Doug Rye with Co-host Ron Sherman

You'll Learn These Key Points and Their Benefits:

Air Infiltration:  How air infiltration can greatly increase your utility bill and greatly decrease your comfort.  View Video Clip .. House Framing:  A simple framing technique that can save you $200 in wood studs and gives you free insulation without changing the stability of you home. Caulking:  Do you have the right caulk?  You will learn where to caulk to stop outside air infiltration which leads to higher utility bills.  You will discover places to caulk that most people have never even thought of. Insulation:  Discover one change in your home that can lower your heating and cooling bill by 20%!  You will learn how 1/16" of cellulose insulation can stop more air infiltration than 3" of fiberglass insulation. Windows and Doors:  Are you using the most energy efficient window and door?  Learn how French doors can be energy wasters and how to fix them and exactly what to look for in an energy efficient window. Geothermal - What is required to efficiently use geothermal energy,   geothermal energy and how it works , and geothermal benefits and requirements. How energy-efficient lights and energy-efficient recessed lights can save you money.  Recessed lighting can be one of the biggest energy wasters in your home, because most recessed lights cannot be insulated. How too much attic ventilation can actually INCREASE your utility bill.  Excessive attic ventilation can draw conditioned air out of your home. How to stop air from entering from the outside in both new and existing homes.  Did you know that on the average residential home, 35% of the total heating and cooling load is for outside air infiltration?  How to use geothermal energy – learn the benefits and risks of geothermal,  how a geothermal energy diagram looks, and how a geothermal unit gives you a percentage of your hot water FREE. A geothermal heating and cooling system is four times more efficient than a gas furnace and has twice the life expectancy of the average heating and cooling unit. How cellulose insulation or recycled newspaper is used for noise control, sound-insulation products, and home interior wall sound insulation.

===================== FEATURE EDITORIAL ======================

"Why is your house cold?"

==============================================================

How many of you have experienced this situation? As the wind blows outside and the temperature drops, you get chilled even while you are standing in the middle of your home. 
How does this happen? 
The three biggest problems with the comfort of your home are,
1) air infiltration
2) air infiltration
3) air infiltration

The total air infiltration in an average house is the equivalent of having a door or window open every day of your life. Now, you've probably heard it said that a house needs to breathe. In all my years in this work, I've never had anyone really explain why a house needs to breathe or even what that statement really means. Another word for house breathing is, simply put, leaks.

Just think with me for a moment. If you can keep the cold air from getting in, it won't take as much to heat your house. Not to mention the fact that you would be a lot more comfortable in your home. So where does the air come in? 
Think of it this way. Anywhere an ant can get in, air can get in. Here are a few major problem areas:

• Where your wall touches your slab.

• Cracks between the wood framing in your home's walls.

• Around electrical receptacles and light switches in your house, even on interior walls. (When the north wind is blowing, go feel the electrical outlets and switches on your north wall.)

• Holes and leaks around your sink plumbing. Forget the ants, sometimes a mouse can get through these holes.

• Gas and fireplace flues.

• Recessed can lights that are not IC-rated. Between 3 and 10 cubic feet per minute of air will pass through one of these lights. A typical plastic garbage bag is 3 cubic feet. So that means that three garbage bags full of air can leak out of one of those lights every minute.

• The return air system of your heating/cooling unit. In the average house, gigantic amounts of air enter through this system.

So how are you going to stop the cold air from penetrating your home this winter? The solution is mostly labor and a little bit material. Now, say this with me. 

• Caulk it

• Caulk it 

• Caulk it

For big holes, such as those under the sink, simply use expandable foam. 
For the smaller cracks, use a clear siliconized caulk. 
For electrical outlets and light switches, install the insulated foam gaskets and childproof plug inserts. 
Installing cellulose insulation in your attic will also help reduce air infiltration from your attic space.

For a great solution to stopping air infiltration through attic pull down stairs or doors that back up to an attic, visit http://www.attictent.com
 

In the meantime, if you have questions, just give me a call at my office at 501-653-7931 or e-mail me at info@philliprye.com. Either me or my son Phillip will be glad to help you.

Thanks for reading my Home Energy Saver newsletter and I know that applying these techniques will SAVE YOU MONEY.

God Bless,

Be sure to visit my website at http://ww.dougrye.com and order my video/DVD that is jam-packed with all the energy saving techniques that I teach. It will be one of the best investments you've ever made - Guaranteed.  Not to mention the FREE e-book downloads with your order.

"The Home Energy Saver" is published monthly by Phillip Rye and nationally recognized energy consultant Doug Rye.

=================================================

Let the Queen of Clean Help You Conquer Tough Cleaning Jobs

=================================================

Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms that present the biggest cleaning challenges. They get a lot of use, and they are exposed to a lot of bacteria and germs. You may think you need a cabinet full of various cleaning products and an entire day to tackle these tough areas, but Linda Cobb, a.k.a. the Queen of Clean, begs to differ.

"Cleaning doesn't have to be a miserable experience," says The Queen of Clean, Linda Cobb, a New York Times best-selling author and host of DIY Do It Yourself Network's series, Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean. "Don't get me wrong -- a good, thorough cleaning is work. However, there are some things you can do to make it a little easier."

Before you start cleaning, Cobb suggests getting organized by gathering all of your cleaning products and tools in one container that can be easily carried from room to room. One of her favorite tools is a roll of paper towels. "You can just use them and toss them," says the Queen. "You're not spreading dirt and germs around like you would if you used rags." Cobb recommends Sparkle paper towels because they are strong, absorbent and wipe dry fast. Plus, they're affordably priced.

Make sure you have everything you'll need before you start. . "You don't want to have to stop when you're on a roll to restock your supplies," says Cobb. Include plenty of strong trash bags, cloths, sponges and cleansers in your cleaning caddy. What you don't need is a big collection of expensive cleaning products. Cobb stresses that your cleaning products can and should do double duty -- you don't need a different product for each task. In fact, you can make your own cleaning products using ingredients you probably have in your cupboard already.

"There are so many products you can make yourself that clean really well and are inexpensive," says Cobb. She shares some of her favorites below.

*Windows

Combine two quarts warm water and 1/2 cup corn starch. Wash windows with a sponge and dry with Sparkle paper towels. To make a quart for a spray bottle, use one quart warm water and 1/4 cup corn starch.

* All-purpose cleanser

Make your own cleanser by combining four parts baking soda and one part 20 Mule Team Borax laundry additive. Use it just as you would any other cleanser.

* Spray cleaner

This is perfect for most hard surfaces. Combine 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap, two tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon washing soda, one teaspoon 20 Mule Team Borax and two cups water. Shake well prior to using.

* Make sinks shine

To clean porcelain sinks and tubs, combine 20 Mule Team Borax and lemon juice into a moderately thick paste. Scrub porcelain sinks and tubs with the paste and rinse well. To tackle stains, leave paste on for a few hours or overnight. Wipe the sink dry with a strong, absorbent Sparkle paper towel and buff for a great shine.

Now that you're stocked up, make a plan. Cobb suggests cleaning from top to bottom, since dirt and dust from light fixtures, for example, will end up on the sink or the floor. Be sure to finish one task completely before moving on to the next. Play your favorite CD or radio station to help you set the pace.

Cobb says that incorporating some household chores into a daily routine can help "weekend warrior" cleaners, who feel like cleaning robs them of their leisure time. Do one room, or even a section of a room each day and when the weekend rolls around, you won't feel overwhelmed," says Cobb.

And remember, you don't need a lot of expensive products in fancy bottles to make your home a castle.

For more information on Linda Cobb and her books, visit www.queenofclean.com. To find out about her new show on the DIY Network, visit www.DIYnetwork.com. For more information on Sparkle paper towels, visit www.sparkletowels.com.

=================================================

Energy Saving Tips

=================================================

If you are a first-time homeowner, building a new home, or just wanting to make changes to an older, existing home, here a some energy-saving tips for you to consider. There is no better time to do this than at the beginning of a construction project.

1. If you are clearing a lot for a new home or considering landscaping options, don't forget about the shade advantage trees add, as well as the evaporative cooling their lush canopies can offer.
2. Window coatings are energy saving, especially for west-facing view windows. For most residential applications, low-emissivity (low-e) coatings are sufficient. They can cut heat gain by up to 25 percent without changing the window's appearance.
3. When building a new home, try to keep glass area at 10 percent to 12 percent of the floor area of the house (example: 2,000 sq.ft. x 10% = 200 sq.ft. of glass).

More energy saving tips to come in the next Home Energy Saver newsletter.

=================================================

Tell Us What You Think!

=================================================

We would love to hear what you think of this issue of The Home Energy Saver Newsletter. And of course, if you have any suggestions for upcoming issues that you'd like to share with us, please send those, too!  Either me or my son Phillip will be happy to help you.

Just e-mail me at: mailto:info@philliprye.com

=================================================

You are subscribed to The Home Energy Saver Newsletter as <$email$>.