ecobeco's May 2009 Newsletter
ecoTips, News, Deals, and More - And it's Free!
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
The old saying is: "April showers bring May flowers." After a strange April that featured snow, hail and 95+ degree weather, we can only hope for a more comfortable May. This month's newsletter includes some exciting announcements from ecobeco and some great savings for you! - ecobeco Launches New Home Page
- Events Update - Composting and Home Energy Audits Explained
- Featured Products:
- Hygrometer
- Room Dehumidifier
- Mold Test Kit
- 99 Cent CFLs and Dimmable CFLs
- May's ecoTip - Manage Your Storm Water to Reduce Pollution
- ecobeco gives back
- Rebuilding Together A Great Success
- Tax Incentives for Energy Efficiency
- Montgomery County Residents get $250 of FREE Energy-Efficiency Products
- Reminder New Store Hours
Enjoy! |
ecobeco Launches New Home Page
|
|
Today, ecobeco launched our new home page at www.ecobeco.com. We replaced the navigation on the right hand side with a sign post area where we update our customers on pressing issues, deals, and news/events! We also posted a video of ecobeco's Reuven Walder as he goes through an energy audit. Finally, we introduce "problem corner" that shows pictures of some of the most common problems we see during energy audits. If you see these problems at your house, give us a call!
|
ecobeco Events
|
|
Visit www.ecobeco.com/events to get the latest on ecobeco's speaker series and to see where we'll be speaking throughout the community.
PLEASE RSVP by replying to this newsletter or by clicking here to email us.
Saturday May 2, 2009, 10am-12pm at the ecobeco store - Composting:
Everything You Wanted to Know About Composting hosted by Sam Patsy from
Montgomery County Master Gardeners.
Master Gardener Sam Patsy will discuss the best approaches to
composting in our area and will answer your questions. Master Gardeners
are trained volunteers of the University of Maryland Cooperative
Extension, who are dedicated to helping the citizens of Montgomery
County, Maryland. The Master Gardener's mission is to
educate County residents about safe, effective and sustainable
horticultural practices that build healthy gardens, landscapes and
communities.
Saturday May 2, 2009, 10am-5pm at Kentlands Market Square - Kentlands
Day
ecobeco will have a booth at Kentlands Day. Come meet Curt Christenson, our
newest Energy Auditor, who can help answer your questions about energy
efficiency and provide you advice on how to adopt an eco-friendly
lifestyle. Kentlands Day also features a silent auction to support the
Rachel Carson Elementary School, and ecobeco has donated a Whole Home Energy
Audit to this worthwhile effort.
Saturday May 2, 2009, 8am - 1:00pm at Loehmann's Plaza, Rockville -
Randolph Civic Association Community Yard Sale.
ecobeco will have a booth at the Randolph Civic Association Community Yard
Sale. Loehmann's Plaza is located at 5230 Randolph Rd., just a quarter
mile from ecobeco's store.
Wed., May 20th - Energy Auditor's Perspective on Energy Efficiency hosted by Reuven Walder from ecobeco.
The Energy Audit is a science-driven diagnostic of your home's energy
use and ventilation. Reuven Walder from ecobeco, who is certified by
the Maryland Home Performance with Energy Star Program, typically
brings $10,000 worth of equipment on every audit to show customers how
to address energy efficiency, combustion appliance safety, and home
comfort issues.
The workshop will include:
- An overview of the main energy uses in the home and what you can do to reduce your energy consumption.
- See the tools of the trade and learn how they work.
- Learn about the linkage between energy use and home comfort. Did you know stopping drafts reduces energy use?
- Learn how ecobeco delivers a full-service solution to making your home eco-friendly and energy efficient.
Saturday May 23 and Sunday May 24 - Rockville Holidays in Rockville, MD. ecobeco will host a booth at this Memorial Day weekend event featuring live music. Click here to learn more.
Click Here to tell your friends about our speaker series!
|
Products for Springtime Focus On Humidity
|
|
NOTE: Click on any photo to go directly to the ecobeco store
With April showers returned something that many of you don't miss at all: humidity! As Energy Auditors, we take humidity very seriously because excess humidity can rot parts of your home and can create a fertile breeding ground for mold as well as insects.
You won't be surprised to hear from us that a Whole Home Energy Audit and professional air sealing can provide exceptional management of humidity. When we reduce the ability of humid air to penetrate the home, we give your central air conditioning system, which is a natural dehumidifiers, the opportunity to help us keep humidity levels is a good place (25-60% relative humidity (RH) is ideal, consistently over 60 is a concern).
 ecobeco sells three products that are related to humidity and its effects. First, we sell the Enviracaire Digital Hygrometer/Thermometer, which is a device that tells you the humidity and termperature of the room where you place it. This hygrometer's markings help you understand whether there is cause for concern by identifying the RH levels. This product retails for $18.99.
Second, ecobeco sells a portable dehumidifier that can pull massive a mounts of water from the air. The Soleus dehumidifier features a built-in humidistat (this is a thermostat for humidity levels) so you can set your desired level and let it go to work. This unit takes 40 pints per cycle and is so lightweight you can place it anywhere in the home. Normally $259, we're putting this dehumidifier on sale. Save 20% while supplies last.
Third , we sell a large range of PROLAB test kits, including the kits for detecting mold overgrowth. The kits cost only $14.99 each with a $30 lab analysis. You need to buy at least 2 kits so you can put one indoors and a second one outdoors to act as the "control" test. Remember that mold is a naturally occurring organism. So, you should only have concerns if your indoor test shows more mold than the outdoor test. At that point, you should have an examination conducted by a professional mold remediation company.
|
CFLs for 99 cents!
Your incandescent lights are heating your home! Make the switch now!
|
|
As it warms up, it's time to stop using your incandescent lights as heat sources. You know you do. Everyone does in the winter. But in the spring and summer, the extra heat from standard incandescent bulbs causes your air conditioner to run longer than it should, and that costs you money! So replace those bulbs today with CFL bulbs that emit much less heat (less than 1/4 the heat of an incandescent).
ecobeco is happy to announce our participation in PEPCO's Change a Light Bulb Campaign. You may have seen us mentioned in PEPCO's February bill insert. PEPCO has provided ecobeco with subsidized compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs.
A 60Watt replacement is only 99 cents.
A 100Watt replacement is only $1.99.
Limit 25 bulbs per household.
These bulbs are rated to 8,000 hours (if you use the bulb 3 hours per day every single day, they can last up to 8 years!), which means they should last 8 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb, and they use only 1/4 of the wattage. The math on these make changing to CFLs a no-brainer, and because you change them less frequently, you can spend more time having fun!
ecobeco also carries a large selection of Greenlite bulbs. This brand features CFLs with warranties as long as 9 years. They come in standard spiral shapes, reflectors (such as what is in your recessed lights), and even outdoor lighting.
Visit us on-line or call us at the store (240) 396-2141 x2 to learn more.
|
May's ecoTip - Manage Your Storm Water To Reduce Pollution
|
|
Urban runoff accounts for the largest source of water pollution nationwide according to the EPA. The best ways to control pollution from runoff are to slow
down and collect the storm water that comes off your home's roof and
yard, a process known as Rainscaping. This includes techniques that
redirect, capture, and control runoff such as rain barrels, rain
gardens, and permeable pavements.
Montgomery County has an incentive program called "Rainscapes Rewards Rebate Program". Click here to find out more.
Read more about Managing Storm Water on the ecobeco blog located at:
blog.ecobeco.com
|
ecobeco Gives Back on Earth Day with Rebuilding Together in Montgomery County, MD.
|
|
ecobeco participated in this year's Rebuilding Together, which helps rebuild the homes of lower-income home owners in Montgomery County, Maryland. ecobeco's Reuven and Curt performed free energy audits on two homes. In one home, we provided the volunteers with step by step directions on how to air seal the homes to help these home owners substantially reduce their energy bills and make their homes more comfortable. In the second home, we were joined on Earth Day by our partner Thom Marston from Energy Services Group, where we worked directly with the volunteers to implement air sealing and to augment insulation.
 
 
Clockwise: ecobeco's Reuven Walder sprays insulation into the attic. Energy Services Group's Thom Marston applies foam to air seal the ductwork. Reuven and a Rebuilding Together volunteer apply mastic to ductwork. A finished view of 10 inches of insulation.
Read our press release here.
We're very excited to provide our expertise to help these home owners in their time of need. Both projects were a smashing success and we look forward to doing this again in the future.
|
Tax Incentives for Energy Efficiency
|
|
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act included substantial spending on energy efficiency related items. Part of the legislation includes an increase in the tax deductions for purchases of energy-efficient appliances, insulation and windows.
Please click the links provided and consult your tax advisor for more information.
Taxpayers can take up to $1,500 of deductions for s pecific energy-efficient product purchases made in 2009 and 2010.
Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit
Taxpayers can take 30% of the installed cost of solar PV, solar hot water, wind, fuel cells, and geothermal heat pump with no maximum limit.
Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit
|
MONTGOMERY COUNTY RESIDENTS GET $250 OF FREE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PRODUCTS
We'll show you how to claim your Property Tax Credit!
|
|
If you are a Montgomery County Home Owner (you pay property taxes), you can take advantage of the Property Tax Credit for Energy Conservation Devices. This credit refunds 100% of your spending up to $250. CFLs, Low-Flow Showerheads, Programmable Thermostats, and Smart Powerstrips are the easiest and most essential items for any energy-efficient home. And there are many more products that qualify as well. Schedule your in-home visit today and we'll help you determine exactly which products you need today.
ecobeco will provide you with the forms you need to fill out and will coach you on how to fill them out to ensure a smooth claim process.
There's no better time than now to schedule your in-home ecoAssessment or Energy Audit. The tax credit is limited to $250,000 of total benefit for the entire county for fiscal year 2009, so make your purchase now and submit your application as soon as possible to ensure your refund. There is no income exclusion or residency requirement for this credit.
Call us at the store (240) 396-2141 x2 to learn more.
|
Store Hours
|
|
In order to spend more time with customers, we are shortening the hours of our showroom to the following:
Monday - Friday: 3pm - 7pm
Saturday: 10am - 2pm
We are also available by appointment, and of course we are open during all of our special events. |
|
Thanks,
Brian, Reuven, Curt, Elena, Jonathan, and Greg
(240) 396-2141
info@ecobeco.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
