(1882,2,'2018-07-05 20:33:40','2018-07-05 20:33:40','<h2>Recommendations</h2>		\n		<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Understand common sources of energy waste in your home.</p>		\n			<h2>Recommendations content</h2>		\n		Almost every house has a large number of hidden air leaks that rob it of heating and cooling energy. Although sealing these leaks is not the easiest job, it is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to increase your home’s energy efficiency. You’ll want to do this before adding any insulation, as fixing the leaks is much more difficult once extra insulation is installed. In addition to saving energy and making your home more comfortable, sealing air leaks also reduces ice dams and freezing pipes, and helps control moisture movement that can contribute to mold and structural damage. People often think that windows and doors are the source of most air leakage in a house, but the largest leaks are almost always hidden in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and other unexpected places.		\n			<h2>Categories</h2>		\n		<p>Air Leaks</p><p>Attic and knee walls</p><p>Cooling and Heating</p><p>Duct Work</p><p>Thermostats</p><p>Water Heaters</p><p>Insulation</p><p>Doors and Windows</p><p>Appliances</p><p>Pool Pumps</p>		\n		<p><b>About the Author<br /></b>Bruce Harley is an engineer who has been involved in energy efficiency for the 28 years. His field experience includes testing, diagnosis, and remediation of air leakage, duct leakage, airflow, combustion safety, and indoor air quality in residential buildings, as well as efficiency testing and troubleshooting of geothermal heat pumps. He has conducted training in energy-efficient residential construction, building science, mechanical systems, diagnostic techniques, and energy codes for designers, builders, building officials, and tradespeople. He currently lives in Stamford, Vermont, in an energy-efficient solar/electric house, which he designed and built.</p>		\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Cut Your Energy Bills</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/cut-your-energy-bills-bruce-harley-071230.html\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase at amazon\n					</a>\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Insulate and Weatherize: For Energy Efficiency at Home (Taunton\'s Build Like a Pro)</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/build-like-a-pro-insulate-and-weatherize-bruce-harley-070649.html#collateral-tabs\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','RECOMMENDATIONS','','inherit','closed','closed','','16-revision-v1','','','2018-07-05 20:33:40','2018-07-05 20:33:40','',16,'http://ev.ene.org/16-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1887,2,'2018-07-05 22:54:58','2018-07-05 22:54:58','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n										<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />											\n			<h3>HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n										<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />											\n			<h3>RECOMMENDATIONS</h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n										<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />											\n			<h3>TOWNS WE SERVE</h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-05 22:54:58','2018-07-05 22:54:58','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1888,2,'2018-07-05 22:57:48','2018-07-05 22:57:48','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-05 22:57:48','2018-07-05 22:57:48','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1889,2,'2018-07-05 23:03:20','2018-07-05 23:03:20','<h2>Recommendations</h2>		\n		<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Understand common sources of energy waste in your home.</p>		\n			<h2>Recommendations content</h2>		\n		<p>Here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the winters are cold and the summers are hot. All homes waste energy, increasing utility bills and reducing comfort. We want to help you make the most of your energy investment in your home. ENE has partnered with energy efficiency expert and author, Bruce Harley, to provide you with advice from his book, <u>Insulate and Weatherize</u>. Learn about the many possible sources of energy loss in your home, how to save on your energy bills, and be more energy efficient. Whether you have had a recent Home Energy Assessment and are reviewing the recommendations from the Snugg Pro™ report, or are planning a home improvement project, this section contains information to help you achieve your energy goals.</p>		\n			<h2>Categories</h2>		\n		<p>Air Leaks</p><p>Attic and knee walls</p><p>Cooling and Heating</p><p>Duct Work</p><p>Thermostats</p><p>Water Heaters</p><p>Insulation</p><p>Doors and Windows</p><p>Appliances</p><p>Pool Pumps</p>		\n		<p><b>About the Author<br /></b>Bruce Harley is an engineer who has been involved in energy efficiency for the 28 years. His field experience includes testing, diagnosis, and remediation of air leakage, duct leakage, airflow, combustion safety, and indoor air quality in residential buildings, as well as efficiency testing and troubleshooting of geothermal heat pumps. He has conducted training in energy-efficient residential construction, building science, mechanical systems, diagnostic techniques, and energy codes for designers, builders, building officials, and tradespeople. He currently lives in Stamford, Vermont, in an energy-efficient solar/electric house, which he designed and built.</p>		\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Cover-Cut-Your-Energy-Bills​-01-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Cut Your Energy Bills</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/cut-your-energy-bills-bruce-harley-071230.html\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase at amazon\n					</a>\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Insulate and Weatherize: For Energy Efficiency at Home (Taunton\'s Build Like a Pro)</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/build-like-a-pro-insulate-and-weatherize-bruce-harley-070649.html#collateral-tabs\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','RECOMMENDATIONS','','inherit','closed','closed','','16-revision-v1','','','2018-07-05 23:03:20','2018-07-05 23:03:20','',16,'http://ev.ene.org/16-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1898,2,'2018-07-05 23:15:43','2018-07-05 23:15:43','<h2>Recommendations</h2>		\n		<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Understand common sources of energy waste in your home.</p>		\n		<p>Here in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, the winters are cold and the summers are hot. All homes waste energy, increasing utility bills and reducing comfort. We want to help you make the most of your energy investment in your home. ENE has partnered with energy efficiency expert and author, Bruce Harley, to provide you with advice from his book, <u>Insulate and Weatherize</u>. Learn about the many possible sources of energy loss in your home, how to save on your energy bills, and be more energy efficient. Whether you have had a recent Home Energy Assessment and are reviewing the recommendations from the Snugg Pro™ report, or are planning a home improvement project, this section contains information to help you achieve your energy goals.</p>		\n			<h2>Categories</h2>		\n		<p>Air Leaks</p><p>Attic and knee walls</p><p>Cooling and Heating</p><p>Duct Work</p><p>Thermostats</p><p>Water Heaters</p><p>Insulation</p><p>Doors and Windows</p><p>Appliances</p><p>Pool Pumps</p>		\n		<p><b>About the Author<br /></b>Bruce Harley is an engineer who has been involved in energy efficiency for the 28 years. His field experience includes testing, diagnosis, and remediation of air leakage, duct leakage, airflow, combustion safety, and indoor air quality in residential buildings, as well as efficiency testing and troubleshooting of geothermal heat pumps. He has conducted training in energy-efficient residential construction, building science, mechanical systems, diagnostic techniques, and energy codes for designers, builders, building officials, and tradespeople. He currently lives in Stamford, Vermont, in an energy-efficient solar/electric house, which he designed and built.</p>		\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cutyourenerybills1.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cutyourenerybills1.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cutyourenerybills1-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cutyourenerybills1-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cutyourenerybills1-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Cut Your Energy Bills</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/cut-your-energy-bills-bruce-harley-071230.html\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<a href=\"https://www.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase at amazon\n					</a>\n											<a href=\"https://smile.amazon.com/Insulate-Weatherize-Energy-Efficiency-Tauntons/dp/1600854680/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"2162\" height=\"2560\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover.jpg 2162w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-253x300.jpg 253w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-768x909.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/book-cover-865x1024.jpg 865w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2162px) 100vw, 2162px\" />								</a>\n			<h2>Insulate and Weatherize: For Energy Efficiency at Home (Taunton\'s Build Like a Pro)</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://www.tauntonstore.com/build-like-a-pro-insulate-and-weatherize-bruce-harley-070649.html#collateral-tabs\" role=\"button\">\n						Purchase\n					</a>\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','RECOMMENDATIONS','','inherit','closed','closed','','16-revision-v1','','','2018-07-05 23:15:43','2018-07-05 23:15:43','',16,'http://ev.ene.org/16-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1921,2,'2018-07-10 19:07:17','2018-07-10 19:07:17','<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - website','','inherit','closed','closed','','1056-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 19:07:17','2018-07-10 19:07:17','',1056,'http://ev.ene.org/1056-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1927,2,'2018-07-10 19:26:58','2018-07-10 19:26:58','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h2 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant</h2>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h5 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">SERVING THE TOWN OF ROWLEY</h5>		\n		<p>The mission of the Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant (RMLP) is to meet the needs of its current and future customers by providing reliable and cost effective energy services in a responsible, courteous, and efficient manner.</p>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<a href=\"http://www.townofrowley.net/common/index.php?com=rowl&amp;div=FF&amp;nav=FF&amp;page=F05\" role=\"button\">\n						VISIT HMLP\'S WEBSITE\n					</a>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/rowley-nr8phbdwrwd7epby6xijwle7886m2pjzr5lwj3g76k.png\" title=\"rowley\" alt=\"rowley\" />											\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h3 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rebates</h3>		\n		&nbsp;\n<table width=\"594\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\"><strong>INCENTIVE OFFERINGS</strong></td>\n<td width=\"180\"><strong>RESIDENTIAL</strong></td>\n<td width=\"210\"><strong>COMMERCIAL</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Energy Assessment*</td>\n<td width=\"180\">Free</td>\n<td width=\"210\">Up to $300 toward cost of audit, up to 75% of installed cost of recommended measures (not to exceed $1,500 per audit)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Refrigerator</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$75</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Unit AC</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Clothes Washer</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$50</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Dehumidifier</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Dishwasher</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Programmable Thermostat</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Hybrid Hot Water Heater</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$250</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Voluntary Peak Management Program</td>\n<td width=\"180\"></td>\n<td width=\"210\">Bill credit</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<em>*RMLP reserves the right to fund commercial audits on a case-by-case basis.</em>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy Saving Rebates and Programs</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n												ENERGY STAR® APPLIANCE REBATES					\n					<p>If you’re in the market for a new appliance, RMLP offers rebates of $25 to $75 on certain ENERGY STAR-rated refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and programmable thermostats.</p><p>Buying an ENERGY STAR appliance makes sense for three reasons—you will qualify for a rebate, save money in energy costs over the entire life of the appliance, and help the environment by decreasing pollution from fossil fuels used to generate electricity. If you buy a high-efficiency washing machine, you’ll save on water costs and help preserve water resources as well.</p><p>Before you buy a new appliance, download the Rebate Application Form or call or visit the RMLP office. The application form includes specific program requirements for the RMLP rebate.</p><p>For more details about the program, call Energy New England (ENE) at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>.</p>\n												HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Energy New England (ENE) provides conservation services for the residential customers of its partnering utilities. ENE’s highly trained and experienced Residential Energy Advisors can examine your home and identify heating, lighting, and weatherization opportunities to be more efficient and save money on your utility bills.</p><p>Call <b>888-772-4242</b> to schedule your <a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Home Energy Assessment</u></a> or <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>SIGNUP</u></a> today.<br />For more information on how ENE can help you, please call <b>508-698-1208</b> or email <a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">solutions@ene.org</a>.</p>\n												VOLUNTARY PEAK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM					\n					<p>RMLP’s Voluntary Peak Demand Reduction Program provides RMLP industrial, commercial, and institutional customers with the opportunity to reduce costs by adjusting demand during critical peak hours. The program is 100% voluntary and can provide noteworthy cost savings.</p><p>Savings achieved by the customer action taken during peak demand hours will be calculated as actual savings realized, and will be applied as a credit to the customer’s invoice two billing periods after the called peak event. The credit typically equates to 3%-10% of the total utility bill. Load drop performance is displayed real-time and historically via the Tangent Amp web portal. No penalty is applied if no demand reductions are realized.</p><p>Please view the <a href=\"http://www.rowleylight.com/pdf/RMLP_Peak_Mgmt_Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Voluntary Peak Management Program Flyer</u></a> for more information about the program and how to apply.</p>\n												COMMERCIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Assistance for Commercial Energy Audits is available to RMLP’s commercial and industrial customers that intend to invest in energy conservation measures.</p><p>Energy Audits cover such end-uses as lighting, HVAC, and motors. The cost of an audit can vary from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the audit type and square footage of the building.</p><p>RMLP will fund up to $300 toward the cost of an audit that is performed through the professional auditing services of Energy New England (ENE). MLP will fund up to 75% of the installed cost of recommended measures, not to exceed $1,500 per customer audit.</p><p>RMLP reserves the right to fund commercial audits on a case-by-case basis.</p><p>For more information, contact RMLP’s office or ENE at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>.</p>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy New England</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Website</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">social media</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','UTILITY PAGE','','publish','closed','closed','','utility-page','','','2018-07-10 19:26:59','2018-07-10 19:26:59','',0,'http://ev.ene.org/?elementor_library=utility-page',0,'elementor_library','',0),(1928,2,'2018-07-10 19:26:58','2018-07-10 19:26:58','','UTILITY PAGE','','inherit','closed','closed','','1927-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 19:26:58','2018-07-10 19:26:58','',1927,'http://ev.ene.org/1927-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1929,2,'2018-07-10 19:26:59','2018-07-10 19:26:59','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h2 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant</h2>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h5 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">SERVING THE TOWN OF ROWLEY</h5>		\n		<p>The mission of the Rowley Municipal Lighting Plant (RMLP) is to meet the needs of its current and future customers by providing reliable and cost effective energy services in a responsible, courteous, and efficient manner.</p>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<a href=\"http://www.townofrowley.net/common/index.php?com=rowl&amp;div=FF&amp;nav=FF&amp;page=F05\" role=\"button\">\n						VISIT HMLP\'S WEBSITE\n					</a>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/rowley-nr8phbdwrwd7epby6xijwle7886m2pjzr5lwj3g76k.png\" title=\"rowley\" alt=\"rowley\" />											\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h3 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rebates</h3>		\n		&nbsp;\n<table width=\"594\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\"><strong>INCENTIVE OFFERINGS</strong></td>\n<td width=\"180\"><strong>RESIDENTIAL</strong></td>\n<td width=\"210\"><strong>COMMERCIAL</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Energy Assessment*</td>\n<td width=\"180\">Free</td>\n<td width=\"210\">Up to $300 toward cost of audit, up to 75% of installed cost of recommended measures (not to exceed $1,500 per audit)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Refrigerator</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$75</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Unit AC</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Clothes Washer</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$50</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Dehumidifier</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Dishwasher</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Programmable Thermostat</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$25</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Hybrid Hot Water Heater</td>\n<td width=\"180\">$250</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"204\">Voluntary Peak Management Program</td>\n<td width=\"180\"></td>\n<td width=\"210\">Bill credit</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<em>*RMLP reserves the right to fund commercial audits on a case-by-case basis.</em>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy Saving Rebates and Programs</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n												ENERGY STAR® APPLIANCE REBATES					\n					<p>If you’re in the market for a new appliance, RMLP offers rebates of $25 to $75 on certain ENERGY STAR-rated refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, dehumidifiers, room air conditioners, and programmable thermostats.</p><p>Buying an ENERGY STAR appliance makes sense for three reasons—you will qualify for a rebate, save money in energy costs over the entire life of the appliance, and help the environment by decreasing pollution from fossil fuels used to generate electricity. If you buy a high-efficiency washing machine, you’ll save on water costs and help preserve water resources as well.</p><p>Before you buy a new appliance, download the Rebate Application Form or call or visit the RMLP office. The application form includes specific program requirements for the RMLP rebate.</p><p>For more details about the program, call Energy New England (ENE) at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>.</p>\n												HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Energy New England (ENE) provides conservation services for the residential customers of its partnering utilities. ENE’s highly trained and experienced Residential Energy Advisors can examine your home and identify heating, lighting, and weatherization opportunities to be more efficient and save money on your utility bills.</p><p>Call <b>888-772-4242</b> to schedule your <a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Home Energy Assessment</u></a> or <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>SIGNUP</u></a> today.<br />For more information on how ENE can help you, please call <b>508-698-1208</b> or email <a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">solutions@ene.org</a>.</p>\n												VOLUNTARY PEAK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM					\n					<p>RMLP’s Voluntary Peak Demand Reduction Program provides RMLP industrial, commercial, and institutional customers with the opportunity to reduce costs by adjusting demand during critical peak hours. The program is 100% voluntary and can provide noteworthy cost savings.</p><p>Savings achieved by the customer action taken during peak demand hours will be calculated as actual savings realized, and will be applied as a credit to the customer’s invoice two billing periods after the called peak event. The credit typically equates to 3%-10% of the total utility bill. Load drop performance is displayed real-time and historically via the Tangent Amp web portal. No penalty is applied if no demand reductions are realized.</p><p>Please view the <a href=\"http://www.rowleylight.com/pdf/RMLP_Peak_Mgmt_Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Voluntary Peak Management Program Flyer</u></a> for more information about the program and how to apply.</p>\n												COMMERCIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Assistance for Commercial Energy Audits is available to RMLP’s commercial and industrial customers that intend to invest in energy conservation measures.</p><p>Energy Audits cover such end-uses as lighting, HVAC, and motors. The cost of an audit can vary from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on the audit type and square footage of the building.</p><p>RMLP will fund up to $300 toward the cost of an audit that is performed through the professional auditing services of Energy New England (ENE). MLP will fund up to 75% of the installed cost of recommended measures, not to exceed $1,500 per customer audit.</p><p>RMLP reserves the right to fund commercial audits on a case-by-case basis.</p><p>For more information, contact RMLP’s office or ENE at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>.</p>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy New England</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Website</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">social media</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','UTILITY PAGE','','inherit','closed','closed','','1927-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 19:26:59','2018-07-10 19:26:59','',1927,'http://ev.ene.org/1927-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1943,2,'2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h2 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant</h2>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h5 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">SERVING TAUNTON, RAYNHAM, BERKLEY, AND NORTH DIGHTON</h5>		\n		<p>Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) has been an integral part of the City of Taunton for more than a century because it has successfully managed its customers’ investments, responded to and anticipated evolving energy needs, and remained focused on community values. TMLP’s ultimate goal is to provide information that allows its customer-owners to make informed decisions.</p>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/#&amp;panel1-1\" role=\"button\">\n						VISIT TMLP\'S WEBSITE\n					</a>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n										<img width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2.png 200w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" />											\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h3 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rebates</h3>		\n		<table width=\"552\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\"><strong>INCENTIVE OFFERINGS</strong></td>\n<td width=\"144\"><strong>RESIDENTIAL</strong></td>\n<td width=\"210\"><strong>COMMERCIAL</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Home Energy Assessment</td>\n<td width=\"144\">Free</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Electric Peak Savings Program</td>\n<td width=\"144\">Enter to win prize packages</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Heat Pump w/ SEER ≥ 14 or HSPF ≥ 8</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$100 per $1,000 (up to $600)</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Refrigerator</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$115</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Unit AC w/ SEER ≥ 12</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$35</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Central AC SEER ≥ 15</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$115</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Clothes Washer - DPW</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$200</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Commercial Energy Assessments</td>\n<td width=\"144\"></td>\n<td width=\"210\">100%</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy Saving Rebates and Programs</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n												ENERGY STAR® APPLIANCE REBATES					\n					<p>TMLP is pleased to offer rebates to customers that purchase selected energy efficient ENERGY STAR appliances. This offer includes refrigerators, clothes washing machines, room air conditioners, and dishwashers. ENERGY STAR appliances have been identified as being significantly more energy efficient than the average comparable model. Such appliances have the ENERGY STAR logo attached to the appliance on the yellow Energy Guide label. Eligible appliances can be found at <a href=\"http://www.energystar.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>ENERGY STAR</u></a>.</p><p>In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Customer purchased an ENERGY STAR appliance (e.g. refrigerators, clothes washing machines, room AC units, dishwashers) between January 1st and December 31 in the calendar year of the initiative.</li><li>Customer has submitted a completed <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Appliance_Rebate_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Appliance Rebate Form</u></a> along with original copies of all sales receipts.</li><li>Appliance must be installed at the account location of the customer of record.</li><li>TMLP reserves the right to inspect the installation on premises.</li></ul><p><i>This offer is available for a limited time and is only valid while funds last.</i></p>\n												HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>TMLP is pleased to offer its residential customers who own or rent a dwelling within its territory a free Home Energy Assessment. Consisting of two levels, this service enables TMLP customers to achieve energy savings in the home through receiving phone support from a qualified energy advisor and/or completing a comprehensive home energy assessment. Questions regarding energy efficiency may be answered by calling Energy New England (ENE) at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>. The customer can obtain valuable information via the phone and through literature sent to their address by having a discussion with an energy expert.</p><p>If necessary, customers can have a certified home energy professional perform a comprehensive energy assessment of their home’s energy use, free of charge. After the assessment, the customer will receive a summary report of all energy usage as well as recommendations on how to conserve energy. The customer will also receive up to $30 of free energy saving materials installed on the premises by the advisor as an educational tool.</p><p>Please view the <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Energy_Assessment_Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Home Energy Assessment Flyer</u></a> for more information.</p>\n												HOUSE N HOME THERMAL PROGRAM					\n					<p>The &#8216;House N Home&#8217; Thermal Rebate Program provides financial incentives to TMLP’s residential and non-profit customers to make buildings more energy efficient. The customer can be eligible to receive 50% of the total cost of materials and professional labor, up to a maximum rebate level of $500.</p><p>In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s House N Home Thermal Program Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential or non-profit electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Customer must first participate in a free Home Energy Assessment.</li><li>Customer purchased eligible recommended measures from the assessment (e.g. attic insulation, wall insulation, rim joist insulation, air-sealing measures, window treatments, pipe and duct insulation) between January 1st and December 31st in the calendar year of the initiative.</li><li>Customer must complete a <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/HHApplication_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>House N Home Rebate Application form</u></a> as well as provide original copies of all receipts for materials and labor.</li><li>Electric heat customers take precedence from January to June. All other customers take precedence from July to December.</li></ul><p>Where applicable, the contractor must be licensed for the work performed. Each customer will be eligible for one rebate per the three year project window.</p><p><i>This form can be filled out on your computer, but it must be printed out in order to be submitted as the application requires both your signature and original copies of your receipts to be included. You can either bring it to the <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/page.php?content=directions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>TMLP Customer Care Office</u></a> at 33 Weir Street, Taunton MA or mail it to:</i></p><p><b>Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant</b><br />Attn: Customer Care Administrator<br />PO Box 870 <br />Taunton, MA 02780-0870</p>\n												SOLAR REBATE PROGRAM					\n					<p>The Solar Rebate Program offers financial incentives to TMLP’s residential customers intending to install a photovoltaic (solar) array on the property they own. The rebate incentive for a submitted project will be $1.50 per watt installed, up to a maximum rebate level of $4,500.<br />In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s Solar Rebate Program Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential or non-profit electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Proposed photovoltaic arrays may be any size (pending TMLP approval), but the rebate will be calculated at $1.50 per watt, up to 3 KW or a maximum of $4,500.</li><li>Projects must be approved by TMLP prior to installation.</li><li>Projects must be completed by licensed electricians and professional, licensed contractors.</li><li>Customer must sign a net metering agreement and an interconnection agreement.</li><li>If customer intends to install a battery backup system alongside the solar installation, then the Battery Backup Verification form must be filled out as well.</li></ul><p>Necessary forms for residential customers interested in the Solar Rebate Program:</p><ul><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM_SR_FAQ.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering &amp; Solar Rebate FAQ</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/SolarRebateApplication_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Solar Rebate Application Form</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Agreement</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM-IA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Interconnection Agreement</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMIS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Interconnection Standards</a><br /></u></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Battery_Backup_Verification.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Battery Backup Verification</u></a></li></ul><p><i>Please Note: While most of the forms can be filled out on your computer, they must be printed out in order to be submitted as original signatures from both the customer and the solar installer are required. Email scanned applications to </i><a href=\"mailto:sonjabritland@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><i>Sonja Britland</i></u></a><i>, or mail completed applications to:</i></p><p><b>TMLP Solar Rebate Program</b><br />PO Box 870<br />Taunton, MA 02780-870</p>\n												NET METERING (SOLAR)					\n					<p>Net Metering is available to residential, commercial, and industrial customers owning and operating renewable generating facilities for the purpose of offsetting all or part of the customer’s electric needs.</p><p>TMLP currently has two net metering categories – customers with generating systems of 60kW or less, and customers with generating systems between 60kW and 2,000kW. In order to qualify for net metering, the size of the total system may not exceed the customer’s highest peak demand for the preceding 12 months. The availability of net metering to customers is subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Net Metering Agreement and/or Tariff. TMLP may limit the cumulative generating capacity of all such facilities in its service territory and the availability of this service.</p><p>Individuals interested in building renewable generating facilities within the TMLP service territory that do not fit this description should contact TMLP to discuss the possibility of a Purchase Power Agreement. Please contact <a href=\"mailto:jamesirving@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>TMLP’s Senior Resource Analyst</u></a> at <b>508-824-3129</b>.</p><p>Customers who intend to install a battery backup system alongside a solar installation should fill out the Battery Backup Verification form as well.<br />Application Forms and Additional Information:</p><ul><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM_SR_FAQ.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering &amp; Solar Rebate FAQ</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Application</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM-IA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Interconnection Agreement</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMIS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Interconnection Standards</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMT-60PLUS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Tariff For 60kW &#8211; 2000kW</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Battery_Backup_Verification.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Battery Backup Verification Form</u></a></li></ul>\n												COMMERCIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Maintaining energy efficiency is of paramount importance for commercial and industrial facilities in this world of tight budget constraints and skyrocketing costs. TMLP&#8217;s desire is to make businesses as profitable as possible by offering its commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional customers an opportunity to identify and evaluate energy savings opportunities.</p><p>In partnership with <a href=\"https://www.ene.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Energy New England (ENE)</u></a>, a leader in energy resource evaluations, TMLP is offering an initial &#8220;walk through&#8221; audit to identify energy savings opportunities, free of charge. If the customer requests a more comprehensive &#8220;investment grade&#8221; engineering audit, then TMLP may reimburse the customer for 50% or more of the audit cost, provided certain recommended measures have been implemented.<br />The industrial energy conservation evaluations shall be performed on-site and shall identify major energy uses, such as lighting, HVAC, and other electrical systems. A summary report outlining the potential energy (kWh) savings, economic savings, and payback on investment will be presented to the customer.</p><p>To schedule an Energy Audit, call ENE at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>. Email <a href=\"mailto:sonjabritland@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Sonja Britland</u></a> or call <b>508-824-3177</b> for more information.</p>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy New England</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Website</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">social media</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant','','publish','closed','closed','','taunton-municipal-lighting-plant','','','2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','',0,'http://ev.ene.org/?elementor_library=taunton-municipal-lighting-plant',0,'elementor_library','',0),(1944,2,'2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','','Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant','','inherit','closed','closed','','1943-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','',1943,'http://ev.ene.org/1943-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1945,2,'2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h2 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant</h2>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h5 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">SERVING TAUNTON, RAYNHAM, BERKLEY, AND NORTH DIGHTON</h5>		\n		<p>Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant (TMLP) has been an integral part of the City of Taunton for more than a century because it has successfully managed its customers’ investments, responded to and anticipated evolving energy needs, and remained focused on community values. TMLP’s ultimate goal is to provide information that allows its customer-owners to make informed decisions.</p>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/#&amp;panel1-1\" role=\"button\">\n						VISIT TMLP\'S WEBSITE\n					</a>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n										<img width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2.png 200w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/taunton2-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" />											\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h3 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Rebates</h3>		\n		<table width=\"552\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\"><strong>INCENTIVE OFFERINGS</strong></td>\n<td width=\"144\"><strong>RESIDENTIAL</strong></td>\n<td width=\"210\"><strong>COMMERCIAL</strong></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Home Energy Assessment</td>\n<td width=\"144\">Free</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Electric Peak Savings Program</td>\n<td width=\"144\">Enter to win prize packages</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Heat Pump w/ SEER ≥ 14 or HSPF ≥ 8</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$100 per $1,000 (up to $600)</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Refrigerator</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$115</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Unit AC w/ SEER ≥ 12</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$35</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Central AC SEER ≥ 15</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$115</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Clothes Washer - DPW</td>\n<td width=\"144\">$200</td>\n<td width=\"210\"></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td width=\"198\">Commercial Energy Assessments</td>\n<td width=\"144\"></td>\n<td width=\"210\">100%</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy Saving Rebates and Programs</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n												ENERGY STAR® APPLIANCE REBATES					\n					<p>TMLP is pleased to offer rebates to customers that purchase selected energy efficient ENERGY STAR appliances. This offer includes refrigerators, clothes washing machines, room air conditioners, and dishwashers. ENERGY STAR appliances have been identified as being significantly more energy efficient than the average comparable model. Such appliances have the ENERGY STAR logo attached to the appliance on the yellow Energy Guide label. Eligible appliances can be found at <a href=\"http://www.energystar.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>ENERGY STAR</u></a>.</p><p>In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Customer purchased an ENERGY STAR appliance (e.g. refrigerators, clothes washing machines, room AC units, dishwashers) between January 1st and December 31 in the calendar year of the initiative.</li><li>Customer has submitted a completed <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Appliance_Rebate_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Appliance Rebate Form</u></a> along with original copies of all sales receipts.</li><li>Appliance must be installed at the account location of the customer of record.</li><li>TMLP reserves the right to inspect the installation on premises.</li></ul><p><i>This offer is available for a limited time and is only valid while funds last.</i></p>\n												HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>TMLP is pleased to offer its residential customers who own or rent a dwelling within its territory a free Home Energy Assessment. Consisting of two levels, this service enables TMLP customers to achieve energy savings in the home through receiving phone support from a qualified energy advisor and/or completing a comprehensive home energy assessment. Questions regarding energy efficiency may be answered by calling Energy New England (ENE) at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>. The customer can obtain valuable information via the phone and through literature sent to their address by having a discussion with an energy expert.</p><p>If necessary, customers can have a certified home energy professional perform a comprehensive energy assessment of their home’s energy use, free of charge. After the assessment, the customer will receive a summary report of all energy usage as well as recommendations on how to conserve energy. The customer will also receive up to $30 of free energy saving materials installed on the premises by the advisor as an educational tool.</p><p>Please view the <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Energy_Assessment_Flyer.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Home Energy Assessment Flyer</u></a> for more information.</p>\n												HOUSE N HOME THERMAL PROGRAM					\n					<p>The &#8216;House N Home&#8217; Thermal Rebate Program provides financial incentives to TMLP’s residential and non-profit customers to make buildings more energy efficient. The customer can be eligible to receive 50% of the total cost of materials and professional labor, up to a maximum rebate level of $500.</p><p>In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s House N Home Thermal Program Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential or non-profit electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Customer must first participate in a free Home Energy Assessment.</li><li>Customer purchased eligible recommended measures from the assessment (e.g. attic insulation, wall insulation, rim joist insulation, air-sealing measures, window treatments, pipe and duct insulation) between January 1st and December 31st in the calendar year of the initiative.</li><li>Customer must complete a <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/HHApplication_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>House N Home Rebate Application form</u></a> as well as provide original copies of all receipts for materials and labor.</li><li>Electric heat customers take precedence from January to June. All other customers take precedence from July to December.</li></ul><p>Where applicable, the contractor must be licensed for the work performed. Each customer will be eligible for one rebate per the three year project window.</p><p><i>This form can be filled out on your computer, but it must be printed out in order to be submitted as the application requires both your signature and original copies of your receipts to be included. You can either bring it to the <a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/page.php?content=directions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>TMLP Customer Care Office</u></a> at 33 Weir Street, Taunton MA or mail it to:</i></p><p><b>Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant</b><br />Attn: Customer Care Administrator<br />PO Box 870 <br />Taunton, MA 02780-0870</p>\n												SOLAR REBATE PROGRAM					\n					<p>The Solar Rebate Program offers financial incentives to TMLP’s residential customers intending to install a photovoltaic (solar) array on the property they own. The rebate incentive for a submitted project will be $1.50 per watt installed, up to a maximum rebate level of $4,500.<br />In order for a customer to be eligible for TMLP’s Solar Rebate Program Incentive, the following conditions must exist:</p><ul><li>Customer is an active residential or non-profit electric account with the TMLP for at least 6 months, has a zero balance, and has not received a previous rebate in the same calendar year.</li><li>Proposed photovoltaic arrays may be any size (pending TMLP approval), but the rebate will be calculated at $1.50 per watt, up to 3 KW or a maximum of $4,500.</li><li>Projects must be approved by TMLP prior to installation.</li><li>Projects must be completed by licensed electricians and professional, licensed contractors.</li><li>Customer must sign a net metering agreement and an interconnection agreement.</li><li>If customer intends to install a battery backup system alongside the solar installation, then the Battery Backup Verification form must be filled out as well.</li></ul><p>Necessary forms for residential customers interested in the Solar Rebate Program:</p><ul><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM_SR_FAQ.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering &amp; Solar Rebate FAQ</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/SolarRebateApplication_Fillable.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Solar Rebate Application Form</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Agreement</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM-IA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Interconnection Agreement</a><br /></u></li><li><u><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMIS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Net Metering Interconnection Standards</a><br /></u></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Battery_Backup_Verification.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Battery Backup Verification</u></a></li></ul><p><i>Please Note: While most of the forms can be filled out on your computer, they must be printed out in order to be submitted as original signatures from both the customer and the solar installer are required. Email scanned applications to </i><a href=\"mailto:sonjabritland@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u><i>Sonja Britland</i></u></a><i>, or mail completed applications to:</i></p><p><b>TMLP Solar Rebate Program</b><br />PO Box 870<br />Taunton, MA 02780-870</p>\n												NET METERING (SOLAR)					\n					<p>Net Metering is available to residential, commercial, and industrial customers owning and operating renewable generating facilities for the purpose of offsetting all or part of the customer’s electric needs.</p><p>TMLP currently has two net metering categories – customers with generating systems of 60kW or less, and customers with generating systems between 60kW and 2,000kW. In order to qualify for net metering, the size of the total system may not exceed the customer’s highest peak demand for the preceding 12 months. The availability of net metering to customers is subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Net Metering Agreement and/or Tariff. TMLP may limit the cumulative generating capacity of all such facilities in its service territory and the availability of this service.</p><p>Individuals interested in building renewable generating facilities within the TMLP service territory that do not fit this description should contact TMLP to discuss the possibility of a Purchase Power Agreement. Please contact <a href=\"mailto:jamesirving@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>TMLP’s Senior Resource Analyst</u></a> at <b>508-824-3129</b>.</p><p>Customers who intend to install a battery backup system alongside a solar installation should fill out the Battery Backup Verification form as well.<br />Application Forms and Additional Information:</p><ul><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM_SR_FAQ.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering &amp; Solar Rebate FAQ</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Application</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NM-IA.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Interconnection Agreement</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMIS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Interconnection Standards</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/NMT-60PLUS.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Net Metering Tariff For 60kW &#8211; 2000kW</u></a></li><li><a href=\"http://www.tmlp.com/pdf/Battery_Backup_Verification.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Battery Backup Verification Form</u></a></li></ul>\n												COMMERCIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT					\n					<p>Maintaining energy efficiency is of paramount importance for commercial and industrial facilities in this world of tight budget constraints and skyrocketing costs. TMLP&#8217;s desire is to make businesses as profitable as possible by offering its commercial, industrial, municipal, and institutional customers an opportunity to identify and evaluate energy savings opportunities.</p><p>In partnership with <a href=\"https://www.ene.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Energy New England (ENE)</u></a>, a leader in energy resource evaluations, TMLP is offering an initial &#8220;walk through&#8221; audit to identify energy savings opportunities, free of charge. If the customer requests a more comprehensive &#8220;investment grade&#8221; engineering audit, then TMLP may reimburse the customer for 50% or more of the audit cost, provided certain recommended measures have been implemented.<br />The industrial energy conservation evaluations shall be performed on-site and shall identify major energy uses, such as lighting, HVAC, and other electrical systems. A summary report outlining the potential energy (kWh) savings, economic savings, and payback on investment will be presented to the customer.</p><p>To schedule an Energy Audit, call ENE at <b>1-888-772-4242</b>. Email <a href=\"mailto:sonjabritland@tmlp.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><u>Sonja Britland</u></a> or call <b>508-824-3177</b> for more information.</p>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Energy New England</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">Website</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n			<h4 data-elementor-setting-key=\"title\">social media</h4>		\n			<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Taunton Municipal Lighting Plant','','inherit','closed','closed','','1943-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 20:20:27','2018-07-10 20:20:27','',1943,'http://ev.ene.org/1943-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1957,2,'2018-07-10 21:01:53','2018-07-10 21:01:53','<p><i>*Must be disposed of<br />**Suspended to date</i></p>','Footnote','','inherit','closed','closed','','668-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 21:01:53','2018-07-10 21:01:53','',668,'http://ev.ene.org/668-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1958,2,'2018-07-10 21:01:53','2018-07-10 21:01:53','<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - website','','inherit','closed','closed','','1056-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 21:01:53','2018-07-10 21:01:53','',1056,'http://ev.ene.org/1056-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1960,2,'2018-07-10 21:01:54','2018-07-10 21:01:54','<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - website','','inherit','closed','closed','','1056-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 21:01:54','2018-07-10 21:01:54','',1056,'http://ev.ene.org/1056-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1961,2,'2018-07-10 21:01:54','2018-07-10 21:01:54','<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - website','','inherit','closed','closed','','1056-revision-v1','','','2018-07-10 21:01:54','2018-07-10 21:01:54','',1056,'http://ev.ene.org/1056-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1968,2,'2018-07-11 18:02:01','2018-07-11 18:02:01','<h2>Home Energy Assessment</h2>		\n		<p>Uncover savings by having a <strong>free</strong> assessment of your home\'s energy use.</p>		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						SIGN UP NOW\n					</a>\n		ENE provides conservation services for the residential customers of our partnering utilities. Our highly trained and experienced Residential Energy Advisors can examine your home and identify heating, lighting, and weatherization opportunities to be more efficient and save money on your utility bills.<p>You’ll receive a report that outlines the best steps to take in order to improve your home’s energy usage along with how much each step could potentially save you on energy costs in the future. Complimentary energy saving materials, such as LED light bulbs and efficient power strips, will be provided during the course of the assessment as well.</p><p>Participating residential customers can request a Home Energy Assessment, or receive information about rebates and incentives offered by their utility by calling ENE’s energy hotline.</p>RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT<p>The Energy Advisor will evaluate a broad range of energy saving opportunities in the home, including:</p>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Insulation\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Appliances\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Heating/cooling Windows and door weather-stripping \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Water heating Efficient lighting \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Window and door replacement\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Preparing for Your Energy Assessment</h2>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Make a list of concerns you have about your home, such as drafty rooms, old heating equipment, or high bills.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Also, please provide 12 Months of Heating Fuel usage (Oil, Propane, Gas, Wood, etc.) information to the Energy Advisor. If you do not have fuel usage information, please make our Advisor aware of this at the time of your assessment.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										If you have pets, kindly secure them. Please ensure full access to the home with clear access to the attic and basement, and if available a stable ladder.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Should you have any questions or concerns, please call the Energy New England Hotline at: <b>888-772-4242</b> or if you prefer email, <u>solutions@ene.org</u>.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Call 888-772-4242 to schedule your appointment today.​</h2>		\n		<p>For more information about how Energy New England can help you, please call <strong>508-698-1208 </strong>or email us at <strong>solutions@ene.org</strong>.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','ENERGY ASSESSMENT','','inherit','closed','closed','','14-revision-v1','','','2018-07-11 18:02:01','2018-07-11 18:02:01','',14,'http://ev.ene.org/14-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1969,2,'2018-07-11 18:05:14','2018-07-11 18:05:14','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-11 18:05:14','2018-07-11 18:05:14','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1970,2,'2018-07-11 18:05:53','2018-07-11 18:05:53','<h2>Home Energy Assessment</h2>		\n		<p>Uncover savings by having a <strong>free</strong> assessment of your home\'s energy use.</p>		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						SIGN UP NOW\n					</a>\n		ENE provides conservation services for the residential customers of our partnering utilities. Our highly trained and experienced Residential Energy Advisors can examine your home and identify heating, lighting, and weatherization opportunities to be more efficient and save money on your utility bills.<p>You’ll receive a report that outlines the best steps to take in order to improve your home’s energy usage along with how much each step could potentially save you on energy costs in the future. Complimentary energy saving materials, such as LED light bulbs and efficient power strips, will be provided during the course of the assessment as well.</p><p>Participating residential customers can request a Home Energy Assessment, or receive information about rebates and incentives offered by their utility by calling ENE’s energy hotline.</p>RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT<p>The Energy Advisor will evaluate a broad range of energy saving opportunities in the home, including:</p>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Insulation\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Appliances\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Heating/cooling Windows and door weather-stripping \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Water heating Efficient lighting \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Window and door replacement\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Preparing for Your Energy Assessment</h2>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Make a list of concerns you have about your home, such as drafty rooms, old heating equipment, or high bills.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Also, please provide 12 Months of Heating Fuel usage (Oil, Propane, Gas, Wood, etc.) information to the Energy Advisor. If you do not have fuel usage information, please make our Advisor aware of this at the time of your assessment.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										If you have pets, kindly secure them. Please ensure full access to the home with clear access to the attic and basement, and if available a stable ladder.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Should you have any questions or concerns, please call the Energy New England Hotline at: <b>888-772-4242</b> or if you prefer email, <u>solutions@ene.org</u>.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Call 888-772-4242 to schedule your appointment today.​</h2>		\n		<p>For more information about how Energy New England can help you, please call <strong>508-698-1208 </strong>or email us at <strong>solutions@ene.org</strong>.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','ENERGY ASSESSMENT','','inherit','closed','closed','','14-revision-v1','','','2018-07-11 18:05:53','2018-07-11 18:05:53','',14,'http://ev.ene.org/14-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1971,2,'2018-07-11 18:06:26','2018-07-11 18:06:26','<h2>Home Energy Assessment</h2>		\n		<p>Uncover savings by having a <strong>free</strong> assessment of your home\'s energy use.</p>		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						SIGN UP NOW\n					</a>\n		ENE provides conservation services for the residential customers of our partnering utilities. Our highly trained and experienced Residential Energy Advisors can examine your home and identify heating, lighting, and weatherization opportunities to be more efficient and save money on your utility bills.<p>You’ll receive a report that outlines the best steps to take in order to improve your home’s energy usage along with how much each step could potentially save you on energy costs in the future. Complimentary energy saving materials, such as LED light bulbs and efficient power strips, will be provided during the course of the assessment as well.</p><p>Participating residential customers can request a Home Energy Assessment, or receive information about rebates and incentives offered by their utility by calling ENE’s energy hotline.</p>RESIDENTIAL ENERGY ASSESSMENT<p>The Energy Advisor will evaluate a broad range of energy saving opportunities in the home, including:</p>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Insulation\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Appliances\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										 Heating/cooling Windows and door weather-stripping \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Water heating Efficient lighting \n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Window and door replacement\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Preparing for Your Energy Assessment</h2>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										Make a list of concerns you have about your home, such as drafty rooms, old heating equipment, or high bills.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Also, please provide 12 Months of Heating Fuel usage (Oil, Propane, Gas, Wood, etc.) information to the Energy Advisor. If you do not have fuel usage information, please make our Advisor aware of this at the time of your assessment.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										If you have pets, kindly secure them. Please ensure full access to the home with clear access to the attic and basement, and if available a stable ladder.\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										Should you have any questions or concerns, please call the Energy New England Hotline at: <b>888-772-4242</b> or if you prefer email, <u>solutions@ene.org</u>.\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h2>Call 888-772-4242 to schedule your appointment today.​</h2>		\n		<p>For more information about how Energy New England can help you, please call <strong>508-698-1208 </strong>or email us at <strong>solutions@ene.org</strong>.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','ENERGY ASSESSMENT','','inherit','closed','closed','','14-revision-v1','','','2018-07-11 18:06:26','2018-07-11 18:06:26','',14,'http://ev.ene.org/14-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1972,2,'2018-07-12 18:22:22','2018-07-12 18:22:22','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">					Your Local Utility\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://www.energyfederation.org/consumer\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-12 18:22:22','2018-07-12 18:22:22','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1978,2,'2018-07-16 19:45:16','2018-07-16 19:45:16','<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - website','','inherit','closed','closed','','1056-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 19:45:16','2018-07-16 19:45:16','',1056,'http://ev.ene.org/1056-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1992,2,'2018-07-16 20:47:51','2018-07-16 20:47:51','<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - phone #s','','publish','closed','closed','','footer-phone-s','','','2018-11-13 19:10:56','2018-11-13 19:10:56','',0,'http://ev.ene.org/?elementor_library=footer-phone-s',0,'elementor_library','',0),(1993,2,'2018-07-16 20:47:52','2018-07-16 20:47:52','','footer - phone #s','','inherit','closed','closed','','1992-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:47:52','2018-07-16 20:47:52','',1992,'http://ev.ene.org/1992-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1994,2,'2018-07-16 20:47:52','2018-07-16 20:47:52','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - phone #s','','inherit','closed','closed','','1992-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:47:52','2018-07-16 20:47:52','',1992,'http://ev.ene.org/1992-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(1999,2,'2018-07-16 20:49:47','2018-07-16 20:49:47','<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>','footer - phone #s','','inherit','closed','closed','','1992-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:49:47','2018-07-16 20:49:47','',1992,'http://ev.ene.org/1992-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2001,2,'2018-07-16 20:50:36','2018-07-16 20:50:36','<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','footer - social media','','publish','closed','closed','','footer-social-media-2','','','2018-11-15 21:27:36','2018-11-15 21:27:36','',0,'http://ev.ene.org/?elementor_library=footer-social-media-2',0,'elementor_library','',0),(2002,2,'2018-07-16 20:50:36','2018-07-16 20:50:36','','footer - social media','','inherit','closed','closed','','2001-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:50:36','2018-07-16 20:50:36','',2001,'http://ev.ene.org/2001-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2003,2,'2018-07-16 20:50:36','2018-07-16 20:50:36','<ul>\n				<li title=\"Edit Widget\">\n					Edit Widget\n				</li>\n									<li title=\"Duplicate Widget\">\n						Duplicate Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Save Widget\">\n						Save Widget\n					</li>\n									<li title=\"Remove Widget\">\n						Remove Widget\n					</li>\n							</ul>\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','footer - social media','','inherit','closed','closed','','2001-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:50:36','2018-07-16 20:50:36','',2001,'http://ev.ene.org/2001-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2008,2,'2018-07-16 20:51:12','2018-07-16 20:51:12','<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','footer - social media','','inherit','closed','closed','','2001-revision-v1','','','2018-07-16 20:51:12','2018-07-16 20:51:12','',2001,'http://ev.ene.org/2001-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2013,4,'2018-07-23 19:17:22','2018-07-23 19:17:22','<h2>Buying Guide</h2>		\n			<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/buying-guide/electric-car-basics/\" role=\"button\">\n						Electric Car Basics\n					</a>\n			<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/compare-cars/\" role=\"button\">\n						Compare Cars\n					</a>\n			<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/rebates-incentives-vehicles/\" role=\"button\">\n						Rebates & Incentives (Vehicles)\n					</a>\n			<h2>Rebates and Incentives (Vehicles)</h2>		\n		<h1 style=\"font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-style: normal;\">GET A CHECK FOR UP TO $1,500!</h1><p><strong>Massachusetts State Rebate. </strong>The Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOR-EV) Program helps residents save money on the cost of the purchase or lease of a qualifying EV. Rebates of up to $1,500 depend on type of plug-in electric vehicle (BEV or PHEV) and its total purchase price. You can apply for the MOR-EV rebate as soon as you get your car, and rebate are typically issued within 75 days. Visit the <a href=\"https://mor-ev.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">MOR-EV website</a> to learn more fill out your application.</p><h1 style=\"font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-style: normal;\">GET A UP TO $7,500 BACK ON TAXES!!</h1><p><strong>Federal EV Tax Credit</strong>. A federal EV tax credit may reduce your net cost to buy or lease an electric vehicle by as much as an additional $7,500. Note that the federal EV tax credit is calculated as part of your tax return filing for the year of purchase and therefore is received by you typically between Feb – April of the following year as part of any tax refund you would receive. For leased vehicles, the credit is taken by the leasing company and a portion of it passed on to the consumer as a lease cost reduction.</p><p>As a non-refundable type of tax credit, like a home mortgage interest deduction, eligibility is based on your annual tax liability, and you can’t roll over the credit to subsequent years. The total amount of the credit is also based on the battery size of the vehicle, so some plug-in hybrid electric vehicles may only qualify for a partial credit amount.</p><p>The credit also phases out per manufacturer after 200,000 vehicles are sold, so it’s important to verify the brand you choose to buy is still eligible. Check on the status of the federal EV tax credit phase out by manufacturer here: <a href=\"https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/taxevb.shtml</a></p><p>For more information, refer to the official IRS website EV tax credit page: <a href=\"https://www.irs.gov/businesses/plug-in-electric-vehicle-credit-irc-30-and-irc-30d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https://www.irs.gov/businesses/plug-in-electric-vehicle-credit-irc-30-and-irc-30d</a>. For definitive information on your federal electric car tax credit eligibility, consult with a qualified tax adviser.</p><h1 style=\"font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-style: normal;\">GET THOUSAND$ MORE IN DISCOUNTS.</h1><p><strong>Local group buy and dealer incentive programs. </strong>There are additional local incentives that can lower the monthly payment costs even further, sometimes to under $200 a month and with no money down. In some cases, combined incentives can mean up to $15,000 off MSRP! One of the most popular local programs is <a href=\"https://www.greenenergyconsumers.org/drivegreen\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Drive Green</a> brought to you by Green Energy Consumer Alliance. To learn more about how to take advantage of each of these rebates, incentives and special offers, <a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/contact/\">contact us</a>.</p><p style=\"text-align: center;\">Find local dealer discount programs for electric vehicles. </p>		\n			<a href=\"https://info.greenenergyconsumers.org/middleton-drive-green\" target=\"_blank\" role=\"button\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n						VISIT DRIVE GREEN\n					</a>\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										5 Hampshire St., Suite 100</br>Mansfield, MA 02048\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/why-drive-electric\">					Why Drive Electric\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/buying-guide/\">					Buying Guide\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/test-drive/\">					Test Drive\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/charging-guide/\">					Charging Guide\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/blog/\">					Blog\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://hmlp-ev.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/pages/biz/Braintree-Drives-Electric-453486135029464/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n					Facebook\n				</a>\n							<a href=\"https://twitter.com/BraintreeEV\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n					Twitter\n				</a>\n							<a href=\"https://www.instagram.com/braintreedriveselectric/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n					Instagram\n				</a>','Rebates & Incentives (Vehicles)','','publish','closed','closed','','rebates-incentives-vehicles','','','2019-05-01 20:56:28','2019-05-01 20:56:28','',16,'http://ev.ene.org/?page_id=2013',2,'page','',0),(2015,2,'2018-07-17 20:19:43','2018-07-17 20:19:43','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:19:43','2018-07-17 20:19:43','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2016,2,'2018-07-17 20:22:44','2018-07-17 20:22:44','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n							<a href=\"https://snuggpro.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n							<a href=\"http://www.healthyhomesenergy.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n							<a href=\"https://www.flir.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:22:44','2018-07-17 20:22:44','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2017,2,'2018-07-17 20:27:18','2018-07-17 20:27:18','<h2>Learn to make the most of your energy investment.</h2>		\n		Schedule your home energy assessment today.		\n			<a href=\"#\" role=\"button\">\n						GET STARTED\n					</a>\n			<h2>Let us help you navigate your energy future.</h2>		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_hea-clipboard-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENT</a></h3>		\n		Schedule a home energy assessment with one of our experienced advisors. You will  get expert advice and learn more about the energy efficiency improvements you can make to your home. Understand the common sources of energy waste in your home that have a negative impact on both the comfort of your living space and your wallet. 		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_-recommedations-like-1.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">RECOMMENDATIONS</a></h3>		\n		Want to learn more about recommendations made in your Home Energy Assessment? Your path to energy efficiency starts here. Find out what options you have and where to begin the process of making your home more efficient.		\n											<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\" data-elementor-open-lightbox=\"\">\n							<img width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map-150x150.png 150w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ene-icons_towns-map.png 201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" />								</a>\n			<h3><a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/your-local-utility/\">YOUR LOCAL UTILITY</a></h3>		\n		Energy New England is proud to provide Energy Efficiency services for 20 municipal light plants in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Many local utilities offer rebates on Energy Star<sup>®</sup> appliances, thermostats and weatherization. Discover the incentives available meant to assist you in your energy efficiency upgrades. In addition, see if your local utility offers other savings programs that may be right for you.		\n			<h4>Our Partners</h4>		\n			<h5>Helping to ensure an energy efficient future. </h5>		\n							<a href=\"https://snuggpro.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n							<a href=\"http://www.healthyhomesenergy.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n							<a href=\"https://www.flir.com/\">		\n		</a>						\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','HOME','','inherit','closed','closed','','10-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:27:18','2018-07-17 20:27:18','',10,'http://ev.ene.org/10-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2018,4,'2018-07-17 20:30:58','2018-07-17 20:30:58','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Laundry<br />Dishwasher<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p>		\n			<h1>Air-Sealing Priorities</h1>		\n		<p>Identify the most important leaks first; sealing them makes the biggest difference in comfort and energy. The priorities are big leaks, and leaks at higher pressures. Air movement and leakage areas are not always intuitively clear, but remember that air does not move through most solid objects (concrete block and masonry in general are notable exceptions). Air leaks mostly through connections and spaces between building materials.</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities-ns2bd5bbnjqsuflckv6psa9s5ybrx2wiwjvx5h3jpe.png\" title=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" alt=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" />											\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:30:58','2018-07-17 20:30:58','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2019,4,'2018-07-17 20:41:52','2018-07-17 20:41:52','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />    Laundry<br />    Dishwasher<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		<p style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;\">Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back</p><p style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; line-height: normal; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;\">when temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative</p><p>humidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.</p>		\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:41:52','2018-07-17 20:41:52','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2020,4,'2018-07-17 20:41:53','2018-07-17 20:41:53','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />    Laundry<br />    Dishwasher<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-17 20:41:53','2018-07-17 20:41:53','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2022,4,'2018-07-23 19:19:08','2018-07-23 19:19:08','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:19:08','2018-07-23 19:19:08','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2023,4,'2018-07-23 19:19:09','2018-07-23 19:19:09','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:19:09','2018-07-23 19:19:09','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2024,4,'2018-07-23 19:22:22','2018-07-23 19:22:22','<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>','Anchor Navigation','','publish','closed','closed','','anchor-navigation','','','2018-07-23 19:48:27','2018-07-23 19:48:27','',0,'http://ev.ene.org/?elementor_library=anchor-navigation',0,'elementor_library','',0),(2025,4,'2018-07-23 19:22:22','2018-07-23 19:22:22','','Anchor Navigation','','inherit','closed','closed','','2024-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:22:22','2018-07-23 19:22:22','',2024,'http://ev.ene.org/2024-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2026,4,'2018-07-23 19:22:23','2018-07-23 19:22:23','<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>','Anchor Navigation','','inherit','closed','closed','','2024-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:22:23','2018-07-23 19:22:23','',2024,'http://ev.ene.org/2024-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2027,4,'2018-07-23 19:24:27','2018-07-23 19:24:27','<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>','Anchor Navigation','','inherit','closed','closed','','2024-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:24:27','2018-07-23 19:24:27','',2024,'http://ev.ene.org/2024-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2028,4,'2018-07-23 19:24:28','2018-07-23 19:24:28','<h2><p>Air-Sealing Priorities</p></h2>		\n		Almost every house has a large number of hidden air leaks that rob it of heating and cooling energy. Although sealing these leaks is not the easiest job, it is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to increase your home’s energy efficiency. You’ll want to do this before adding any insulation, as fixing the leaks is much more difficult once extra insulation is installed. In addition to saving energy and making your home more comfortable, sealing air leaks also reduces ice dams and freezing pipes, and helps control moisture movement that can contribute to mold and structural damage. People often think that windows and doors are the source of most air leakage in a house, but the largest leaks are almost always hidden in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and other unexpected places.<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>		\n			<h1>Air-Sealing Priorities</h1>		\n		<p>Identify the most important leaks first; sealing them makes the biggest difference in comfort and energy. The priorities are big leaks, and leaks at higher pressures. Air movement and leakage areas are not always intuitively clear, but remember that air does not move through most solid objects (concrete block and masonry in general are notable exceptions). Air leaks mostly through connections and spaces between building materials.</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities-ns2bd5bbnjqsuflckv6psa9s5ybrx2wiwjvx5h3jpe.png\" title=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" alt=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" />											\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','AIR SEALING','','inherit','closed','closed','','44-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:24:28','2018-07-23 19:24:28','',44,'http://ev.ene.org/44-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2029,4,'2018-07-23 19:29:56','2018-07-23 19:29:56','<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>','Anchor Navigation','','inherit','closed','closed','','2024-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:29:56','2018-07-23 19:29:56','',2024,'http://ev.ene.org/2024-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2030,4,'2018-07-23 19:29:58','2018-07-23 19:29:58','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:29:58','2018-07-23 19:29:58','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2031,4,'2018-07-23 19:30:35','2018-07-23 19:30:35','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p>Reducing Run Time<br />Improving Efficiency<br />Buying Appliances<br />Smart Shopping for New Appliances</p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a>\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:30:35','2018-07-23 19:30:35','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2033,4,'2018-07-23 19:34:08','2018-07-23 19:34:08','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:34:08','2018-07-23 19:34:08','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2034,4,'2018-07-23 19:39:01','2018-07-23 19:39:01','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:39:01','2018-07-23 19:39:01','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2036,4,'2018-07-23 19:48:27','2018-07-23 19:48:27','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:48:27','2018-07-23 19:48:27','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2038,4,'2018-07-23 19:54:08','2018-07-23 19:54:08','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:54:08','2018-07-23 19:54:08','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2039,4,'2018-07-23 19:54:41','2018-07-23 19:54:41','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:54:41','2018-07-23 19:54:41','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2040,4,'2018-07-23 19:56:24','2018-07-23 19:56:24','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:56:24','2018-07-23 19:56:24','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2041,4,'2018-07-23 19:59:12','2018-07-23 19:59:12','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 19:59:12','2018-07-23 19:59:12','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2042,4,'2018-07-23 20:01:17','2018-07-23 20:01:17','<h2><p>Appliances</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<p>Smart shopping for new appliances</p>		\n		Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.\nIn most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators\nmust save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:01:17','2018-07-23 20:01:17','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2044,4,'2018-07-23 20:06:28','2018-07-23 20:06:28','<h2><p>Appliances & Lighting</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a></p>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<p>Smart shopping for new appliances</p>		\n		Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.\nIn most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators\nmust save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:06:28','2018-07-23 20:06:28','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2045,4,'2018-07-23 20:13:38','2018-07-23 20:13:38','<h2><p>Appliances & Lighting</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor05\">Lighting</a>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<h1>Smart Shopping for New Appliances</h1>		\n		<p>Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.<br />In most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators<br />must save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:13:38','2018-07-23 20:13:38','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2046,4,'2018-07-23 20:14:26','2018-07-23 20:14:26','<h2><p>Appliances & Lighting</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor05\">Lighting</a>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<h1>Smart Shopping for New Appliances</h1>		\n		<p>Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.<br />In most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators<br />must save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.</p>		\n			<h1>Lighting</h1>		\n		<p>Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.<br />In most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators<br />must save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:14:26','2018-07-23 20:14:26','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2047,4,'2018-07-23 20:18:00','2018-07-23 20:18:00','<h2><p>Appliances & Lighting</p></h2>		\n		<p>You can use three basic approaches to reduce your appliances’ energy usage: Reduce the run time of appliances, improve the energy efficiency of your existing appliances, and buy new appliances that are more energy efficient.</p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Reducing Run Time</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Improving Efficiency</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Buying Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">Smart Shopping for New Appliances</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor05\">Lighting</a>		\n			<h1>Reducing Run Time</h1>		\n		Reducing appliance run time may be as simple as turning things off when you don’t need them. Some big users, such as a pool pump or dehumidifier, may run part- or full-time in the background, where you are not aware of them. In some cases, it may be possible to add a simple control to turn the appliance on only when it is needed or adjust an existing control to cut the usage without sacrificing utility. For example, many pool pumps are controlled by a timer to run between 8 and 12 hours per day. But proper filtration and circulation often only takes 4 to 8 hours. It’s easy to cut the daily run time to 4 hours for a week or two. If the water starts to get cloudy, increase the run time a bit until it clears; if not, cut it even further until you find an equilibrium. It may need more run time in hot weather; but make sure to cut back\nwhen temperatures are more moderate. If you have a heated pool, an insulated cover can save even more—provided you close it when the pool is unoccupied. To reduce the operating time for a dehumidifier, monitor the humidity level in the air and don’t run it more than necessary. Indoor relative\nhumidity should be kept between 30 percent and 50 percent for optimum health, so get a humidity gauge and adjust the dehumidifier to the upper end of that range.\n			<h1>Improving Efficiency</h1>		\n		It’s also possible to improve the efficiency of some appliances. Efficiency can often be increased by simple maintenance or by choosing the proper settings when using appliances.\nRefrigeration The refrigerator is typically the biggest electricity user in the kitchen and is often the largest in the house. If your refrigerator is getting old, it’s probably worth replacing it with a new Energy Star model. New, efficient refrigerators use less than half the energy of standard models before 1993. If you are lucky enough to have a refrigerator that dates back to the 1970s or early 1980s and it still runs, take it\nto the recycle center. Even if it’s the spare in the basement or garage, the energy savings will pay\nfor a brand-new unit in just a few years. And buy the smallest, simplest fridge that will meet your\nneeds; large Energy Star models use more electricity than smaller ones; through-door ice and\nwater also use energy.\n To keep any refrigerator running right, ensure adequate air circulation around the unit. Keep it a few inches away from the wall, and don’t box it in with cabinets. It’s a good idea to vacuum the grill periodically, but there is no evidence that vacuuming dust off the coils inside actually saves electricity. Make sure the door seals are tight, keep the unit away from heat sources (don’t put it next\nto the stove or dishwasher) and check the temperature setting. The refrigerator compartments\nshould stay between 38°F and 42°F, and the freezer between 0°F and 5°F. If you have a power-saving switch, use it. Typically, the switch disables internal heaters that fight condensation; turn it off only if condensation occurs. Finally, keep refrigerators and freezers reasonably full; they are less efficient when they are nearly empty. Even more important, avoid the temptation to keep the old fridge in the garage\nor basement for overflow (or the odd six-pack). Buying a new, highly efficient refrigerator won’t save any energy if you keep the old one running!\nIt’s a common mistake to assume that if the fridge is only keeping a few items cold it’s not working very hard. A refrigerator uses most of its energy keeping the inside of the box cold—even if it’s completely empty. If you can’t do without it, unplug the spare until you need it to stock up for that holiday gathering. One more buying tip: A manual-defrost chest freezer uses far less energy than an upright, auto-defrost\nunit. Modern, airtight chest freezers rarely need defrosting, and are less likely to damage food\nwith freezer burn.\n			<h1>Buying Appliances</h1>		\n			<p>Laundry</p>		\n		Washing clothes uses energy in three ways: Washers and dryers have motors that move clothes and water; washers use hot water, which is heated with gas or electricity; and dryers heat clothes to dry them out. When you do a load of laundry, pay attention to the washer settings. Always use a cold-water rinse, and use a warm or cold wash for loads when you can. A warm/ cold cycle uses about half as much total energy as a hot/cold cycle. Also, pay attention to the size of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\n For dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line. \n			<p>Dishwasher</p>		\n		You can minimize dishwasher energy by paying attention to the settings. Don’t use the “Heavy” or “Pots and Pans” cycle unless you really need to. A fast scraping or rinsing of dishes (especially starchy stuff) does help the dishwasher do a better job, so you can use the “Light” setting. But always use cold water for pre-rinsing. Use a premium dishwasher detergent, and let the dishwasher do the job it’s designed for: cutting grease. Wait until the machine is full before using it: It uses the same amount of energy whether you wash one dish or thirty. Many new dishwashers have sensors that stop the machine as particulates in the water clear (indicating that the dishes are clean). If you don’t have to take the dishes out right away, you can run the machine with the “Air-Dry” setting (sometimes called “Energy Saver”).\nIt’s okay to use the dishwasher: In fact, research shows that even careful hand washing uses more hot water and soap than a modern dishwasher. And today’s very efficient dishwashers are reasonably priced—there are Energy Star–rated dishwashers at every point in the price spectrum.\nsize of the load; fill, but don’t overload, the machine for best efficiency. If you do run a smaller load, set the wash level appropriately. The settings on your washer also affect drying time. Use the fastest spin setting whenever you can, to remove the most water.\nFor dryer efficiency, keep the lint filter clean, and check the outlet periodically for lint that may be clogging the vent. If your dryer hose is kinked, twisted, or too long, replace it with as short and direct a run as possible, preferably with a straight sheet-metal duct instead of a flexible vinyl or aluminum duct. Try to run several loads in succession to take advantage of retained heat, and fill, but don’t overload, the machine. Of course, if the weather’s good, you can also dry clothes outside on a line.		\n			<h1>Smart Shopping for New Appliances</h1>		\n		<p>Minimum efficiency regulations for new appliances have increased over the years, so even the least-efficient new models typically use much less energy than appliances that are 10 or more years old.<br />In most cases, it’s not cost-effective to go out and buy new, energy-efficient products just to save energy. Two exceptions to this rule are older refrigerators and dehumidifiers. For other appliances, look for the most efficient products available when you do go shopping—and always choose an Energy Star–labeled appliance at a minimum. It’s worth some research in advance; even within the Energy Star labeling program, there can be a wide range of efficiency. For example, to get an Energy Star label, refrigerators<br />must save at least 20 percent over federal standards, but some models save over 50 percent. Also, minimum requirements vary with features: A side-by-side model with through-door ice can use almost 50 percent more than a top-freezer model without ice—even though both are Energy Star rated. Listings of efficiency levels by model number for most Energy Star products are available at www.energystar.gov/products.</p>		\n			<h1>Lighting</h1>		\n		There are two basic approaches to making the lights in your home more efficient: eliminate unnecessary usage and use the most efficient products available. Many of us heard the message “turn off lights when you’re not using them” while we were growing up. Of course, how much light you need is a matter of eyesight and personal taste. Turning off a light isn’t always a practical solution, except when you leave the\nroom—then there’s no excuse. One of the best ways to eliminate unnecessary light usage is with controls. Regularly used indoor lights can be put on timers or occupancy sensors so they aren’t left on for hours when no one is using them. Exterior walkway and security lighting can be put on a combination of\ntimers, motion sensors, or photocell controls to minimize their use while ensuring that they are\non whenever needed.\n			<p>LED Lighting</p>		\n		<p>LED lighting technology is developing rapidly. In just a few years, a number of good-quality LEDs have become available (though they are still expensive). The products will keep getting better, and prices will continue to drop, over the next few years at least. LEDs are fundamentally different than other light sources. An LED is a semiconductor—basically, a tiny computer chip—that generates light. LEDs have been around for decades in electronic equipment displays and status lights, but by nature a single LED generates a focused point-source of light in a single, saturated color such as red, yellow, or blue. Getting an LED to look like an incandescent bulb is a challenge; most manufacturers combine many LEDs of different colors to approximate warm, yellow-white light and to disperse the light in a useful pattern.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Appliances','','inherit','closed','closed','','2013-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:18:00','2018-07-23 20:18:00','',2013,'http://ev.ene.org/2013-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2048,4,'2018-07-23 20:22:17','2018-07-23 20:22:17','<h2><p>Air-Conditioning</p></h2>		\n		Almost every house has a large number of hidden air leaks that rob it of heating and cooling energy. Although sealing these leaks is not the easiest job, it is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to increase your home’s energy efficiency. You’ll want to do this before adding any insulation, as fixing the leaks is much more difficult once extra insulation is installed. In addition to saving energy and making your home more comfortable, sealing air leaks also reduces ice dams and freezing pipes, and helps control moisture movement that can contribute to mold and structural damage. People often think that windows and doors are the source of most air leakage in a house, but the largest leaks are almost always hidden in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and other unexpected places.<p><a href=\"#anchor01\">Air-Sealing Priorities</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor02\">Attic Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor03\">Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor04\">Sidewall Air-Sealing</a></p>\n<p><a href=\"#anchor05\">Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</a></p>		\n			<h1>Air-Sealing Priorities</h1>		\n		<p>Identify the most important leaks first; sealing them makes the biggest difference in comfort and energy. The priorities are big leaks, and leaks at higher pressures. Air movement and leakage areas are not always intuitively clear, but remember that air does not move through most solid objects (concrete block and masonry in general are notable exceptions). Air leaks mostly through connections and spaces between building materials.</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities-ns2bd5bbnjqsuflckv6psa9s5ybrx2wiwjvx5h3jpe.png\" title=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" alt=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" />											\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Cooling and Heating','','inherit','closed','closed','','48-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:22:17','2018-07-23 20:22:17','',48,'http://ev.ene.org/48-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(2050,4,'2018-07-23 20:25:23','2018-07-23 20:25:23','<h2><p>Air-Conditioning</p></h2>		\n		<a href=\"#anchor01\">Cooling Basics</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor02\">Reducing Loads</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor03\">Maintenance And Upgrades</a>\n<a href=\"#anchor04\">New Air-Conditioning Systems</a>\n			<h1>Air-Sealing Priorities</h1>		\n		<p>Identify the most important leaks first; sealing them makes the biggest difference in comfort and energy. The priorities are big leaks, and leaks at higher pressures. Air movement and leakage areas are not always intuitively clear, but remember that air does not move through most solid objects (concrete block and masonry in general are notable exceptions). Air leaks mostly through connections and spaces between building materials.</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities-ns2bd5bbnjqsuflckv6psa9s5ybrx2wiwjvx5h3jpe.png\" title=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" alt=\"air-sealing_Air-Sealing-Priorities\" />											\n			<p>Seal the high and low leaks</p>		\n		<p>The greatest pressure differences are those at the highest and lowest points in your house, and your top priority should always be the attic. Doing a complete job of sealing leaks between the house and the attic will help stop cold winter air from seeping in at the bottom of the house.</p><p>Sealing the attic also helps keep out moisture, reduce ice dams, and prevent hot air from leaking in from the attic or roof in the summer.</p><p>Once you have sealed the attic, the next priority is the basement, crawlspace, or slab—the home’s foundation. Sealing leaks there will help prevent cold air from coming in during the winter and cool air from escaping during the summer. Then you can look for significant leaks in other parts of the house.</p>		\n			<h1>Attic Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>When walking around your house, you’re likely to see only the plaster or drywall. What you don’t see are all the connections where building materials meet (or don’t meet). The biggest leaks are hidden behind the walls, where you can’t see them. The key to air-sealing an attic is to block off the large openings and seal the smaller ones as completely as possible—from one end of the attic to the other. (Note: You might skip the air-sealing if there are lots of complicated leaks as well as leaky ductwork in the attic, or if the attic is a space you plan to convert to finished space in the future. If that’s the case, consider sealing and insulating the roof instead with sprayed urethane foam.)</p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n		<p><b>Attic Bypasses</b></p><p>Although there are many variations, here are some common attic bypass situations:</p><ol><li>Dropped, or soffited, ceilings are common in kitchens above cabinets, in bathrooms over showers or vanities, and sometimes over stairways (see photo B).</li><li>Plumbing chases (see photo B) can be much larger than the pipes that run through them.</li><li>Chimney chases often run all the way to the basement of a house (see photo A).</li><li>Tri-level homes often have open cavities that extend from the lower level into the attic, along the wall between the levels. These stud spaces are bypasses, as are the large openings that may occur near the stairs (see photo C).</li><li>Older homes and rowhouses with brick exteriors may have wood furring strips that extend from the attic to the basement. Walls above pocket doors may also have gaps, which open into the channel in which the door slides.</li></ol>		\n			<p>Through-framing into attics</p>		\n		<p>Now that you are thoroughly familiar with your attic, you should have an idea of where the big holes are located. These holes typically occur wherever framing members, such as wall studs or floor joists, run from the conditioned space to the attic space. These bypasses require a little more thought to seal properly, and they are often the largest and most important leaks. </p>		\n										<img src=\"/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/air-sealing_attic-details-ns2biqgsa3e5uzh5ya4vlvifaesbob3307htuotaws.png\" title=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" alt=\"air-sealing_attic-details\" />											\n			<p>Recessed lights</p>		\n		<p>Recessed “can” light fixtures installed in an insulated ceiling are often big air leaks. Most common styles are full of holes to vent the fixture so it doesn’t get too hot. Also, an older unit can’t have insulation above, or within 3 in. of any part of the fixture, so each one represents a big “hole” for both air and heat flow. If you have a lot of them, the result can be an energy disaster. The best approach is to replace them with airtight fixtures that are rated for insulation contact, or “IC.” The IC rating allows insulation to surround and cover the light fixture. Not all IC-rated fixtures are airtight (AT), but building codes in most states require airtight IC fixtures, so they are easy to find.</p>		\n			<p>Other special situations\n</p>		\n		<p>Attic air-sealing is complicated by the fact that there are so many types of houses, but there are some fairly common situations. First, don’t miss hidden attic areas. Sometimes an addition, dormer, or ell may have a separate attic that you can’t see, because the new roof was built right over the first roof.<br>Suspended ceilings can hide tremendous leakage areas, particularly if they have attic spaces above. In older houses, such ceilings are often installed to hide deteriorating plaster. There may be large holes in the ceiling or high on the walls that are hidden by the dropped ceiling.</p><p>Sometimes a suspended ceiling hides open framing that is insulated with only faced fiberglass batts. This is a huge air leak: neither the insulation nor the suspended ceiling is an air barrier. It’s best to remove the suspended ceiling and install new drywall.</p><p>Another potential air-leakage disaster is a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling. Whether the ceiling is flat or cathedral, if there is no air barrier behind the planks (which is typical), the hundreds of lineal feet of cracks in even a small room can add up to a big leak.</p><p>Occasionally, air leaks occur in places that are virtually impossible to reach. If your house has a lot of cathedral-ceiling areas, you may have many plumbing vents and wiring holes that lead from partition-wall cavities up into the roof. These provide a path for warm humid air to escape in winter and for hot attic air to leak into interior walls in summer. Unless you are planning to re-roof or to gut those partitions in a remodel, your most likely options involve dense-packed cellulose insulation or two-part foam.</p>		\n			<h1>Basement/Crawlspace Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		After the attic, the basement or crawlspace is the next most important area to seal for several reasons. Like the top of a home, the bottom typically has the largest air pressure pushing air in or out of the house, so sealing those leaks results in larger energy savings. Second, though often smaller than attic leaks, basement and crawlspace leaks tend to be larger than those in exterior walls. More important, in most climates, air leaks in from the bottom in cool or cold weather. This leaking air can carry radon gas, mold spores, gases from pesticide treatments, water vapor, and any other subsoil nasties that may become airborne. Sealing leaks at the lowest level of your home helps prevent these undesirable elements from entering your home. Finally, most pipe-freezing problems result from cold air leaking in around the sills, where the pipes are often located.		\n			<p>Basement walls</p>		\n		<p>Generally, consider it most effective to create a good air barrier between the basement and the outdoors by sealing the walls. This is typically true even if you intend to insulate the floor over the basement. There are four common leakage areas in basement walls: service penetrations, stepped-wall transitions, bulkhead doors, and the sill/band joist area.</p><p><b>Service penetrations</b> Every home has basic service penetrations, such as those for electricity, telephone, plumbing, fuel lines, and cable TV. Often, these penetrations are made in the band-joist area, also called the box sill or ribbon joist in conventionally framed houses (in older homes, this may be one large sill beam). Sometimes penetrations come through the foundation (especially plumbing drains, which are always below grade).</p><p><b>Stepped foundation</b> walls are often built on hillsides in cold climates. The vertical parts of the steps are often particularly leaky.</p><p><b>Bulkhead doors </b>Another common source of basement leakage is the bulkhead door. Bulkheads are designed to keep out rain but not to stop air. If your basement is unfinished, the best way to deal with this is to install a new exterior door at the foundation wall inside the bulkhead.</p><p><b>Sills and band joists</b> The tops of foundation walls are often far from flat. The gaps may be small, but spread around the perimeter of a home, they really add up. Even recently built homes that have a foam sill sealer between the sill and the concrete may leak a lot of cold air there.</p>		\n			<p>Pro Tip</p>		\n		If you want to use your basement as living space, you should plan to completely air-seal and insulate the exterior basement walls.		\n			<p>Safety First</p>		\n		<p>Although air-sealing a home can theoretically increase radon levels, it is unlikely. Sealing leaks and slowing the stack effect is more likely to reduce the amount of soil gas— including radon—that is pulled into the house from underground. The only way to tell whether you have dangerous radon levels is to test your home. Because of the potential health risks, it is a good idea to test for radon whether or not you do air-sealing. If elevated radon levels are confirmed by at least two tests, find a certified professional to install a mitigation system. See <u>www.epa.gov/radon</u> for more information.</p>		\n							<figure>\n										<img width=\"934\" height=\"1120\" src=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test.jpg 934w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-250x300.jpg 250w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-768x921.jpg 768w, /wp-content/uploads/2018/06/blower-door-test-854x1024.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" />											<figcaption>A blower door is used to measure how airtight a house is. It’s also useful in helping identify where the air leaks are.</figcaption>\n										</figure>\n			<p>Blower-door testing</p>		\n		<p>Air-sealing is a job that requires much more labor than material, which often suggests a do-it-yourself approach. However, air-sealing does require attention to detail and (in many homes) a willingness to squeeze into difficult places. If these qualities don’t describe you, it may be worth hiring a building-performance professional. Experienced professionals use a blower door to help find air leaks and measure the tightness of the building. The fan blows air into (or out of) the house, measuring how well the building enclosure contains pressure. This can be very handy, especially in a house with complex air-leakage paths.</p>\n<p>It’s also good to keep the big picture in mind: If you are planning on renovating or adding onto your house, you will have a unique opportunity to seal leaks while the building is opened up. It may not make sense to manually seal leaks now that you know you will deal with them more effectively at the next stage, especially leaks that are small or hard to reach. Of course, if the next stage is a few years off, it may still be well worth hitting the big leaks at a minimum. A building performance&nbsp;professional can help you set priorities and make a long-term plan.&nbsp;</p>		\n			<p>Sealing the floor deck</p>		\n		<p>Although it is typically more difficult than sealing foundation walls, sealing the floor deck between the basement and the first floor may make sense. If you want to use the basement as living space, it’s almost always better and easier to insulate and seal the exterior basement walls. But if the house sits on an unfinished basement or vented crawlspace, you may benefit from sealing the floor from below.</p>		\n			<p>Crawlspaces</p>		\n		Crawlspaces are nothing more than short basements, usually just deep enough for the footings to be below the frost line. Unlike basements, they often have exposed dirt floors. Building code requirements for vapor retarders are typically inadequate, even when they are followed properly. Crawlspaces can be pretty nasty places; they often have inadequate drainage. Building codes that require these spaces be vented to the outdoors may make matters worse. The best treatment for a crawlspace is to include it in the conditioned space by sealing and insulating the exterior walls, just like a basement.		\n			<p>Slab-on-grade</p>		\n		<p>If your home (or part of your home) has no basement or crawlspace, it is probably a concrete slab-on-grade. Those homes are somewhat simpler to seal because there are fewer connections among building materials at the foundation. Your primary job with slab-on-grade construction is to caulk or otherwise seal the exterior walls where the house framing meets the slab.</p>		\n			<h1>Sidewall Air-Sealing</h1>		\n		<p>Exterior walls are not typically the leakiest parts of a house. Leaks occur in walls where services enter the home, where the framing of the house makes transitions, around rough openings for windows, and through and around window sashes.</p>		\n			<p>Service penetrations</p>		\n		Sealing cable, wiring, plumbing, and telephone service penetrations is fairly easy. Such openings are usually accessible from the exterior and are often small because some effort is made to weatherproof them during installation.		\n			<p>Transitions in exterior wall framing</p>		\n		One common example of a wall transition is a cantilevered floor, typically an overhang of 1 ft. to 3 ft. that is common on raised ranches and Colonial-style homes. Often, the plywood soffit at the bottom of the overhang is not sealed tightly, and air can leak through these gaps, which are easy to caulk.		\n			<h1>Weatherstripping Doors and Hatches</h1>		\n		<p>Most modern doors and windows have good weatherstripping built in, but older ones usually don’t. In addition, many homes have at least one less-finished, or even makeshift, door or hatchway as part of the thermal boundary.</p>		\n			<h4>Energy New England</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n										100 Foxborough Blvd., Suite 110 </br>Foxborough, MA 02035\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-1200\n									</li>\n								<li >\n										508-698-0222\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"mailto:solutions@ene.org​\">						\n										solutions@ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ene.org/\">						\n										www.ene.org\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>Website</h4>		\n					<ul>\n							<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/\">					Home\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/energy-assessment/\">					Energy Assessment\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/recommendations/\">					Recommendations\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/towns-we-serve/\">					Town We Serve\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/home-advisor/\">					Home Advisor\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"#\">					Shop\n											</a>\n									</li>\n								<li >\n					<a href=\"https://ee.ene.org/contact/\">					Contact\n											</a>\n									</li>\n						</ul>\n			<h4>social media</h4>		\n							<a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/company/energy-new-england/\" target=\"_blank\">\n					Linkedin\n				</a>','Cooling and Heating','','inherit','closed','closed','','48-revision-v1','','','2018-07-23 20:25:23','2018-07-23 20:25:23','',48,'http://ev.ene.org/48-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),