Yellow Pages is going GREEN - Opt Out Now! (Join the movement!)
Yellow Pages is going green! Now you can easily opt out of getting the yellow & white pages! Let’s start a movement! http://bit.ly/bG2A.
Please go here and opt out! http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/.
By the way - did you know we’re available 24/7 rain or shine, snow or ice… We have EMERGENCY TECH’S on stand-by for you!
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Green Tips that Save Energy
Friendly Electric Heating & Air provides tips to Conserve Energy
- Use fluorescent bulbs: Changing just one traditional incandescent light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb results in savings of over $45 during its lifetime. Each bulb uses one-fourth of the energy of an incandescent bulb, lasts up to 10 times longer and the energy saved keeps CO2 out of the atmosphere.
- Lights out: It’s obvious, but turning off lights at night can save you, and the environment, big. A computer left on to run 24 hours a day can increase the electricity bill by $75 to $120 yearly. By putting the computer into standby mode, this amount is reduced to only $15 per year.
- Wash clothes in cold water: Over 90 per cent of energy used by a washing machine comes from water heating. Save on your bill by washing clothes in cold water, with special cold-water detergent.
- Lower the thermostats: Lower the thermostat by three degrees in winter and you can save up to 10 per cent on your heating bill. Wearing that sweater never felt so smart!
- Choose energy efficient appliances: Dishwashers today are nearly 95 per cent more energy-efficient than those bought in 1972. Visit the Conservation Council of New Brunswick’s directory of the most energy efficient products on the market at www.allthingsefficient.ca.
- Have an energy audit done on your home and retrofit your home to make it energy efficient. Many grants are available to finance this type of project. For more information, visit New Brunswick’s funding program, Efficiency NB and the federal funding program, EcoAction.
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Earth Hour - Saturday March 28th
Earth Hour is this Saturday, March 28th, from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm your local time (wherever you are in the world). Please consider turning your lights off during this hour as a statement that you care about global warming. This is a great opportunity to teach your children about global warming and how something so simple as turning out a light can save so much energy and have such an impact.
For more information on this event, please go to http://www.earthhour.org.
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Save money this summer!
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- In warm climates, where summertime heat gain is the main concern, look for windows with double glazing and spectrally selective coatings that reduce heat gain.
- If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient model. You could save up to 50% on your utility bill for cooling. Look for the ENERGY STAR® and EnergyGuide labels.
- Keep in mind that insulation and sealing air leaks will help your energy performance in the summertime by keeping the cool air inside.
- Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units but not to block the airflow. Place your room air conditioner on the north side of the house. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
- Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
- Consider using an an interior ceiling fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.
- Don’t set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.
- Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
- Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They are effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside.
- For air conditioners, look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The current minimum is 13 SEER for central air conditioners.
- During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.
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Save Money this Winter!
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- During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
- Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable when home.
- By resetting your programmable thermostat from 72 degrees to 65 degrees for eight hours a day (for instance, while no one is home or while everyone is tucked in bed) you can cut your heating bill by up to 10 percent.
- Weatherize your home—caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows that leak air.
- Properly maintain and clean heating equipment.
- Replace furnace filters regularly.
- Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area.
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Phantom loads are raising your electrical costs!
Did you know that many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
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Energy Star Products - saves you money on your electric bills!
If you live in a typical U.S. home, your appliances and home electronics are responsible for about 20 percent of your energy bills. These appliances and electronics include everything from clothes washers and dryers, to computers, to water heaters. By shopping for appliances with the ENERGY STAR® label and turning off appliances when they’re not in use, you can achieve real savings in your monthly energy bill.
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Alternative Heat Sources & Firewood
Wood stoves and pellet stoves are in style as demand increases. You can still see wood stoves in cabins, family rooms, and workshops.. More than ever, they are appearing in beautiful homes and finding their way into the living room. Whether or not there is a fire burning behind their glass doors, they are a handsome room addition with their brass legs and attractive firebox designs.
They save heating costs. Withhigh energy prices, they especially save money if the owner has a lot of trees or can find trees to cut up. In that case, sweat is the main price of heating. Dealers say sales of wood stoves are up 250 percent over last years. Pellet stoves are becoming the alternative heat source of choice. They run partly on electricity and use sawdust capsules the size of rabbit food as the main fuel.
They are clean burning and convenient. After pouring pellets into the hopper, the fire lights when a button is pushed. At Home Depot, sales of pellet stoves are about siz times the level of 2007 sales. The national average price for pellet fuel is about $250 per ton, according to the Wall Street Journal. It takes three tons annually to heat the average home if the stove is its main heat source.
Gas-burning inserts are a better choice. All stoves and inserts must pass EPA standards for low emissions. The U.S. Energy Information Administration predicts that the average household will spend 20 percent more this winter on natural gas, propane, and electricity. The price of heatnig oil could rise by 31 percent.
Finding The Best Firewood
A crackling fire on a chilly evening will go a long way to warm the heart and soul. Fires also provide a cozy place for friends and family to gather, especially during the holidays. You can use this handy guide to help you pick the best wood for your fireplace.
Types of Firewood –In general, oak is one of the most popular firewoods. There are many different oak varieties available. Oak is lng burning, usually lasting 1 to 1 1/2 hours per log. It’s slightly higher prices than other woods, but it smells nice, splits easy, and lasts long. Other popular wood burning alternatives would be: ash, beech, birch, dogwood, elm, hickory, maple, pinion pine, pine, pecam mesquite, and juniper.
The Key To Good Firewood –The wood’s moisture content is one of the key factors for a successful burn, so be sure the firewood has been properly dried. Quality firewood dealers will dry their wood for 12-15 months before selling it. Buying wood from the supermarket will most likely leave you with firewood that’s only been dried for 3 months. Supermarket wood is sold wet and will pop and split when burned. The trick is to know your dealer. By calling the National Chimney Sweet Guild at (317) 871-0030, you can get quality references for firewood dealers in our area.
How FIrewood Is Measures –Firewood should be sold by the cord or increments of a cord. Beware of folks selling firewood by the “truckload”. A cord is a measurement of neatly stacked and rowed firewood that equals 128 cubic feet. The stack measures four-feet tall by four-feet wide by eight-feet long. A good dealer will have increments from an eighth of a cord on up.
Storing Your Firewood –To get the most out of your firewood, you’ll want to store it outside on a rack. Keep the firewood off the ground to prevent rotting. Properly stored firewood can easily last up to a year.
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Fluorescent Bulbs
Did you know that if every US household replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent bulb, we would save enough energy to light about three million homes for a year and save more than $650 million in annual energy costs? Over its lifetime, each bulb you replace will save you about $40 in electric bills and $5-$10 in replacement costs!
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Recycling Glass Saves Energy
Did you know that people in the US throw away enough glass jars and bottles to fill a giant skyscraper every two weeks? Recycling of one glass container saves enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for 4 hours! All glass jars and bottles can be recycled. When you throw glass away you waste natural resources, energy and money. Think of ways that you can reuse glass in your home. Many glass containers can be reused for storage of food or small items like nails or paper clips.
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