Free ‘Green’ Home Assessment
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Does it use less water to run your dishwasher, or to wash dishes in the sink? How much of the energy used in your home is just wasted, and can it be more efficient? A local nonprofit group, California Youth Energy Services (CYES), tries to answer questions like this for you in a very personal way - by free visits to where you live.
CYES, a program of Rising Sun Energy Center in Berkeley, trains area teens to survey homes. They check out your home’s insulation and lighting, and your appliances to assess your energy efficiency. They bring free compact flourescent lights and install them all over your home. (CFL’s, groovy curved bulbs, use a quarter of the energy of regular bulbs to produce the same amount of light.) You’ll learn about your home’s water pressure, and sinks, showers and toilets get the once over to check for leaks. They’ll even install sink and showerhead aerators where recommended, creating a huge water savings.
I recently got my assessment to learn how efficiently my home uses power and water. I was surprised to find that my 1912-built house is actually doing ok. My report card showed that my remodeled-a-few-years-ago kitchen and side-loading washer are very efficient in their power and water usage. On the down side, the water pressure to my house is set to nearly double that of what’s reccommended, not only wasting water, but causing extra wear and tear on the pipes. A call to my water agency should set that right in a few weeks. I'll enjoy not only the lower bills, but the sense that I’m contributing in my own small way to the environment.
Get your free assessment by scheduling an appointment on the CYES website (click on ‘Sign up for our CYES program’), or calling 510-665-1501. The nonprofit goes to east bay and Marin county homes and rented apartments. But hurry! This summer program ends August 16.