Towns asked to warm up to energy efficiency
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - With the warmweather being a distant memory, the North Brunswick Environmental Commission is urging residents to prepare for a more economical and energy-efficient winter.

About 42 percent of the average utility bill of a home goes toward keeping a comfortable temperature, according to Mark Hommer, the chairman of the commission. Since about one-third of heat loss occurs around and through doors and windows, the U.S. Energy Information Administration states that the energy lost through poorly insulated windows and doors in this country equals the amount of energy flowing through the Alaskan oil pipeline each year, according to information provided by Hommer.

"Improving energy efficiency in our homes does more than save us money; it goes a long way toward fighting global warming," he said. "It's just the right thing to do. And you'll find that making your homemore snug will alsomake it a lotmore comfortable."

According to theU.S.Department of Energy, homeowners can save 10 to 50 percent of their total energy costs with just a few inexpensive weekend projects.

Caulking gaps around windows and adding weather stripping around doors are inexpensive measures that can make a big difference in the amount of energy and expense it takes to maintain a comfortable temperature. Poorly insulated electrical outlets pose another potential heat leak that can be easily remedied, according to Hommer, with precut foam insulation sheets available at home centers. He said residents should also stuff insulation in the holes where pipes and wiring pass through outside walls.

Another tip is installing programmable thermostats with at least four settings for different times of day, which can save from $100 to $150 annually, according to theU.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In older homes, replacing windows with energy-efficient ones can result in significant savings, but if new windows aren't an option, there are other ways to keep the heat in.

"If you have triple-track stormwindows, be sure to remove the screens and pull down the outside glass panel during the winter. If not, you can attach sheets of clear plastic to the outside or inside of windows to keep drafts out. And insulated drapes that open and close allow you to let the sun in on nice days and shut out the cold at night," Hommer said.

Heating and cooling systems use more than half of the energy consumed in American homes. The energy sources that power these systems emit more than 500 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year. They also generate about 24 percent of the nation's sulfur dioxide and 12 percent of the nitrogen oxide emissions, the active components in acid rain, according to Hommer's resources.

Homeowners with furnaces more than 10 to 15 years old can save as much as 20 percent of their energy costs by replacing them with energy-efficient models.

"For example, geothermal heat pump systems, which transfer heat from the ground or a nearby water source to the interior of a house, are very energy efficient and have low operating costs because they take advantage of relatively constant ground or water temperatures. But even if a new furnace isn't in the cards, residents can save energy by changing or cleaning filters monthly and getting the furnace checked every year to make sure it's running properly," the chairman continued.

For more tips on how to save energy, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at www.eere.energy. gov/consumer/yourhome.