ALGER COUNTY -- The Alger Energy Savers Program is offering residences, and soon businesses, free energy assessments of their homes and buildings as well as helpful tips to save on energy costs.
Alger County resident Andrew Quinn invited a representative from the Alger Energy Savers Program into his home. And energy assessor, T.J. Brown, got right to work checking Quinn’s water temperature.
Brown says many homes have higher temperatures at 130 and 140 degrees, but if you can turn your temperature down 10 or 20 degrees, it could mean a cumulative savings of $100 a year.
The next step was checking Quinn's heating system; making sure the system is clean is crucial in order to keep your home energy efficient.
"Making sure those things are operating at the optimal efficiency, you're going to increase your chances of seeing long-term energy saving," said Brown.
Another cost saving measure: spray foam or caulking underneath your siding as well as around fixtures where air can seep into your home. This can help keep your residence more insulated as well as lower your heating and cooling bills.
You also want to make sure air in your home is flowing properly through a ventilated roof system.
"What that's going to do is reduce the chance of heat build-up forming ice, causing ice dams, which can create water leakage into your house and lead to many, many, many problems."
All told, the adjustments that Quinn will have to make total under $300.
"I think it was very useful for us. The whole process took a half an hour to do all of the things they recommended will take maybe a weekend at best,” Quinn said. “And we'll do a really nice job of tightening up the house."
For more information about the Alger Energy Savers Program, click here.
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