Published: Saturday December 29, 2007 @ 12:09 pm
Meriden Record-Journal: The heat leaking out of your house this winter probably corresponds to money leaking out of your wallet because rising energy costs make energy inefficiency all the more expensive. But some homeowners are shoring up old leaky homes to cut down on costs and local contractors are benefiting by advising clients and doing the upgrades.
It was costing Danielle Fournier $300 a month during the winter to heat her Meriden condominium, but only $70 during the warmer months when no climate control was needed. She knew her condo, built in 1978, was leaking air so she turned to Competitive Resources of Wallingford.
The workers from the company performed what it refers to as a home energy solutions check, and not only tested for energy leaks, but also fixed many of them at same time.
“There were quite a few in places you wouldn’t have suspected,” she said. Leaks in door jambs, closets, and even around the recessed lights in her kitchen were found and sealed up during the check.
“It was very helpful,” Fournier said. When her tax return arrives, she’s also planning on replacing her leaky sliding glass door with a better model. She would recommend the check to her neighbors, Fournier said.
Douglas Cahill is a spokesman for Competitive Resources, which performs its work on behalf of utility companies trying to cut down on power use. Anyone with central air or forced air heating qualifies for the free check courtesy of the energy surcharge that state law mandates on every energy bill, Cahill said.
Homes built in the last 10 to 15 years are frequently efficient already, Cahill said, but some suffer from shoddy construction. Older homes have often settled and have more cracks, and usually lack the recent improvements in construction techniques, making them bigger energy wasters.
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