Carl Larkin of Fireworks Inc. in Westminster, stokes his Quadrafire Wood stove.
Written By Barbara Pash, Photos by: Phil Grout
Jack Boglitsch hears the same question over and over.
“Customers ask how they can save money on their electricity bills,” said Boglitsch, owner of Pinnacle Electric LLC, a Westminster commercial and residential electrical contractor.
Some answers are easy and inexpensive. Others are complicated and costly. “Homeowners have to decide if they’re willing to spend the money, if over the long run the expense will be paid back,” says Boglitsch.
Sean Schmidt of Holistic Home Energy Services, in Westminster, said that homeowners appear to be increasingly proactive about energy savings. As a certified Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. (BGE) contractor, Schmidt, president of the energy audit and improvement company, does comprehensive audits, a three-hour process that results in a 30-page list of improvements.
“You have to know where your inefficiencies are in order to save on your energy bill,” says Schmidt, whose audit costs $400, of which BGE rebates $300.
Homeowners often do not do everything on Schmidt’s list, which can range from more insulation to an upgraded heating/air-conditioning system. Nonetheless, they do enough so that the average savings for the 100-plus homes he has audited over the last two years is 38 percent, he says.
There are many ways to conserve energy and reduce your electricity bill. Here is the experts’ advice:
Easy First Steps
Boglitsch, of Pinnacle Electric, can think of four free or low-cost ways to save energy:
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
- Put a timer on your electric water heater, especially if you’re not going to be home for several hours or days.
- Install a programmable thermostat for your heating/air-conditioning system.
- Replace indoor and outdoor light bulbs with LED bulbs.
Glenna Kinney, distillate general manager of the heating oil, kerosene and propane gas company Tevis Energy, Inc. in Westminster, adds to the list of ways to cut energy costs:
- Install low-flow shower heads.
- Lower the thermostat when sleeping (if you do not have a programmable thermostat).
- Regularly clean furnace filters and clothes dryer lint filters.
- Use spot heating – for example, set up a portable room heater in the den while you’re watching television.
“The best way is to use less of any energy,” she said. “For every one degree you reduce the thermostat temperature, you save 2 to 3 percent over an eight-hour period on your heating bill.”
Hidden Energy Wasters
Fred Eisenbrandt is COO of Smart Home Services, a BGE-certified contractor that specializes in energy audits and energy-efficient improvements. Eisenbrandt, whose Baltimore County location covers Carroll County, says the most common problem he encounters is under-insulated attics and crawl spaces.
Equally important, and often overlooked, is inadequate sealing around the house. Air gets in and escapes through crevices and cracks where the house meets the foundation, as well as through doors and window frames.
For insulation, Eisenbrandt uses cellulose, Fiberglas or foam. For air sealing, he uses industrial grade foam and foam board, caulk, duct mastic and tape.
Cost is based on the square footage of the house. To do both sealing jobs, he figures the average cost is $4,000, up to half of which BGE rebates for its customers. Homeowners who seal their homes reduce their energy bills by an average of 30 percent.
“We try to air seal without replacing windows,” said Eisenbrandt, noting that weather stripping around doors and windows, even putting up blinds and curtains on windows, can lessen energy waste.
Likewise, Schmidt, of Holistic Home Energy Services, talks about the “building envelope,” the shield around the house that needs to be properly insulated and sealed from basement to roof.
“We find that many houses are not sealed,” said Schmidt. “They have one- and two-inch gaps that allow cold air to enter in the winter and hot air in the summer.”
BGE Customers
BGE has both participating contractors and retailers in Carroll County for its programs. BGE customers are eligible for several rebates, from LED lightbulbs and insulation and air sealing work to new heating/air conditioning systems.
BGE also offers rebates of up to $400 to install high-efficiency natural gas furnaces or convert oil furnaces to natural gas.
In 2009, BGE started a free home energy audit program, an hour-long walk-through to identify problems. Since then, BGE has done nearly 100,000 walk-throughs.
“Every year the demand increases,” said Chris Walls, BGE manager for conservation programs.
BGE also offers comprehensive home audits through certified contractors and pays up to $2,000 for improvements made as a result.
Alternative Sources
Fireworks Inc. in Westminster sells built-in fireplaces and free-standing stoves with inserts to retain heat. “Many buyers are motivated by high fuel bills,” said Fireworks president Carl Larkin.
Larkin said that fireplaces with inserts can reach at least 85 percent heat retention inside the envelope of the home. A basic model costs under $6,000. Wood-burning stoves with inserts run $3,000 to $5,000 without chimneys; chimneys cost an additional $1,000 to $2,500.
Clean Currents is an independent supplier in Baltimore County offering alternative, or “green,” energy to businesses and residences. The Silver Spring company offers solar and wind power to BGE customers in Carroll County.
For wind power, homeowners sign up for one- or two-year contracts. For solar, rooftop solar panels are installed under a rental arrangement through Solar City in Columbia. Prices for both are tied to the market rate for kilowatt hours.
Both solar and wind work the same way. The homeowner’s system is connected to the utility’s electric grid. If more energy is generated than the homeowner uses, the excess is credited on their bill, says Megan Barrett, Clean Currents’ communication manager.
The Westminster company Earth and Air Technologies LCC designs, installs and maintains solar and wind systems, mostly commercial but also residential (including farms) as well. The systems are eligible for federal tax credits. The company also installs geothermal heat pumps.
To offset the total cost of electricity, a typical 2,000-square-foot home solar system would cost $25,000 to $50,000. A comparable wind system would cost $75,000 to $100,000. Moreover, Carroll County has zoning regulations for wind turbines and, in most places, not enough wind to make it worthwhile.
According to Ken Donithan, Earth and Air Technologies’ chief power engineer, the company installs one to two dozen solar systems a year for both commercial and residential customers, compared to less than a dozen wind systems in Maryland and Pennsylvania since 2009.
“Solar gives you the biggest bang for the buck,” said Donithan. “It’s proven technology by now. We see systems that have been in service for years.”
Energy Sources
BGE (Baltimore Gas & Electric Co.), for recommendations and rebates visit the website www.bgesmartenergy.com
Clean Currents, alternative energy provider, at 301-754-0430 and www.cleancurrents.com
Earth and Air Technologies, LLC, alternative energy systems, at 1-877-514-9547 and www.earthandairtech.com
Fireworks Inc., hearths, fireplaces and stoves, at 410-876-6942 and www.fireworksinc.com
Holistic Home Energy Services, energy audits and improvements, at 410-871-4663 and www.holistichomeenergy.com
Pinnacle Electric LLC, electrical contractor, at 410-390-8500 and www.pinnacleelectriconline.com
Smart Home Services, energy-efficiency improvements, at 410-329-1103 and www.baltimoresmarthomes.com
Tevis Energy Inc., heating oil, kerosene and propane gas supplier, at 410-876-6800 and www.tevisenergy.com
