If you’re concerned about fluctuating energy prices and want to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient, here are some resources to help you finance the improvements. PACE Loans One obstacle to making energy efficiency improvements is determining how to pay for them. Efficiency Maine offers a financing program that enables homeowners to borrow…
Whether you’re a renter or homeowner, you can make eco-friendly changes to your living spaces without breaking the bank or waiting for a landlord to take action. Plus, there are lots of simple, effective ways to conserve energy that don’t involve years of saving up for state-of-the-art solar panel installation. These tips can get you…
A room can feel much chillier when you’ve got a cold draft coming in from a poorly sealed window or door. Stopping up those drafts can help save energy and lower your heating bill through the winter. Here is a simple way to make your own fun, colorful draft stoppers. YOU WILL NEED an old…
Often, the most cost-effective improvements you can make to the energy-efficiency of your home are also the least expensive. The above chart is designed to help you prioritize steps and develop an action plan for energy-efficiency. A home energy audit can pinpoint where your home is losing energy, but even without doing an audit, you…
How much time do you spend in your home on an average day? Is it eight hours? 10 hours? More? Would you like your home to be as comfortable and energy efficient as possible? Then it makes sense to assess just how much energy you use—or waste—each day in powering, heating, and cooling your home.…
Thinking about building or renovating green? Wondering where to start? Maine is home to some of the nation’s leading green building experts. Whether you are looking to hire professional assistance or educate yourself, the following resources offer a road map to guide you on your way. Maine chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council Your…
By guest columnist Bill Bell Pellet heat, which costs the equivalent of #2 heating oil at $2.00 per gallon, is Maine’s logical answer to volatile oil prices. While wood pellet prices will always fluctuate somewhat, they will be far more stable—and generally much lower—than oil. In fact, one of Maine’s major pellet heating firms now…
By Lynn Ascrizzi An illuminating fact: The amount of “raw sunshine” that hits the Earth’s surface in one hour is enough to power the entire world for a year. Yet, many folks in Maine and beyond still think there’s not enough annual sunshine generated in the Northeast to make solar energy systems worthwhile. Time to…
By Lynn Ascrizzi It’s odd to think that cold, underground temperatures can generate enough warmth to heat your home in winter. But that’s exactly the idea behind a geothermal heat pump system. Below-ground temperatures in Maine stay at a constant 45 to 50 degrees F. Relatively speaking, that’s pretty warm, enough so, that a heat…
Have you ever entertained the dream of becoming a Master Gardener? The University of Maine’s Cooperative Extension offers an in-depth program that involves 40 hours of current research-based training, plus 40 hours of volunteer work, providing plant enthusiasts with a solid foundation in the art and science of horticulture. With certification, Master Gardeners are able…