By ED WATERS JR. 

News-Post Staff

ewaters@fredericknewspost.com

NEW MARKET — The 19th-century Town Hall in New Market will become energy-efficient thanks to a vote by town officials Wednesday night.

  The building at 39 W. Main St. will get closed cell insulation in the attic, fiberglass batt insulation in the basement, a programmable thermostat, caulking and sealing of exterior window and door frames, and weatherstripping.

  Closable registers will be installed in the public restrooms for manual control of air conditioning to those spaces.

  The project will cost $8,320 but will be offset with a $5,000 federal grant under the American Recovery and Investment Act.

   Town officials voted unanimously on the issue, which included using unused funds for snow removal to help cover some the difference from the grant not available in general funds.

Councilman Dennis Kimble said it will save the town an estimated $1,000 a year in heating and cooling costs.

  The building, constructed in 1850, according to state tax records, is a two story structure with about 2,500 square feet of usable space.

  Town Hall includes an administrative office, inside restroom, meeting room and two outside restrooms.  

Glory Energy, a Frederick-based firm that specializes in energy audits and energy-efficient improvements, was the lone bidder on the project.

T  he town initially received bids from 10 companies, but only Glory Energy bid on the specifics sought by the town.

March 10,11:  Home Builders Association of Washington County, Hagerstown Community College

March 17,18:  Frederick County Builders Industry Association, Frederick Fair Grounds

May 17:  NARI Remodeler’s Forum

Our local chapter, NARI Mid-Maryland, is holding our first NARI Remodeler’s Forum on May 17 at Dutch’s Daughter.  This will be an opportunity for homeowners to meet qualified, professional remodelers – all in one place!  Registration is required.  Just call Glory Energy Solutions at 240.439.4064.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, about one-third of energy use is in heating a house, 12 percent in water heating and 11 percent in lighting. 

By Ed Waters Jr. 

News-Post Staff ewaters@fredericknewspost.com

Action Agency program 

Frederick Community Action Agency offers a Weatherization Assistance Program for income-eligible families.   The free service helps not only low- and moderate-income homeowners but also renters to save energy and money and improve their housing.   Staff from the agency and contractors will perform energy audits, clean and repair furnaces and provide consumer education. The service is available for single-family homes, townhomes, apartments and mobile homes.  To be eligible, households must have incomes at or below 60 percent of the statewide median income for Maryland, adjusted for family size.  For a family of four, gross income cannot exceed $4,847 a month or $58,171 a year. Priority is given to elderly or disabled residents, families with young children and homeowners. Information is available by calling Dylan Lee at 301-600-2070 or emailing dlee@cityoffrederick.com.

Energy audits of homes 

Tim Jones, co-owner of Glory Energy Solutions with his wife, Leah, is an approved auditor for Potomac Edison. He offers two energy audits for any house, but homes using electric heating are eligible for additional benefits. The basic audit is a walk-through, checking the home’s insulation, duct work, heating and cooling systems and overall efficiency. The cost is $40, but that is waived if the homeowneraccepts a free energy efficiency kit that contains CFL light bulbs, lowflow showerhead and faucet aerators. 

Consumers will get a cost assessment of recommended energy-saving steps for the house as well.   A comprehensive audit includes a blower door test and an infrared camera test to find air leaks. Cost is $180, but $40 of that is waived with the acceptance of the energy efficiency kit. Consumers with electric heat are eligible for a 15 percent rebate on insulation and air sealing costs. Energy conservation kits are available without a home audit. Potomac Edison offers a kit with six CFL light bulbs, a smart strip (surge protector) and other components. Potomac Edison customers can call 888-257-2474 or visit www.myconservationkit.com. Potomac Edison customers will need to state their utility company account number when requesting the kit.

Replace those windows 

Windows are great for their views but are a major factor in the energy efficiency of a house. “Like anything else, it graduates with efficiency and cost,” said Steve Plumley, owner of Thermal Specialties & Installation Co. in Adamstown, when referring to energy saving upgrades. He said as much as 35 percent of a home’s energy use can be saved by replacing all windows that leaked air with the latest double-pane windows with a layer of coating to help keep a house warmer in winter and cooler in summer. “Low-E glass is a microscopic film of silver on the glass that acts as a mirror, reflecting heat away from the window glass,” Plumley said. In summer, it reflects heat from the sun away, allowing the air conditioner to work more efficiently. In winter, it reflects the heat back into the house, so you are heating the home and not the air outside. An additional feature is that Low-E glass cuts more than half of damaging ultra-violet light from the home, which can fade furniture, carpeting, clothing and wood products. Plumley, who has been in the replacement door, window and insulation business for 32 years and had his own firm for 26 years, also recommends not only the windows, but proper insulation of at least R-38 in the attic and proper attic ventilation. That can save a considerable amount of money every year and make the home more comfortable, he said.

Home improvement project 

The return on investment of energy saving measures can be considerable, said Leah Jones of Glory Energy Solutions. Using a fictitious house as an example, Jones said the net cost of $2,462 in upgrades can be cut to $1,962 using federal tax credits and the Potomac Edison rebate for attic insulation when recommended after an energy audit. 
Using a two-story house with 2,500 square feet of space, basement foundation, a heat pump and 80gallon electric water heater, the total makeover would include a comprehensive energyaudit, air sealing of the whole house, attic insulation, duct sealing and more. The project would pay for itself in less than four years and increase the sales value of the home.

More ways to save energy 

Besides weatherizing the home, there are other ways to save energy and energy costs. Potomac Edison recommends 100 ways at www.alleghenypower.com. Some of those include placing the heating thermostat away from windows and doors where it won’t be affected by cold drafts; make sure furniture and drapes aren’t blocking heat registers; set the thermostat at the lowest possible setting as comfort permits; have the furnace cleaned and check furnace filters regularly; set the water heater to 120 degrees F, or 140 degrees F if you have a dishwasher; do laundry with full loads to save water and electric use and clean the lint filter after each drying cycle. 

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, about one-third of energy use is in heating a house, 12 percent in water heating and 11 percent in lighting. Federal incentives for energy saving improvements to a house can be found at www.energy.gov/savings; state incentives can be found at www.dsireusa.org.