Residents learn ways to green their homes

North Lake Tahoe Bonanza
By Matthew Renda

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — While much of the focus of the energy efficiency movement has been on gas-guzzling SUVs, miles per gallon, oil companies and dependency on foreign oil, a recent free community workshop featured ways of cutting home energy consumption and costs.

“Buildings and the appliances within them account for 40 percent of America's energy use and a third of our global warming emissions,” said a report compiled by Scientists from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Residents turned out to attend the free workshop called “Green your Home; Green Your Wallet,” which featured presentations from local scientists and representatives from the emerging green sector.

Eli Meyer of Sierra Green Building Association gave attendees a few cost effective strategies to increase the efficiency of the home heating systems.

“On average, a house loses 30 percent of its heat energy through cavities in insulation, air leakage in ducts, gaps in a crawl space or attic,” Meyer said.

While re-insulating a house can be a costly process, Meyer suggested home-owners can fix a lot of the problems themselves with a caulking gun, foam spray, or UC-181 tape — a type of tape superior to duct tape because it contains heat expansion-proof glue.

Checking and upgrading seals on operable windows in the house and investing in inexpensive heat-shrink window films are other ways to ensure homeowners get more heating bang for their buck, said Meyer.

David Gibson, of Envirolution, revealed ways to reduce electricity bills by better appliance management.

Refrigerators are the biggest energy consumer in the home, and residents who have models which date back more than eight years should think about investing in an upgrade, said Gibson.

“New refrigeration technology has tripled the energy efficiency of refrigerators in the last eight years,” he said. “Buying a new fridge will pay for itself in reduced electricity bills.”

Gibson also recommended unplugging appliances rather than turning them off, as most continue to draw electricity while in stand-by mode.

Washing dishes by hand, using a clothesline, switching from the old cathode ray tube computer monitor to a LCD or LED screen, avoiding plasma-screen televisions are all ways to reduce wattage usage in the home.

Finally, Gibson recommended residents utilize Compact Florescent Light bulbs instead of the traditional incandescent variety due to their increased lighting efficiency and longer life.

“You don't need an electrician to save a ton of money,” said Gibson.

Chuck Levitan, professor at Sierra Nevada College, listed tell-tale signs that a house is losing heat energy including melt patterns on the roof, icicles, thin insulation patches, missing insulation, leads by eaves, and under insulated pipes.

Misty Moga, a new homeowner who purchased a house in Carson City in July, said the advice dispensed during the workshop was invaluable.

“My husband and I want to increase the energy efficiency of our house without having to hire someone and spend tons of money,” she said. “This (workshop) was a big help.”