September 2014 Newsletter
ecoTips, News, Deals, and More

September, 2014

ecobeco is a Rockville-based energy efficiency company. We are a participating contractor in energy savings programs from Pepco Maryland, Baltimore Gas & Electric, Potomac Edison (Allegheny Power), and Delmarva Power. Learn more about us by visiting www.ecobeco.com. Visit our newsletter archive here.

We also have great content and news on Facebook:

We hope you've enjoyed this mild and pleasant summer.

Here are some stories and news topics we'd like to share with you in this month's newsletter:

Daniel and Jaime Go Green: Part I
Fatal Attraction: Porch lights, bugs, and simple energy-savvy solutions
ecobeco Get's a Visit from The Alice Ferguson Foundation
Solving the Indoor Air Quality Dilemma
Calling all Condo's, Apartments, and Multi-Family Dwellings
Save $100-$200 a Year on Your Energy Bills with a Quick Home Energy Checkup
$3,800 in Available Rebates for Pepco Maryland Residents
Low Interest Financing from Maryland for Energy Efficiency Upgrades
$250 Rebate for Montgomery County Residents Available
Get $25 For Referring Friends and Family
Reviews Matter! We'd Love to Hear Your Feedback

Enjoy!

Daniel and Jaime Go Green: Part I

Daniel and Jaime take the first step towards living a more comfortable, affordable, and green lifestyle

by Daniel Walfield

My wife Jaime Theilen, and I, moved in to our first house in March. It is a huge milestone for us to buy a home, and to us this investment is more than financial--it's an emotional investment as well. We love our charming mid-century home in the Daniels Park neighborhood of College Park. But like most homes similar to mine, it came with little insulation and leaks air in and

out like a sieve.

Being an energy efficiency building analyst myself, I know a thing or two about building performance. My wife and I discussed getting the home professionally evaluated for energy efficiency and investing in making the home more comfortable, less drafty, and more energy efficient.

Of course we arranged to have an energy audit as a first step. Our main objectives were: make our bedroom warmer in the winter, keep the living room cool in the summer, and control our utility bills year round. As many homeowners know quite well, home improvement work is almost never always as simple as it seems. Although the windows and doors seemed the most obvious source of drafts, we knew that air was leaking through the walls and hidden crevasses that lead directly to the attic. These sources of air loss were, as we found out with our energy audit, the main cause of drafts in our home. Reuven, the certified building analyst who completed our energy audit, told us that this is very common in homes. He said that air leakage in attics, crawl spaces, and basements can cause all sorts of additional problems in homes, such as ice dams in the winter, hot second floor bedrooms in the summer, and even, over time, can cause moisture damage such as mold and mildew.

"We love our charming mid-century home in the Daniels Park neighborhood of College Park. But like most homes of this style and age, it came with little insulation and leaks air in and out like a sieve." -Daniel Walfield

Like any new homeowner, we have a long list of things to fix, upgrade, or eventually even replace. Picking out the drapes is hard enough, but identifying how much insulation I need in my attic is something all together different. Having a professional energy auditor walk us through the process was the only way to go. And the improvements we plan to make in our home such as adding insulation in the attic and sealing leakage sources in the attic will start saving us money immediately. Jaime and I even discussed using the modeled energy savings from the energy savings work to pay for other investments in the home.

Thermal images from Daniel's Home Energy Audit captures evidence of air leakage between wall cavities.

The choice was clear: making energy improvements to our home is the smart thing to do!

And good thing we got our energy audit! The safety tests that were completed determined out that our old water heater needs to be replaced, along with a few other safety measures. We were hoping to delay replacing our gas water heater, even though we knew it was past it's useful life, but decided it was well worth the investment. Ultimately, I want our home to be a comfortable, safe, and healthy environment.

Once we're done replacing our water heater in the next month or so, which will give us the green light to proceed with additional work on our home. We are very happy that our audit report clearly identifies our home's sources of energy loss. It spells out all the steps we need to take, and provides an estimated cost of recommended measures, and how much we can expect to save by following through with the recommended work.

With accurate and verifiable information at our fingertips, Jaime and I feel empowered and confident as we take the next steps in making our home more comfortable, healthy, and affordable!

Because of generous state rebate programs, we only paid $100 for our energy audit. We expect even more savings with additional rebates from the improvement work starting soon. Our energy auditor walked us through all the steps and even submitted all our rebates applications on our behalf. Jaime and I are very happy with the entire process!

Daniel and Jaime's home will benefit from added insulation and sealing plumbing and electrical penetrations in their crawl space

Check back with us in our next newsletter to follow Daniel and Jaime as they implement the recommended work from their home energy audit report!

ecobeco Gets a Visit from The Alice Ferguson Foundation

working together to build a healthier environment and a stronger ecobeco
by Ben Schott

ecobeco employees know that building and strengthening relationships is an important part of what we do. And to build on this strength, ecobeco staff participated in a number of team-building exercises. Not least of which was a fun outdoor game directed by Brenda Wright from the Alice Ferguson Foundation.

Brenda came to speak with ecobeco about the work of the Alice Ferguson Foundation and her mission to connect people with the great outdoors. Brenda's talk included stories of connecting youth with nature and wildlife. To our delight, Brenda also came with a few treats for ecobeco. Here, you'll see pictures of our team playing a game that Brenda uses to teach her students about communication, collaboration, and diligence. Each holding one section of a PVC tube cut-out, staff had to get one small marble to land in a small tin bucket starting by placing the marble far away at the other end of the field without dropping or touching the marble.

Whether it's helping one person save on heating costs in their home, or helping an entire community reach it's energy efficiency goals, ecobeco is ready to solve problems in helpful, collaborative, and creative ways! Thanks to Brenda Wright, Program Manager of the Hard Bargain Farm Environmental Center at the Alice Ferguson Foundation, for telling us her stories of successful environmental education initiatives and for helping us become more cohesive and successful team!

ecobeco's own Rebecca Kloske (right) introducing Brenda Wright, Program Manager at the Alice Ferguson Foundation (left), at an ecobeco team-building event in August.

Fatal Attraction: Porch lights, dead bugs, and simple energy-savvy solutions

This energy efficient CFL is outfitted with a yellow-spectrum cover to avoid attracting bugs

ecobeco answers the age-old question of suicidal bugs and offers some helpful hints for minimizing casualties and energy bills.
by Hillary Tipton

The time: late evening, just as the western sky's last bands of red and orange are replaced with an inky darkness. Or, more precisely for urban and suburban dwellers, the moment street and porch lights in your town dutifully switch on.

The place: the front step of your home, where you are lucky enough to own a porch light. Like many of your neighbors, your fixture contains a typical 60-watt incandescent bulb emanating a soft, white glow.

As you've done on countless other evenings, you watch as the expected visitors arrive in droves - moths of varying shapes and sizes, fireflies, mosquitoes, and others whose names escape you. A minute or two passes, and you continue to gawk helplessly as dozens if not hundreds of six-legged night fliers relentlessly hurling themselves at the now scorching-hot white light. Or, if your exterior light happens to be an LED or CFL, you can at least take consolation in the lack of scorched bug bodies since your energy-efficient light radiates significantly less heat than an inefficient incandescent bulb.

Possibly as a youngster, or more recently, you've taken a moment to ponder these creatures, whose carcasses clutter the interior of your light fixture or fill the bellies of opportunistic bats, and been baffled by their, often fatal, attraction to light. The short answer is that scientists have yet to agree on a definitive reason for this behavior in certain insect species (but if you want to learn more, click here to watch an entertaining, science-filled video about this natural mystery). But what is fairly certain, however, is that you can take a few steps to reduce the number of dive-bombing bugs around your light, which will undoubtedly leave both you and the bugs safer and happier.

Credit: sxc.hu

Installing yellow "bug lights" can help deter moths, fireflies, and other unwelcome pests like mosquitoes from your front door. The American Mosquito Control Association suggests using bug bulbs along with other pesticide-free tips for reducing mosquito bites near your home. Yellow lights are not attractive to bugs because, unlike conventional white lights, the yellow light they emit is lower in color temperature and at a higher wavelength rendering it virtually invisible to the insect eye.

Credit: Chemistryland.com

Another simple way to keep dead bugs from piling up in your light fixture is to install a hanging, open-bottomed fixture rather than one entirely enclosed by metal and glass panels. Not only are panels more difficult to clean and prone to shattering, but they also serve as the perfect repository for bugs that have met their untimely demise at your light bulb. If you don't have a porch or overhang to protect your bulb, a simple bottomless light cover will do.

To further educate yourself on light bulb color and suitability for outdoor use, a trip to your local home improvement retailer is well worth the time. The selection of both LED and CFL light bulbs has increased greatly in recent years, and entire displays demonstrating light bulbs' color, warmth and energy usage are in vogue at major retail locations. This way, customers can try before they buy the right energy-efficient bulbs. Finally, Pepco customers can upgrade their lighting in a cost-effective manner at participating retailers when they purchase ENERGY STAR� certified light bulbs.

Indoor Air Quality Becomes A Growing Concern in Homes Across The Country

A growing body of research stresses the importance of making homes healthier as the nation combats the threat of indoor air pollution.

On average, Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, and a significant portion of that time is spent in our homes. Homes are where we connect with family, raise our children, and rest our tired bodies.

credit: www.scientificamerican.com

From dust mites to mold, we have known for some time that Indoor Air Quality is a large issue affecting our health, happiness, and overall productivity.

As we reflect on the importance of clean air, it is of concern that "[i]n the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities." The United States Consumer Protection Safety Commission goes on to note:

In addition, people who may be exposed to indoor air pollutants for the longest periods of time are often those most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution. Such groups include the young, the elderly, and the chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease.

And there is reason to be concerned. Scientists predict that higher temperatures caused by a warming world will speed up the creation of lung-damaging ozone in many major cities. That's according to a recent article published in the New York Times.

credit: sovereignmedicalclinic.com

What if key causes of poor air quality in your home were addressed? What if you had a home where you could breathe more easily? Would you feel more confident? Empowered?

Can Home Performance help eliminate pollen and other outdoor pollutants from my indoor air?

We can do better! And we know how. Stay tuned...

Calling all Condos, Apartments, and Multi-Family Dwellings

Pepco has a special energy savings program for multi-family buildings

A typical home or apartment can save about $100-$150 (and sometimes more) annually on energy and water bills by participating in Pepco's Multi-Family Quick Energy Checkup program.

The best part about this service is that there is

NO COST for residents or building managers in the Pepco Maryland service territory. It is paid for by EmPOWER Maryland funds and is part of the Pepco Home Energy Savings program.

A recent project ecobeco completed in College Park, which houses 232 units, is projected to save approximately

$41,149 per year on energy and water costs which translates to around $182 per unit! The items we installed as part of the program (check out some of them in the picture below) will be saving the property over 2 million gallons of water and 111,670 megawatts of electricity per year. The greenhouse gas emissions reductions from the electricity savings alone is equivalent to preventing 82,709,131 lbs of coal from being burned.*

Needless to say, this is a great program for apartments, condos, and other residential multifamily buildings. We encourage you to bring this information to your Property Manager or Board of Directors. We'll do all the work, and you'll see all the savings!

Whether you are a resident, condo board member, property manager, or landlord, call us to receive this service while funding is available:

240-396-2141 x714

*Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, US EPA [http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/calculator.html]

Save $100-$200 a year on energy bills by getting a Quick Home Energy Check-up.

All Pepco, Delmarva (Cecil County), and Potomac Edison customers are eligible for a Quick Home Energy Check-up (QHEC) from ecobeco, at NO ADDITIONAL COST to your existing service!

The program is paid for through EmPOWER Maryland funding so you pay nothing extra for the service. Why? Because it's cheaper to do more, with less!

That's right, ratepayers in Maryland are entitled to a QHEC at no additional cost to their regular service.

During a QHEC, your certified ecobeco energy auditor will install CFL light bulbs and other energy-saving measures at your elective. Most home owners will save over $100 per year in electricity and another $50 per year in water bills. You'll also get a quick visual assessment of your attic insulation, furnace, a/c, windows, and major appliances.

Get stuff like this:

Are you eligible for a Quick Home Energy Check-up?

In most cases, yes. This service is available to all residents who live in a condo, apartment, townhouse or single family home in Pepco Maryland, Potomac Edison, or Delmarva (Cecil Country) service territories.

Check our website www.ecobeco.com/qhec for more information. You can make an appointment for a QHEC by calling this number:

240-396-2141

Get up to $3,800 in Rebates

Adding insulation, sealing air leaks, and upgrading appliances can pay out big for Pepco Maryland customers

Step (1), get a Home Energy Audit at the reduced price of $100 (for a standard-sized home),

Step (2), work with a qualified contractor to complete recommended energy saving improvements, such as adding attic insulation and having hidden air leaks professionally sealed up,

Step (3), get rewarded with big rebates!

Step (4), be happy like these guys!

Maryland's Home Performance energy savings incentives are huge! Get 'em while they're hot.

Here's how you do it:

1) Audit:

As part of your Home Energy Audit, ecobeco will create an improvement plan outlining a variety of energy efficiency improvements you can make. We make it easy to turn your plan into action.

Rest assured, ecobeco does not sell you in-house products, expensive windows, or golden shingles (do those exist?). Our recommendations are based on which improvements are most cost-effective and will save you the most on your heating and cooling bills! Our recommended, licensed partners are energy efficiency specialists. You can think of us as your independent third-party verifier for getting home improvement work done.

2) Improvements:

Recommendations may include:
* Whole home air sealing and adding insulation
* HVAC tune-ups, repair and replacement
* Duct sealing, repair and design
* Roofing, siding, gutters and windows

3) Rebates:

If you proceed with the improvements, Pepco will reward you with a 50% rebate of the cost of weatherizing and insulating your home, up to a maximum rebate of $2,000.

When you install new qualifying energy-efficient electric HVAC and water heating equipment, you could qualify for additional Pepco rebates of up to $1,800.

That's a total of $3,800 in rebates!

ecobeco will also look into other state or local tax incentives and rebates that you may qualify for.

Your auditor will even come back out and do a FREE follow up safety and performance test.

Call us to get started!

240-396-2141

Or learn even more by clicking here!

Low Interest Financing from Maryland for Energy Efficiency Upgrades

Finding the money for home improvements can be hard. Here's a thought: Make your home improvement projects pay for themselves by investing in energy savings upgrades, such as adding attic insulation and professionally sealing up hidden air leaks.

For homeowners making these kinds of upgrades there are loans available to help at interest rates of 9.99% (which, we should mention, can be much less than the energy savings you'll realize from your new efficient home!). Details on what kind of work is eligible is available at the MHELP website.

See Program Information Here

If you need help getting work done, or you want to schedule an audit, give us a call at (240) 396-2141. Questions regarding the loan program can be directed the Maryland Clean Energy Center at 301-738-6280 or loans@mdcleanenergy.org .

$250 Rebate for Montgomery County Residents

Even more savings! For Montgomery County residents, you may be eligible for a $250 rebate on a variety of efficiency products and professional services under the Montgomery County Energy Conservation Devices Property Tax Credit.

This is a $250 tax credit which can be applied to measures like air sealing, insulation, HVAC appliance replacements, programmable thermostats, and more!

Call us at 240-396-2141 for additional information and to schedule your Comprehensive Home Energy Audit that will identify the options you have for making your home more energy efficient, and identify opportunities to qualify for the rebate.

Click here learn more about the rebate, or simply call ecobeco at (240) 396-2141 x1 for more information.

Get $25 for referring friends and family!

So at this point, I'm sure you're familiar with the Quick Home Energy Check-up service. Well, believe it or not, not everyone has participated yet. Why, you ask? Great question. With your help, we can help more people take advantage of a this service.

Click here to refer your friends for either the Quick Home Energy Checkup or Comprehensive Home Energy Audit.

Tell your friends about our award-winning Home Energy Audit services, and when they purchase an audit (and mention you when they book it), we'll send you $25. Have them give us a ring at (240) 396-2141 to get started.

(image: risingdhivehitide, wordpress, 2011)

You don't even have to be an ecobeco customer to take advantage of the referral program!

Reviews Matter! We'd Love to Hear Your Feedback

We're a service business and your opinions and referrals matter to us!

ecobeco is a service business and your opinions and referrals matter!

Over the past 5 years, your feedback helped us win many awards, including the Super Service Award for Energy Efficiency Auditing from Angie's List 3 years in a row.

Find out what other customers have been saying about ecobeco and leave a few comments of your own by going to Angie's List, Checkbook, Yelp, and/or Google. If you are a member of these sites, please rate us and help grow our network!

Thank you!

We hope you enjoyed reading our newsletter. We'd love to hear from you.

Please feel free to forward this information to friends and family.

Thanks,

Brian, Reuven, Melissa, Nick, Mike, Jim, Mario, Olu, Suresh, Sara, Stephen, Alena, Doug, Emmett, Greg, Jay, Jillian, Ellen, Nicole, Fresi, Oliver, Jake, Eraico, Jennifer, Rebecca, Ernesto, Robi, Nanda, Daniel, Brady, Ben, Henry, Siobhan, Taylor, Shira, Hillary, Justin, Michael, Scott, Arya, Joe, Baruke, Sam, and Victor.
(240) 396-2141

info@ecobeco.com