contact Scott W. Albrecht, specializing in Indoor Air Quality and Home Energy Consulting at Preferred EcoSystems, at 775.626.6800 or 4usa@ecoquestintl.com.

By Laurel Kallenbach |

New, efficient dishwashers use less hot water, have energy-efficient motors and use sensors to determine wash cycle length and water temperature. So how do you choose a new one?

1. Seek out the Energy Star logo. Dishwashers that meet the newly improved 2007 Energy Star criteria are at least 41 percent more efficient than federal energy efficiency standards. Some Energy Star dishwashers qualify for federal tax credits.

2. Think small. The bigger the dishwasher, the more water and power it uses. Unless you have a large family or go through a lot of dishes daily, choose a smaller, less expensive model.

3. Shorten the cycle. Choose a dishwasher with an “energy-saving” or “light wash” cycle that uses less water and operates for a shorter time.

4. Look for an air-dry option that employs circulation fans. Heat-dry modes use heating coils, which draw considerable electricity.

5. Read the EnergyGuide label, which shows how much energy each unit uses compared with similar models.

6. Opt for a hot water booster, an internal water heater that raises water temperature inside the dishwasher (most Energy Star models have this).

7. Think long term. Most energy- and water-efficient appliances cost more initially, but they’ll save you money in the long run through lower monthly utility bills.

For more information about Energy Star appliances, visit www.EnergyStar.gov.

Clean-Up Tips

Remember these simple tips the next time you load up the dishwasher.

1. Don’t waste water by pre-rinsing dishes – just scrape off food and load the machine.

2. Load dishes according to manufacturer instructions to allow for proper water circulation.

3. Only run the dishwasher with a full load.

4. Use energy-saving cycles whenever possible.

5. Clean dishwasher drains and filters regularly to ensure efficient operation.

6. Washing dishes in a fully loaded dishwasher saves money over washing the same dishes by hand. Dishwashers use 3.5 to 12 gallons of water per load; hand dishwashing can use 15 to 16 gallons.

Excerpted from Natural Home Magazine. www.NaturalHomeMagazine.com. Copyright 2007 by Ogden Publications Inc.

Q:

A: The dream of cutting the line from your electric company and using solar cells to power our homes is certainly something that sounds terrific, but for most people the cost of the solar systems is what is keeping it from becoming more of a reality today. As prices for solar drop due to manufacturing improvements and material development, and prices for competing fossil-fuel based power go up, that dream will become much more real in the future.

If you’ve read about photovoltaics (solar cells) in the past couple of years, then you know that their costs have been dropping significantly, while interest in using them has grown at a huge pace. Right now, just about every company that makes solar electric systems is working overtime to meet the huge demand. Last year, in fact, the shipments of U.S.-manufactured solar cells and equipment grew to record levels, though most of the market for these products today is outside of the U.S. where there is not a reliable power grid (or through much of the developing world where electricity is totally unavailable).

It’s nice that solar is used to power things like boats (or airplanes or other products), but I think the real value is when we use all that sunshine that falls on our homes to power our everyday needs. There actually are thousands of people in the U.S. today who have complete solar electric systems on their roofs that allow them to get all their power needs from the sun while not sacrificing their lifestyles. Most of these people live in remote areas away from the power grid where it is actually cheaper to spend $20,000 or $30,000 or so to provide the solar system rather than pay to have the grid run to their homes (and then to pay for the electricity every month). Others just have the discretionary spending power to make their lives more self-sufficient. And many thousands of other Americans use solar electric systems to provide some of the power they need while their electric company keeps providing the rest of it.

Check out some of the websites on photovoltaics (see below) and you’ll find dozens of companies right here in the U.S. that make and install systems of all sizes. As the costs of making this equipment keep coming down and the rates we pay for electricity, gas and other fossil fuels keeps increasing, these systems will get more economical. We know from many years of use in the space program and in hundreds of remote applications (like lighting for remote highway signs or off-shore navigational aids or even calculators and watches) that the technology works and works well.

Q: Do houses with cathedral ceilings cost more to heat and cool?

A: As you might imagine, they do. My first thought is that a house with a cathedral ceiling will have more wall area on the outside than the same home with an 8-foot ceiling, so this will have at least a small impact on heating and cooling energy. But the bigger concern is that the “non-attic” roof sections with cathedral ceilings are not ventilated and usually have lower levels of insulation as well. In hot weather, this can increase cooling costs by as much as 5 percent, for example.

Let me urge you not to avoid buying or building a house with this feature, though. My advice to all homeowners is to look for trade-offs so that energy efficiency doesn’t involve making sacrifices in your lifestyle. If you want that cathedral ceiling, talk to your builder or remodeler about other energy-saving features (maybe installing better windows with some of the new energy-saving features or providing shade on east and west walls or adding some passive design strategies) that will offset the higher energy costs of this type of ceiling.

Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken@ases.org

Q:

A: File this one under the urban legends category. I hear it every so often too, but having discussed the idea with many energy experts over the years, I’m convinced that this isn’t the case at all. In fact, energy-efficient homes usually improve indoor air quality and cut down on the growth of mold and mildew.

However, this can be considered an energy issue because heat and damp conditions in a home can lead to mold and mildew problems. Maybe you’re not setting the air conditioner in summer low enough to get rid of indoor humidity. Maybe you’re not using exhaust fans in the bathroom that get rid of moisture after showering or bathing. Do you have good ventilation in the home to control the humidity level?

Rather than cause indoor air quality problems by plugging leaks and reducing unwanted airflow, energy-efficient homes help indoor air by keeping out uncontrolled airflow that can bring in moisture, pollutants and other unwanted outdoor air problems. A “tight” house with plugged leaks and controlled airflow usually results in better quality indoor air.

When making a home energy-efficient, your job is to stop the uncontrolled airflow and ventilate the air by good vacuum cleaning and strategies like cleaning up damp carpets, fixing deteriorated insulation and keeping paint cans and household cleaning products in the garage instead of the living space.

Natural ventilation is an important strategy to keeping indoor air healthy. When the weather allows it, open windows and doors. Use fans to circulate the air. Turn on the kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to get rid of odors and humidity.

I’ve seen some studies recently that showed that many people aren’t concerned about indoor air quality and don’t even think of it as a problem. But if you’ll think about the many things we do that affect indoor air – burning candles and incense, keeping pets indoors, not changing furnace filters, and other behavior patterns – you realize that ventilation is essential.

You ought to contact your local American Lung Association chapter and get some of their information on “healthy houses.” There are many simple things you can do to keep your home’s air healthy. Combine these strategies with energy efficiency to maximize the benefits.

Q: You wrote a while ago about getting a home’s ductwork check for leaks or holes, and we hired a local contractor to do this for us. He fixed a number of problems he found and our air conditioner worked better than ever afterward. How come you don’t urge everyone to get their home’s ducts cleaned and repaired?

A: Well, I do (sort of).

I’ve been writing about the importance of clean, well-sealed ducts for the past 20 years or so, and I’m a big believe in the importance of properly performing ducts. As I’ve said many times, you can do all the things you want to make your home more energy efficient, but if the ducts are leaking, you’re going to wipe out all the savings from the other things you do.

The problem is that cleaning and repairing ducts is something to be done only by experienced professionals or you can end up with more problems than you started with. Take some of the register covers off the return ducts in your home and look inside. If you see that the ducts are really dirty or if there is light coming in through holes and tears, call a professional to come out and fix things. Holes in ductwork cause significant energy losses, and dirty ducts will bring in unwanted air pollution. You can often notice duct problems if your energy bills are suddenly going way up or if you find lots of dirt coming in through the registers. Check the walls and carpeting around air intakes for especially dirty spots.

However, poking around in ducts can cause rips and holes, and you need to be sure that you’re hiring a contractor who knows how to fix and clean these systems. I always recommend you get the ducts inspected if you suspect there might be problems, but I have to add the caution that you don’t just get them cleaned without an inspection revealing problems. And like I said, make sure you hire experienced people to do the work. This is no job for a do-it-yourselfer.

Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken@ases.org

A: I started writing this column in 1986 and have been doing it weekly since then, and I used to have a lot more time (and space) for tips like you like. The problem is that home energy costs have soared in recent years and I now get hundreds of emails every month asking for help with various energy problems, so I try to answer as many as I can.

But since you asked, I have put together some basic cold-weather strategies for keeping comfortable this winter. They’ll work fine whether you live in an area with mild or brutal weather, so think about these ideas.

• Keep your furnace filters clean by replacing them on a regular schedule. When the filters get dirty or plugged, it’s hard for that heated air to get into your home where your want it.

• Don’t block thermal mass like concrete floors or heat-absorbing walls that can soak up the sun’s heat during the day and then release it into your home at night.

• Close the fireplace damper tightly when it is not in use. I have read that keeping the damper open is equivalent to keeping a 48-inch wide window wide open in winter.

• Close your windows and latch them to keep them tightly shut. If they’re not closing tightly, use weather stripping and caulking around them to get a tight seal.

• Dress for the weather. You can figure that wearing a heavy sweater indoors will give you warmth equal to about four more degrees of heat coming out of the furnace – and that’s heat you don’t have to pay for.

• Finally, keep in mind that energy experts recommend a maximum thermostat setting of 68 degrees in winter. Every degree above that can add from 3 to 10 percent to your heating costs.

Q:  You said that using a range hood was important in keeping heat out of the kitchen, and it got me thinking that maybe in winter it would be better not to use the range hood when cooking to keep the house warmer. What do you think of that idea?

A: Well, your question got me thinking, so I talked to a few energy experts and they all conclude that your idea isn’t a very good one. It seems that while it would keep some heat indoors, it also can cause two pretty significant problems.

One is that it will keep in humidity that really needs to be vented out of the house or you’ll start having problems like sweating windows and more serious problems caused by too much indoor humidity. Second, cooking a hamburger or an egg on a skillet can create a whole bunch of toxic chemistry like aldehydes and benzines which really need to be removed from the interior air. So from the standpoint of causing excessive indoor humidity and indoor air problems, the little heat you might be gaining isn’t really worth it.

By the way, I’ve have heard from a number of people over the years who don’t want to use their kitchen range hoods or bathroom vents because they’re so noisy. You might want to check out some of the newer vents on the market these days – they’ve come a long way in noise reduction features. Older kitchen vents can be especially noisy so if this is stopping you from getting those kitchen odors outdoors, consider having a new vent fan installed.

Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken@ases.org.

Q: The Sunday newspaper ads are showing some absolutely beautiful refrigerators, and while we’ve had ours almost 15 years and it’s still working fine, I sure wish we had one with those great new features. We’re trying to come up with reasons why we need to get rid of the one we have now that seems to be working fine and spend $1,000 or more for a new one. What do you think?

A: I think it’s time. If you’ve read my column in the past, you know that something I have written about many times is the huge improvements in appliance energy efficiency in recent years. Today’s major home appliances use considerably less energy than did those made even just a few years ago, and the energy savings of a new model will pay back your purchase price during the product’s lifetime.

I’ve seen estimates that a new refrigerator with an ENERGY STAR rating can save you as much as $15 a month when compared to an older unit like you have. While my math skills may not be the strongest in the world, it looks to me like this would be a savings of more than $2,700 in the next 15 years, more than enough to pay the full purchase price of the new model you’re looking at with all those bells and whistles as well as a whole bunch of cartons of triple chocolate fudge ice cream for the freezer.

Read the EnergyGuide labels on new refrigerators to help compare the expected energy use and clearly see the savings you’ll get with different models. Among the suggestions to keep in mind to help you purchase the best refrigerator for your home are:

•consider a top-freezer model instead of a side-by-side to save up to 25 percent more energy

•choose the size for your family needs. A unit that is too big will use more energy as will ones that are not kept fairly full

•when looking at all the features, don’t get some you really don’t think you’ll be using. The through-the-door dispensers, automatic icemakers and other features can boost the purchase price a few hundred dollars and increase energy use by 15 to 20 percent.

Finally, please don’t think the best thing to do with the old refrigerator is to stick it out in the garage and use it for food you can buy on sale. The savings you’d get from the new one would be pretty quickly wiped out by the high energy use of the old refrigerator. Get rid of it.

Q:  We’re just renting a house right now but since we pay the monthly utility bills, we’d like to keep them as low as possible. Are there things renters can do to save energy?

A: Sure. Here are some general suggestions for easy things to do without buying new appliances or remodeling a home you don’t own. As tenants, you still have control over many things that influence your energy use.

• Change the filters in the heating/air-conditioning system on a regular basis. Air won’t flow smoothly through blocked filters, increasing your energy bills while lowering indoor comfort

• Dust light bulbs on a regular basis since dust and dirt can cut down on the amount of light you’re getting from bulbs

• Set the thermostat in winter no higher than 68 degrees in winter and no lower than 78 in summer. Every degree higher in winter or lower in summer will cost you between 5 and 10 percent more on your utility bills

•Make sure there are no water leaks, and clean the aerators in the faucets and showerheads every few months

•Finally, close drapes tightly during the day in winter and open them at night. Turn off lights, fans and unused appliances when leaving a room. Buy energy-efficient light bulbs for lamps. And when the weather allows it, open the windows for natural ventilation.

Ken Sheinkopf is a communications specialist with the American Solar Energy Society (www.ases.org). Send your energy questions to askken@ases.org.

Q: You wrote a while ago about how to do a home energy audit. Someone told me recently they had an energy rating conducted on their home and it sounded like the same thing to me. Why the different wording?

A: There’s really a big fundamental difference between these two home strategies that are both becoming more popular all the time. An energy audit is a thorough inspection of a home to find out ways to improve its energy-efficiency, while a rating is a numerical score based on an energy audit that is used for such purposes as easily comparing the efficiency of different houses and to qualify for an energy-efficient mortgage.

An energy audit examines all aspects of a home, ranging from the efficiency of its heating and cooling systems and the tightness of the windows to the levels of insulation in the attic and the energy use of the appliances. It’s something you can do yourself, or have your utility company do, or have conducted by a professional energy auditor who might use a number of tools like blower doors or infrared photography to get precise measurements.

An energy rating includes a thorough audit, but goes a step further by having the rater put the score into a computer program that quantifies its level of efficiency between 0 and 100. This gives a standardized evaluation of the home’s energy efficiency and its expected energy costs. There’s a growing industry around the country of trained and certified energy raters who conduct the audits and prepare the ratings. If you’re selling your home, a good energy rating gives you a strong marketing tool. If you’re buying a home, a good rating lets you know that the home is energy-efficient, it will help pinpoint areas that might be improved, and it might qualify you for a special mortgage that can qualify you for higher-priced home and even lower your mortgage rate.

I strongly encourage people to have ratings conducted before they buy an existing or a new home or do any remodeling. While a house is the biggest investment most people make, it also comes with a fair amount of upkeep costs in energy bills over its lifetime. Knowing what to expect in energy use can help plan your budget and better estimate the true costs of home ownership.

You can find a listing of certified energy raters in your state at www.natresnet.org/directory/rater_directory.asp.The list is maintained by the Residential Energy Services Network, and their raters have undergone extensive training and demonstrated their technical proficiency to earn their certification.

Q: Winter will be here soon, and my neighbor mentioned to me that she was going out to buy new houseplants because they keep her home warmer in cold weather. Does this really work?

A: Actually it does. Plants give off humidity, and this can make you feel warmer. But let me point out that there are a number of common-sense things like this that you can do to keep warm in winter while keeping your heating costs low.

One of the most important things you need to do is open your drapes and blinds during the day to let the sun’s warmth in, and then close them at night to keep that heat from escaping. Get your heating system inspected before the real cold weather gets here to make sure it is operating efficiently. Keep the thermostat no higher than 68 degrees, and when outside temperatures are the lowest at night, turn the thermostat down a few degrees to minimize heat losses. And dress for the weather. Putting on a sweater and warm clothes indoors will keep you warmer, reducing the temptation to adjust the thermostat up a few degrees.