Get documents about "No doubt about it A tough winter
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thE tImE to act IS noW!
Monday, September 22 • Yarmouth High School Auditorium • 7:00–9:00pm (doors open at 6:30 pm)
a community Event bringing together answers, advice, and neighbors
N
GEttInG throuGh thE WIntEr hEatInG SEaSon o doubt about it: A tough winter is ahead for many of Amazing things can happen when people put their heads to-
us, our friends, and our neighbors. Record-high energy costs gether. Attacking the energy monster by one’s self is daunting.
You’rE InvItEd to a publIc forum: will stress our budgets to the point of making heating our Conferring with local experts and neighbors can empower and
homes difficult — impossible for some in our community. demystify. Individuals coming together in community are the
key to making cultural changes that will create true energy
We are faced, at this moment, with an imperative
independence.
to conserve energy — not only to heat our
homes through the winter, but also to fight We hope the resources in this newsletter are
the undeniable consequences of global helpful to you, and we welcome your partici-
warming. pation at the forum in any form.
There is no better time to change Please remember to check on your
Yarmouth, ME 04096 the way that we use our resources. neighbors who may need help this
Postal Patron If we don’t change the way that we coming season and to pass on this
consume fuel now — in the face of information to them. We can all work
record-high energy costs — when together to keep everyone warm this
will we? winter.
ECR-WSS On September 22, the Yarmouth If you have questions, concerns, or
04096 Energy Savers Committee is holding a you need a ride to this event, please call
Yarmouth, ME community forum to talk about what you
Yarmouth, ME 04096 Melissa Walsh Innes, Chair of the
can do to prepare to get yourself through the
Permit No. 5
US Postage Paid
200 Main Street
winter and help your friends and neighbors do
Yarmouth Energy Savers committee, at
Presorted Standard
Yarmouth Energy Savers Committee
the same. 846-3877.
GEttInG throuGh thE hEatInG SEaSon
If You nEEd hElp If You can hElp a community Event bringing together answers, advice, and neighbors
If you have trouble heating your home this winter, call one of If you can offer help or support to community members this
Monday, September 22 • Yarmouth High School Performing Arts center • 7:00–9:00pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
these numbers: winter — either financially or hands-on with winterizing — Please join us to hear from experts on energy conservation, available heating assistance, weatherization, energy audits,
please call one of these numbers: and more. We’ll have a panel of helpful people with advice and the tools you need to get yourself and help your
• Yarmouth Community Services 846-2406
• Yarmouth Community Services 846-2406 neighbors through this increasingly urgent heating season.
• Freeport General Assistance
• Freeport General Assistance If you have questions, concerns, or you need a ride to this event, please call Melissa Walsh Innes, Chair of the
865-4743 during business hours as follows:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8am-4:30pm 865-4743 during business hours as follows: Yarmouth Energy Savers committee, at 846-3877.
Wednesday: 8am-7pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 8am-4:30pm
Friday: 8am-12noon Wednesday: 8am-7pm presentation topics:
865-4800 after business hours Friday: 8am-12noon
EnErgY ASSiStAncE for HoMEownErS uPdAtE froM StAtE lEAdErSHiP
Joanne Choate, Manager of Energy and Housing Services Seth Berry, State Representative
MAinEHouSing tHE govErnor’S PrE-EMErgEncY EnErgY tASk forcE
PrEPAring for wintEr in MAinE wHAt A HoME Audit cAn do for You
What Is YES? Roger Bondeson, V.P. of Housing & Energy Services Steve Carr
The Yarmouth Energy Savers Committee formed in fall 2007 to guide Yarmouth’s Town Council and community on follow-through with
PEoPlE’S rEgionAl oPPortunitY ProgrAM (ProP) wYdEvuE rESidEntiAl EnErgY SErvicES
the Sierra Club’s Cool Cities’ and Governor’s Carbon Challenge programs, and to inspire citizens and businesses to action in reducing
fuel and energy consumption. uSing EfficiEnciES to SAvE
Members: Melissa Walsh Innes, Committee Chair; Tom Nastro; Frank Robbins; Sharon Hickey; Marge Titcomb; W. Daniel Jellis, P.E., Yarmouth Town Tim Vrabel, Deputy Director of Energy Programs
Engineer; Mark Hough, Town Council Liaison; Lisa Perkins and Sheldon Perkins, Yes! Marketing Group MAinE Public utilitiES coMMiSSion / EfficiEncY MAinE
EnErGY-WISE tIpS basic • free • low-cost rESourcE dIrEctorY
Start uSInG lESS fuEl noW to makE GEt advIcE about hoW Your homE, Where to find the help You need
Your SupplY laSt lonGEr: SpEcIfIcallY, can bE madE morE fuEl
EffIcIEnt: homE hEatInG homE ImprovEmEnt loanS
Run your washer full, and use only cold water.
Arrange for a home-energy audit (see the next page for info People’s regional opportunity Program (ProP) Maine Housing Authority
Use your dryer less, or not at all. Hang clothes to dry (hang
them in bedrooms to humidify the air during cold, dry months).
about Efficiency Maine’s home audit program). www.propeople.org www.mainehousing.org
207-553-5800 1-877-544-3271
kEEp hEatEd aIr InSIdE Your homE: kEEp Your fuEl coStS aS loW aS FMI: www.liheap.ncat.org/profiles/Maine.htm The Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) offers loans at a low
poSSIblE: fixed rate for improvements that increase energy efficiency. Loan
Make or buy “draft dodgers,” or simply stuff towels or rags You may be eligible for help with the cost of heating your home.
Watch your tank — don’t let it go empty — emergency deliver- If your family size and income meet the levels in the chart below, amounts range from $2,800 to $30,000, with terms of up to 15 years.
under drafty external doors or doors to unused rooms.
ies are expensive! you may be eligible for help through LIHEAP, the federally-fund- Eligibility Table
Seal windows and doors with weather stripping. ed Low-Income Home-Energy Assistance Program.
Set up a budget plan with your supplier to spread your pay- Family Size / Income
Be sure storm windows are fully closed on combination windows. ments out through the year. Eligibility Table 1–2 / $68,200 3+ / $78,430
Get your furnace inspected and cleaned. A clean furnace burns Family Size / Median Income
havE Your SafEtY nEtS In placE, You must own and occupy your home to be eligible. Application
more efficiently and can save as much as 10 percent of fuel that 1 / $15,600 3 / $26,400 5 / $37,200 7 / $48,000
If You thInk You’ll nEEd fuEl for a HELP loan is made through a local bank. Visit the website
would otherwise be wasted up the chimney. 2 / $21,000 4 / $31,800 6 / $42,600 8 / $53,400
aSSIStancE: above for a list of participating banks, or contact Maine Housing
Beef up your home’s insulation, or put hay bales around its If your income is slightly above the levels shown here, we en- Authority.
foundation. Act now to find out what emergency services you qualify for. courage you to apply for assistance anyway. Deductions may be
Get help before your tank is emptied. available that would bring your income to within eligibility limits. homE EnErGY audItS
Seal electric receptacles and switch boxes with foam gaskets or
fiberglass insulation. This, alone, can save 25 to 30 gallons per See the next page for fuel-assistance resources. If you received LIHEAP assistance last year, you will receive an Efficiency Maine
year, or roughly three percent of your fuel costs. application in the mail for this year. www.efficiencymaine.org
SavE on ElEctrIcItY to hElp mEEt In Cumberland County, LIHEAP is administered by the People’s 1-800-695-1484
hEat onlY WhErE Your bodY IS: fuEl bIllS: Regional Opportunity Program (PROP).
Efficiency Maine will connect you to professional contractors who
Close off any rooms or sections of your house that you don’t need Wrap heating ducts and hot-water pipes with insulation, so can give your home an energy audit or home-performance assess-
heat is not lost (see the next page for info about Central Maine homE WEathErIzatIon
to use for the winter (drain pipes to make sure they don’t freeze). ment.
Power’s Bundle-Up program). People’s regional opportunity Program (ProP)
Close off bedrooms during the day and seal them with draft
If you’re using a space heater, use a newer model, which will www.propeople.org rIdE SharInG
dodgers.
have important safety features. 207-553-5800 go Maine
Wear warm clothes.
Maine Housing Authority www.gomaine.org
Use space heaters, rather than heating large, mostly empty space. If You plan to burn Wood, bE SafE www.mainehousing.org 1-800-280-RIDE
and avoId homE fIrES: 207-624-5708 Find, join, or start a car or van pool.
hEat onlY WhEn You’rE at homE and Make sure your stove is installed properly. Contact the Yar-
durInG WakInG hourS: The Maine Housing Authority offers grants to homeowners and
mouth Fire Department (207-846-2410) to ask for guidelines, renters for improving their homes in ways that reduce energy con- GEnEral InformatIon and hElp
Turn the heat down when you’re at work. or visit the State Fire Marshal’s website (http://maine.gov/dps/ sumption and costs. Weatherization improvements may include State of Maine resource directory
Turn the heat down while you sleep; pile up extra sleeping bags fmo/index.htm) to download a PDF with guidelines. insulation, weather-stripping, caulking, and safety-related repairs. Dial 2-1-1
or blankets on your beds. Keep flammable objects away from the stove or fireplace and Central Heating Improvement Program (CHIP) grants are also www.211maine.org
Set thermostats to the lowest comfortable temperature. When chimney opening, and use a fireplace screen. available for repairing/replacing outdated central heating systems. Find information about all state agencies, programs, and services
unoccupied, 55 degrees is a good setting. For night, keep Have your chimney inspected and cleaned every year. This program is administered by the People’s Regional Opportu- available as well as procedures, eligibility requirements, hours of
thermostats to 60 degrees or below; during the day, when you’re nity Program (PROP). Income limits are the same as for fuel as- operation, web addresses, and other vital information.
Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
home, 68 degrees is a good setting. A one-degree drop in your sistance (see table above). When you apply for LIHEAP, you are Maine Public broadcasting network
thermostat setting may save 25 to 30 gallons per year, or roughly Never leave a fire burning unattended. automatically considered for weatherization and CHIP programs.
three percent of your fuel cost. http://www.stayingwarm.me/
Replace your manual thermostat with a programmable one SavE on auto fuEl: WatEr hEatInG SavInGS MPBN’s web site provides contact information for United Way
(about $37), and program it to reduce heat at your usual bed- offices and Energy Evaluators by county and links to “Staying
Carpool or vanpool (see the next page to find a good ride shar- central Maine Power’s bundle-up Program
time and bring it back up shortly before you wake up. Program- Warm” news stories from Maine Things Considered.
ing resource, or ask people you work with to share a ride). (for electric water-heating)
mable thermostats also maintain temperature more reliably than www.cmpco.com/yourhome/appliances/electricwaterheaters
the manual thermostats. Plan your errands and shopping.
1-800-750-4000
Use electric blankets safely: pre-heat beds for a half hour before Streamline your errands to minimize miles.
CMP will send a contractor to wrap your water heater and install
bedtime, then turn off the electric blanket when you get into Pool your errands with a neighbor. pipe insulation, faucet aerators, and an energy-efficient shower-
bed. You’ll stay warm all night, even in a very cool room.
For short errands, walk rather than drive! head ($20), or they’ll send you the products so you can install
them yourself ($10).
