Pictured L-R Ken Lawton and Dan Reynolds
 
With cold weather and snow approaching, the club welcomed Dan Reynolds to speak this day. Introduced by Ken Lawton, Dan is the Jamestown Board of Public Utilities Energy Efficiency Coordinator. 
 
Dan gave a timely presentation on the many ways to help make your home or business more energy efficient. Some interesting facts Dan provided were that 50% of Jamestown BPU customers heat their home with electricity, and that one 1 KW produces roughly 3400 BTU's of heat. 
 
Since many of the homes in the BPU's district are of older construction, the importance of weatherizing them as best as can be is crucial. The BPU has two main programs to help cover the costs of making a home more energy efficient. 
 
The Jamestown BPU Residential Attic Insulation Program is one of these. According to the BPU's website, attic insulation should have an R-value of 49 to 60 in the northern climate zone. To achieve this level of insulation, home owners need to have twelve to sixteen inches of insulation in their attics. To increase the effectiveness of the insulation, sealing air leaks is critical. Try to seal around areas such as dropped soffits, can lights, electric runs, pipes and duct registers. Expanding foam insulation works well for these areas. 
 
Dan also provided several pictures as examples of how many homes lose heat during the winter months, and form damaging ice jams. In one example, the ice jam was so bad that (through the use of thermal imaging), it was shown that water was actually backing up into the house and running down through the walls. Having adequate insulation can help curb this problem.
 
Phantom loads were also a hot topic. Dan shocked the club by showing just how much electricity is wasted by leaving a phone charger plugged in, even when it's not charging a phone. That, along with the amount of electricity a HD DVR sucks up even when not in use, made several members think twice about leaving so many items plugged in when not being used. 
 
To see about any rebates or programs one might be eligible for, contact Dan at the BPU by calling (716) 661-1646. 
 
 
 
 
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