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Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-24, Page 44Conserve Energy—Page 11 Step by step approach to home energy management....: •from page 3. STEP 3. AIRTIGHTEN: CAULK AND WEATHERSTRIP Heat loss around doors and windows and through cracks can represent as much as 30 per cent of total space heating costs. Install air -vapour barriers An air -vapour barrier seals your house in an air -tight envelope, preventing costly air leaks and protecting insulation and other building components against condensation. STEP 4. INSTALL PROPER LEVELS OF INSULATION AND PROVIDE ADE- QUATE VENTILATION Even if you have already added insulation to your attic, there is no doubt you should do more. It is likely that heat is still being wasted. You can reduce heat loss substantially by insulating your basement walls and the exterior walls of your house. Obtain product literature and read it carefully. Compare costs and weigh advan- tages and disadvantages. If you need help call the HEATLINE at 1-800-267-9563. If you intend to apply for a Canadian Home Insulation Program (CHIP) grant, obtain a CHIP applicant's information kit. For complete details on insulation and how to insulate, read Keeping the Heat In. STEP 5. HEATING SYSTEMS: IMPROVE OR REPLACE A heating system works most efficiently when it is adequately sized for the job and is properly maintained. After you have air - tightened and insulated or added an aux- iliary source of heat, it may be that your heating system will be more powerful than necessary. An opportuunity may exist to reduce or downsize the capacity of your system. Determining the size and capacity of a heating system requires expert consulta- tion. Tuning or maintaining a heating system also requires a knowledgeable pro- fessional. However, some routine maintenance can be carried out by many householders; for example, changing the filter on a forced -air system and cleaning dust from the coils of an electric baseboard or wall insert unit. Furnace efficiency A furnace efficiency test, conducted by a professional can help you determine what improvements should be made to increase your heating system's efficiency. Before you convert or modify. Before you convert or modify your heating system consider • the efficiency of your present system .• its life expectancy • the installed cost • removal costs • availability (now and in the near future) of the fuel you select • cost of the fuel you select Improving your oil furnace To increase your oil furnace's efficiency WaterFurnace offers long term energy savings ••• •from page 8 .. Water Furnace System a . head start compared to conventional electric resist- ance heaters and oil or gas furnaces. This "head start" enables the WaterFurnace System to- deliver as much as three times the heat energy it consumes. Dreidger said that since the WaterFur- nace System produces .more energy than it consumes, it is much more effective than conyentional heating and cooking units. He feels that consumers .are becoming more energy conscious than ever before and interested in saving money on their home heating bills. Because the WaterFurnace Systems converts electrical and ground energy in a highly efficient manner, money .can be saved. There again depending on theform of fuel the consumers are presently.husing, their home heating costs can becut as much as 70 per cent. Be an informed consumer Make sure you understand how muo}i work needs to be done. Obtain technical ad- vice before you decide to buy. Read product literature carefully. compare -costs and weigh the ,pros and cons of different pro- ducts. Make sure the insulation and air - vapour barrier materials you select have a Canada. Mortgage and Housing Corporation CMHC i Building Material Evaluation Report Number. These numbers signify that the materials have been evaluated. Shop around The price of insulation materials and the labour rates of contractors can very con- siderably. It pays to comparison shop and obtain at least three estimates before mak- ing a decision. Select a qualified contractor Since November 1, 1981, to ensure that they have the ability to perform good quali- ty work, only insulation contractors listed by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB i are eligible to do work funded under the Government of Canada's grant • pro- grams. If you plan: to have any insulation work done by a contractor, be sure they are CGSB listed. • List at least three insulation contractors. Ask your friends for recommendations. How long has the company been. in the in- sulation business' Generally, the longer the better. consider a retention head kit or a new reten- tion head burner, a delayed action solenoid valve, and an automatic vent damper. Purchasing a new heating system When the time comes to purchase a new heating system, Canadians have a wide range of choices, not only of energy sources but of types of equipment available. Off -oil alternatives If you are considering a switch off oil, there are many options. Depending on regional availability you can choose elec- tricity, natural gas, propane, wood or coal to supplement or replace oil consumption. Financial help is available from the Canada Oil Substitution Program. Combination heating systems If a combination system is carefully chosen and used, both fuel components can be efficient and less costly to operate. Two - fuel, hybrid, or combination heating systems such as oil and electric, wood and electric, gas and wood, or oil and wood are available. STEP 6. MAINTAIN AND MONITOR YOUR HOME'S ENERGY SYSTEM Maintaining a major investment such as a home is something most people do automatically. You may have already taken steps to improve your home's energy effi- ciency. But is the effort paying ? This is dif- ficult to determine unless you have kept records of your energy costs prior to making improvements. 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