“My dad says I’ve painted these walls so many times the paint’s going to fall off,” said Ms. Fuller, a retired school counselor.
But when her electricity bill this summer hovered between $300 and $400 per month, she looked for help. Last week, a crew working in conjunction with Oncor Electric Delivery put her home to the test and found it was badly leaking air.
Workers from Star Efficiency Services placed on her front door a red canvas cover with a fan at the bottom, and turned the machine on. By pulling air into the house, the machine measures airflow loss.
“It’s a benchmark, what we’re trying to determine … how much air are we gaining or losing,” said Jamie Macrander, CEO with Star Efficiency Services.
Macrander’s company is teaming with Oncor to encourage consumers to think about energy efficiency through their “Take a load off, Texas” campaign.
Ms. Fuller receives the services at no cost. Oncor spokeswoman Carol Peters said for this year such free services are booked, but they will resume the program next year.
Once the air loss was determined, and it was very high, workers pulled out their caulk guns and other tools and started tightening up the house.
Macrander said his men rebuilt the return air box, sealed ductwork and registers, weather-stripped and caulked around windows, doors, light switches and the fireplace. Afterward, they made a test run.
“We fired her air conditioner up. She was blown away. She said, ‘I had never felt air in here before.’ She couldn’t believe the improvement in the air volume alone,” Macrander said.
Macrander said the AC unit now doesn’t have to work as hard, and will use less energy. And the house stays cooler because “we don’t have that cold air escaping into the world.”
Ms. Fuller said the results are amazing. The before and after tests showed a remarkable improvement in energy efficiency.
“The curtains were blowing that had never blown before from my bedroom to the den,” Ms. Fuller said. “I couldn’t believe the difference in the numbers before and after.”
Just as surprising, Ms. Fuller learned she could have done much of what the professionals did if she had known what to look for.
Over at McCoy’s Building Supply in Belton, store manager Andy Dobbins said they have a host of inexpensive materials that anyone can use to cut home energy costs.
Dobbins recommends the following.
Spray foam - between $3.50 and $5 per can. Remove trim around doors and windows and use spray foam to stop air leaks.
Fluorescent light bulbs - 99 cents and up. A 13-watt fluorescent gives the same light as a 60-watt incandescent.
7-day programmable thermostat - less than $50. No special tools required, just a matter of following directions. Set according to family schedule, a half hour before returning home the AC can kick on.
Weather-stripping - $3. Ready-made, Styrofoam pads you can easily install behind light switches and electrical outlets.
Insulation - from a few hundred to several hundred dollars, depending on the size of your house and insulation thickness. The higher the R number, the greater insulation effect. R-19 costs more than R-13, but will save more in energy costs. Easy installation, just roll it out.
Caulk - from $2 to $5. And caulk gun, another $3. Smear into cracks anywhere. Inside and out. 100 percent silicone recommended.
