Week 2: What part of my old home do I insulate first?
Your attic. Why? Consider a drinking straw, if you hold your finger over the top of straw, the liquid in the straw does not move. Air flow in your house behaves the same way.
Without 18-24 inches of insulation in your attic, there is little to prevent the flow of air through your house as warm air rises up and out and cold air comes in through windows, doors and unsealed cracks.
Sponsored by the Christian Community Church

Week 3: Should I replace my old windows and storm windows?
A single pane of glass has an insulation rating of R-1. Adding a storm window increases it's R-value to R-2. A double pane insulated glass replacement window is still R-2.
A new window with low-E oxide coating increases it's thermal resistance to R-3. So you may want to keep the old windows, caulk around your storm windows and put your money into insulating drapes (quilts work great) and a plastic internal "storm window".
Sponsored by the Dexter High School Key Club

Week 4: After insulating my attic, what next?
The next item with the biggest bang for the buck is to caulk, seal and weatherstrip all seams, cracks and openings to the outside.
To test for air leaks, on a windy day, hold a lit incense stick by your windows, doors, fireplace, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, and other locations.
If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have found an air leak. You can save as much as 10% on your heating needs by reducing the air leaks in your home.
Sponsored by the First Baptist Church of Dexter

Week 5: How do I get Free Heat?
On sunny days you can get free heat through your south facing windows. If there are no obstructions, the sun sends about 900W of heat per sq. yard of perpendicular window area. That's about the same as an average electric heater!
You may want to cut down any trees which block your window because a leafless tree can block 40% of your winter sunshine.
Sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sangerville

Week 6: Save money! Turn down the thermostat before you head to work.
The fuel required to reheat a building to a comfortable temperature is roughly equal to the fuel saved as the building drops to the lower temperature. You save fuel between the time that the temperature stabilizes at the lower level and the next time heat is needed. So the longer your house remains at the lower temperature, the more money you save.
Sponsored by Kevin Tremblay, Prudential Northeast Properties

Week 7: Comparison of heating methods
Heating Method Avg. Cost/Fuel Unit ...................Avg Cost/Million BTU
# 2 Heating Oil $4.45 / Gal ................................................ $44.47
Propane $3.52 / Gal ......................................................... $43.48
Hardwood $230 /Cord ....................................................... $17.69
Wood Pellets $250 / Ton ................................................... $19.81
Electric Resistance $0.18 / Kwh .......................................... $52.75
Air Source Heat Pump $0.18 / Kwh ...................................... $21.11
Sponsored by the Maine Seeds of Peace Program

Week 8: Want to lower your hot water heating bill?
• Turn down the hot water temperature to 120 degrees (recommended by the Dept of Energy).
• Your washing machine uses 32 gallons and most detergents work well in cold water.
• Newer dishwashers pre-heat water to 140 degrees to kill bacteria.
• Showers use about 20 gallons, cut that in half with a low-flow shower head.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 9: What does it cost to leave your computer on?
An average PC and CRT uses 225 watts (W) and our electricity costs $0.18/KiloWattHour (KWH).
Therefore one hour of computer use costs 0.225 KWH x $0.18/KWH = $0.04 per hour. $.04 x 24 hours = $0.96, almost a dollar per day or $350 per year!
Sponsored by United Way

Week 10: How much does your shower cost?
The electricity needed to heat one gallon of water to shower temperature is about 0.183 kWh in Dexter.
At 2.6 gallons per minute and electricity costing $0.18/kWh, each minute costs 8.6 cents. A ten minute shower costs 86 cents.
A family of four taking daily showers costs $1,255.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 11: Stop driving like a maniac.
Edmunds.com tested ways to increase your gas mileage and they found the best way to save gas is to drive moderately.
If you avoid jack-rabbit starts and heavy breaking you can save up to 31%! Also lowering your speed 10 mph can save you 12%.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 12: What's lurking in your house after you turn off all the lights?
A "phantom load" is the energy that's sapped by appliances when they're plugged in, but not on. Use power strips or manually unplug DVD players, computers and cell phone chargers to save electricity.
If all phantom loads in US homes were stopped, *we could shut down 17 power plants*.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 13: Is your electric space heater emptying your wallet?
Most electric space heaters use about 1500 Watts at maximum power.
At our electricity rate of $0.18 per KWH, using a space heater at max power for one hour costs $0.27.
Running it continually costs $6.50 a day and $194 per month.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 14: 'Tis the baking season!
If you have a choice, bake with ceramic or glass pans instead of metal ones.
These materials retain heat better, so you can lower the oven temperature 25 degrees and cook foods in the same amount of time.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 15: Why recycle aluminum cans?
Recycling 40 aluminum cans saves the environment the energy equivalent of one gallon of gasoline. Americans recycled enough aluminum cans last year to save over 15 million barrels of oil.
However, we still toss away enough aluminum in 3 months to rebuild the entire US airline fleet.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 16: Are you Shopping Naked?
This holiday give the earth a gift.
Buy several cloth bags and remember to use them till you feel naked shopping without them.
Americans throw away 380 billion plastic bags annually
Sponsored by United Way

Week 17:
We wish you an energy efficient 2009, and remember, a watt saved is a watt that doesn't need to be generated!

Week 18: Do you plan to buy a wood or pellet stove?
Good news! There is a $300 Federal tax credit for biomass stoves (wood, pellet, corn) with a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%, and purchased between Jan 1 and Dec 31 of 2009. You will need to file a 2009 IRS Form 5695 to report the purchase.

Week 19:
Thinking of replacing your windows and doors this year?
Federal tax credits, not available for 2008, return for 2009 for insulation, energy star windows and doors, non-solar water heaters, and high efficiency heating and cooling equipment. Check the 2009 IRS form 5695 for details.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 20:
PUT A LID ON IT!
Rigid insulation board---"pink" or "blue", or foil-covered foam, has heat-saving uses inside your home. For example, screw a panel to the back of the door or hatch lid to the attic and seal the edges with weatherstripping. Or, make removable window plugs, especially for basement windows. Cover them with plastic or fabric if desired.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 21:
If your home has a boiler system, avoid covering radiators with screens or blocking them with furniture. It's also a good idea to add a reflecting panel behind radiators - you can purchase one at a home center or make one yourself with a plywood panel and aluminum foil.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 22:
ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators use 20% less energy than standard models and 40% less than 2001 models. The payback time for the additional cost of an Energy Star appliance can be less than four years.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 23:
Is your skin dry and electric bill high this winter?
Then air dry your laundered clothes on a rack or on an indoor line with hangars to add humidity to your home. You will save $0.60 per load and help the environment as well. Racks can be purchased at local stores.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 24:
Does your house have holes?
A gap as thin as a dime around a typical exterior door will let in as much cold air as a 3½ inch hole in your wall. Weather stripping around your exterior doors will reduce drafts and heat loss. Also, a storm door will further reduce drafts and heat loss.
Sponsored by United Way

Week 25:
It's time for your mid-winter Heat Check:
- Clean or replace your furnace filter
- Clean your warm air heat registers
- Bleed trapped air from hot water radiators
- Move furniture, carpets or drapes away from heat outlets
- Check for creosote buildup in your chimney
Sponsored by United Way

Week 26:
Is money going down your drain?
Hold a 1-gallon bucket under the shower head and see how long it takes to fill up. If it's less than 20 seconds, replace the shower head with a low-flow head. You can save over $1.00 in energy costs per 10 minute shower. Be speedy and you will save even more!
Sponsored by United Way

Week 27:
Efficiency Maine is offering rebates for small wind energy installations for Maine residents and businesses.
Residents can qualify for rebates worth up to $2,000 and businesses can qualify for rebates up to $4,000. Check out www.efficiencymaine.com/renewable_programs_solar.htm for details.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 28:
Who cares about Peak Oil?
Worldwide oil production peaked in 2006. Oil supplies are diminishing while global demand is increasing. Will our children have oil and plastic in their future? It is up to everyone to reduce, reuse, recycle and buy local in order to give us time to convert to renewable resources.

Week 29:
Got a drip in your house? No, not your spouse!
Ever hear your toilet running water when no one flushed? It means you have a leaking flapper valve in the tank. Faucet dripping? One drip per second will cost about $47 per year in wasted water. Both can be easily repaired for less than a few dollars with parts from your local hardware store.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 30:
You can buy renewable energy from your electric company!
Maine Interfaith Power and Light has teamed up with Central Maine Power and Bangor Hydro Power to offer their customers clean renewable energy from hydro and wind sources. To lock in a fixed three year clean electricity rate go to www.meipl.org or call 207-721-0444.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 31:
Thinking of buying a car?
Choose the car with the best fuel economy. At today's gas price of $2.05/gal, a car that gets 35 mpg versus 25 mpg will save you $350 per 15000 average yearly miles. If gas goes up to $4.50/gal you will save $775.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 32:
Three refrigerator energy tips:
1. Fill It Up - your fridge and freezer are more efficient when full.
2. Use Glass for Storage - glass stays colder longer.
3. Vacuum the Coils - a couple times a year, since buildup makes the compressor work harder.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 33:
Do you keep records?
You don't know where you're going if you don't know where you are. Keep a journal of your monthly electric, water, oil and propane usage. Compare your current usage to the same month last year. You will see your conservation effort in dollars and "sense".
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 34:
That old refrigerator...
Do you have an old inefficient refrigerator or freezer that you use for your extra six-packs or meat? You can reduce your annual energy bill by as much as $160 per year by unplugging it and taking it to the transfer station. You will also enjoy the extra space you have freed up.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 35:
Add insulation to your home and get a Federal tax credit!
In 2009, homeowners are eligible for a tax credit of up to $500 for 10% of the costs of qualified energy efficiency improvements made to their homes. So, if a homeowner spends $1,000 to add proper levels of insulation to their home, they could qualify for a Federal tax credit of $100. See IRS Form 5695.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 36:
On the Road Again....
1. Set the cruise control on when you get out of the hills.
2. Don't worry about AC, it costs about the same as riding around with your windows down.
3. Relax, you will get there. Each 10 miles per hour faster reduces your fuel economy by 15% to 20%.
4. Lighten up. Every extra 100 lbs. decreases mileage rate 2%.

Week 37:
Buying a new computer?
Consider buying a laptop, they use much less energy than desktop computers. Or just upgrade your old CRT display with a new flat screen LCD display which uses 1/5 the energy of a CRT display. Your old CRT display can be recycled at the transfer station.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 38:
Tired of credit card offers in your mail?
Save a tree and a lot of junk mail by having your name removed from credit card company mailing lists. Call 1-888-5OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688).
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 39:
Do you change your own motor oil?
Don't pour your used oil on the ground, it contaminates the ground water and finds its way into our lakes and streams. You can bring it to the Dexter Recycling Center and give it to the staff. They use the oil in a special furnace to heat the building.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 40:
Summer is coming... eventually. If you have an air conditioner...
A window air conditioner runs at about 1,000 watts, a fan uses about 100 watts, therefore use your ceiling and room fans to cool you down and save electricity. Also, using shades and curtains to block the sun can prevent a 20% heat increase in your rooms.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee

Week 41:
How to cut your energy bill while you cook.
You don't need to boil pasta, veggies or anything else for as long as the recipe calls for. Boiled water takes a long time to cool. Turn off the burner soon after it comes to a boil, keep the lid on and the remainder of the cooking will be done fuel-free.
Sponsored by the Dexter Energy Committee