Property Monkey

06/06/2023

Calling all School Teachers!!!

“Educators and school staff can watch a movie free of charge on Wednesdays. https://t.co/xgKJsLtMZ1”

02/08/2023

Air Source heat pumps are gaining traction!

Electric heat pumps are proving popular in Maine, despite frigid winters and an oil industry campaign to discredit the technology.

07/23/2019

Congratulations to Cal M. of Mount Morris for being the winner of our 50" television!

07/15/2019

Okay, we're doing another great give away!!! 3 Rules: like our page if you haven't already, like this post, share this post! Someone is getting a free 50" LED television on Monday 7/22/2019. So will it be you?

Just make sure to do all 3 things and it sure could be!!!

09/12/2018

Ventilation Systems for Cooling

Ventilation is the least expensive and most energy-efficient way to cool buildings. Ventilation works best when combined with methods to avoid heat buildup in your home. In some cases, natural ventilation will suffice for cooling, although it usually needs to be supplemented with spot ventilation, ceiling fans, and window fans. For large homes, homeowners might want to investigate whole house fans.

Interior ventilation is ineffective in hot, humid climates where temperature swings between day and night are small. In these climates, natural ventilation of your attic (often required by building codes) will help to reduce your use of air conditioning, and attic fans may also prove beneficial. However, an alternate approach is to seal the attic and make it part of the conditioned space in your house, putting the insulation on the inside of the roof rather than on the floor of the attic. Sealed attics are more feasible in new home construction, but can be retrofitted on an existing house.

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Ventilation is the least expensive and most energy-efficient way to cool buildings. Ventilation works best when combined with methods to avoid heat …

09/03/2018

7 Ways to Keep Your House Cool This Summer

These hints will help you reduce energy use along with the temperature.
As summer arrives, many people think, “Thank goodness for air conditioning.” That is, until the bill for cranking the A/C arrives.

Fortunately, there are many energy-efficient ways to keep your house cool. Beat the heat this summer with these home cooling tips.

1. Choose an energy-efficient system
If you’re buying a cooling system, choose one that’s ENERGY STAR rated. If you already have A/C, get your system professionally inspected and cleaned according to the manufacturer’s instructions to keep it operating at its best.

2. Change your filters
Furnace filters should be changed every month or two. Have your air ducts checked for leaks, and make sure vents aren’t blocked by furniture, appliances or other objects. A bit of maintenance can make a big difference.

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Find out way you can reduce the temperature of your home this summer without racking up a huge energy bill.

08/30/2018

Fall and Winter Energy-Saving Tips

The strategies below will help you save energy, save money, and stay comfortable during the cool fall and cold winter months. Some of the tips below are free and can be used on a daily basis to increase your savings; others are simple and inexpensive actions you can take to ensure maximum savings through the winter.

If you haven't already, conduct an energy audit to find out where you can save the most, and consider making a larger investment for long-term energy savings.

Also check out no-cost and low-cost tips to save energy during the spring and summer.

Take Advantage of Heat from the Sun
Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

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The strategies below will help you save energy, save money, and stay comfortable during the cool fall and cold winter months. Some of the tips below are free and can be used on a daily basis to increase your savings; others are simple and inexpensive actions you can take to ensure maximum savings th...

08/16/2018

How Home Ventilation Works

A little humidity is important to comfort in a home, particularly in winter. But too much v***r, combined with fumes from synthetic materials, pesticides, cleansers, and household chemicals can make a house’s air not only uncomfortable but downright toxic. The answer? Ventilation.

Houses need to breathe. They should draw in fresh air and exhaust stale air. In fact, some experts recommend that one half of a home’s air volume should be exchanged every hour.

You can encourage ventilation, of course, by opening the doors and windows. But the trick is to provide needed ventilation without sending expensive home-heating and cooling energy dollars out the window.

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A little humidity is important to comfort in a home, particularly in winter. But too much v***r, combined with fumes …

08/16/2018

How to Improve Air Circulation in a House

Proper air circulation is crucial in any home, because airflow regulates temperature, removes impurities, prevents mold and just creates a more pleasant and safe breathing environment. By contrast, poor air circulation can actually endanger your health. When your home's air seems stagnant, or its air circulation otherwise leaves something to be desired, take steps to get breezes flowing again for a healthier, more comfortable home.

1
Open doors and windows. This is the most simple and obvious way to immediately improve the indoor air circulation. By simply opening windows in different rooms, you can create a cross flow that improves the circulation of the entire house.

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Proper air circulation is crucial in any home, because airflow regulates temperature, removes impurities, prevents mold and just creates a …

08/16/2018

Should Air Ducts be on Your Summer Cleaning List?

While most homeowners spend time dusting their woodwork and cleaning the windows, it’s easy to forget about the parts of your home that you can’t see. When was the last time your home’s air ducts were cleaned out? If your answer was about three to five years ago, you might consider adding air duct cleaning to your to-do list this summer.

Air Duct Cleaning

The National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA) suggests that air ducts be cleaned out every three to five years. However, this time frame can change based on a few different factors. It can be difficult to determine when it’s time to have your air ducts cleaned.

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While most homeowners spend time dusting their woodwork and cleaning the windows, it’s easy to forget about the parts of …

07/31/2018

How to keep your house cool without running up your utility bill

This time of year all many of us can think about is keeping cool. But escaping the searing heat that blankets entire swathes of the country comes at a cost. In my 130 year old Victorian, summer utility bills are stratospheric. But where does a person turn for help making decisions about cooling off when it seems like everyone has something to sell? Roofs, windows, air conditioning systems, insulation — companies making and selling these products all have their claims about cooling and energy savings. And how do you separate fact from myth when it comes to adages about keeping a home cool and keeping a lid on the utility bill?

Fortunately a couple of experts weighed in for NBC BETTER with some tips for how you can keep cool and carry on this summer. Lauren Urbanek is a senior program advocate, Center for Energy Efficiency Standards, Climate & Clean Energy Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council. And Robert Daguillard is a spokesperson for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They helped us break down some cooling essentials.

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Don't lose your cool with high air conditioning bills this summer — try these expert tips instead.

07/31/2018

10 Ways To Save Energy When Air Conditioning Is A Must

There are ways to keep cool without turning on your air conditioner, but when the summer temperatures start busting the 90 (or 100!) degree mark daily, or the humidity makes it feel like you're swimming through a bowl of soup, sometimes air conditioning is a must. Stay cool and save money with these energy saving tips:

1. Keep the AC Lower at Night: During the night you don't require the same level of conscious cool. Try turning your AC down (so it is running less) during your sleep hours or, if your unit has one, utilize the "sleep mode" which lowers the output on a timer.

2. Use Window or Portable Units: If you aren't into cooling your whole home, try using a portable unit to cool just the area you'll be working in. They use up to 50% less energy than a larger central air unit would to cool off the same space.

3. Close Off Vents: The basement is traditionally the coolest room in the home, so try closing all the vents in the lower portion of your home. The cool air will slink down there naturally and by closing those vents, you're forcing all the air up top first, cooling as it comes down.

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There are ways to keep cool without turning on your air conditioner, but when the summer temperatures start busting the 90 (or 100!) degree mark daily, or the humidity makes it feel like you're swimming through a bowl of soup, sometimes air conditioning is a must