Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 1.28 tons. We have offset the equivalent of 33 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

July Energy Tip – Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Wind Power (From the http://energy.gov)

This article is part of the Energy.gov series highlighting the “Top Things You Didn’t Know About…” series. Be sure to check back for more entries soon.

10. Human civilizations have harnessed wind power for thousands of years. Early forms of windmills used wind to crush grain or pump water. Now, modern wind turbines use the wind to create electricity. Learn how a wind turbine works.

9. Today’s wind turbines are much more complicated machines than the traditional prairie windmill. A wind turbine has as many as 8,000 different components.

8. Wind turbines are big. A wind turbine blade can be up to 260 feet long, and a turbine tower can be over 328 feet tall — taller than the Statue of Liberty.

7. Higher wind speeds mean more electricity, and wind turbines are getting taller to reach higher heights above ground level where it’s even windier. See the Energy Department’s wind resource maps to find average wind speeds in your state or hometown and learn more about how taller wind turbines can expand developed areas for wind energy production in the Energy Departments 2015 Enabling Wind Power Nationwide report.

6. Most of the components of wind turbines installed in the United States are manufactured here. There are more than 500 wind related manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States, and the U.S. wind energy industry currently employs more than 73,000 people.

5. The technical resource potential of the winds above U.S. coastal waters is enough to provide more than 4,000 gigawatts of electricity, or approximately four times the generating capacity of the current U.S. electric power system. Although not all of these resources will be developed, this represents a major opportunity to provide power to highly populated coastal cities. See what the Energy Department is doing to develop offshore wind in the United States.

4. The United States generates more wind energy than any other country except China, and wind has accounted for more than a third of all newly installed U.S. electricity generation capacity since 2007.

3. The United States’ wind power capacity reached more than 65.8 gigawatts by the end of 2014.That’s enough electricity to power more than 17.5 million homes annually — more than the total number of homes in Alaska, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Idaho, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont COMBINED- and represents nearly a 25-fold increase in capacity since 2000.

2. Wind energy is affordable. Wind prices for power contracts signed in 2014 and levelized wind prices (the price the utility pays to buy power from a wind farm) are as low as 2.35 cents per kilowatt-hour in some areas of the country. This is the lowest ever price recorded by the Energy Department’s annual Wind Technologies Market Report.

1. By 2050, the United States has the potential to avoid the emission of more than 12.3 gigatonnes of greenhouse gases and save 260 billion gallons of water by continuing to increase the amount of wind energy that powers our homes, schools and businesses. In 2015, the Energy Department released Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States,which quantifies the economic, social, and environmental benefits of a robust wind energy future through 2050.

Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 1.20 tons. We have offset the equivalent of 31 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

June Energy Tip –  Make Your Next Road Trip Fuel Efficient (From the http://energy.gov)

See what you can do to lower fuel costs and spend your money on exciting adventures instead:

• Don’t waste fuel when you aren’t even driving. Idling your car can use a half gallon of fuel per hour. That means you are wasting three cents for every minute you idle. If you are parked for more than 10 seconds, it is more fuel efficient to turn off your vehicle while waiting.
• Pack light when you head out this summer. For every 100 extra pounds of luggage in your vehicle, your fuel costs go up about 3 cents per gallon. And, if you have to attach a luggage rack to the top of your vehicle your fuel economy can decrease by up to 25% at Interstate speeds due to drag. Instead, try to pack light and keep your luggage inside the car or trunk.
• Be sure that your car is in tip-top shape by keeping up with maintenance. Problems with spark plugs, dragging brakes, sagging belts, or transmission can cause fuel economy problems. Fixing some serious maintenance problems can increase mileage by up to 40%.
• Think about your vehicle. One of the smartest things you can do to improve fuel economy is choose a vehicle according to your need. If you are a city driver, a small hybrid or plug-in electric vehicle is probably right for you because they get better fuel mileage and are easier to maneuver and park in small city streets.

O’Connor Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 1.92 tons. We have offset the equivalent of 33 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

May Energy Tip – Spring into energy savings (From the http://energy.gov)

How seal air leaks with caulk:

Air leaks can waste a lot of your energy dollars. Whether leaks are letting hot air inside during the warmer months or letting in drafts during the cooler season, one of the quickest energy- and money-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal and weather strip all cracks and large openings to the outside. Air takes the path of least resistance, so you should aim to seal the big holes first. We’ve laid out some simple instructions for sealing most of these air leakage pathways – but if you’re sealing heating and cooling ducts, we suggest contacting contractor that’s familiar with the different air sealing methods often best done with duct work.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1.) For good adhesion, clean all areas to be caulked.
Remove any old caulk and paint, using a putty knife or a large screwdriver. Make sure the area is dry so you won’t seal in moisture.
2.) Prep the caulking gun (if you’re using one).
Cut the tip of the cartridge of caulk at a 45-degree angle and insert the tube in the gun. If you’ve never used a caulking gun, take this time to do a “test caulking” on a newspaper or paper towel so you have a good sense of what to expect before taking your project to a more conspicuous door or window.
3.) Hold the caulking gun at a 45-degree angle to the now-dried, clean edge that’s to be filled.
Using a pulling motion, hold the gun at a consistent angle and slide the tube nozzle along the joint, while pulling the trigger of the caulk gun to apply the material. You know you’ve got the right angle when the caulk is immediately forced into the crack as it comes out of the tube. Try to avoid stops and starts by caulking in one straight continuous stream.
4.) “Tool” the caulk by pushing it into the crack.
Once you’ve covered 2-3 feet of the surface with a bead of caulk, dampen your finger (or spoon, piece of wood or foam paintbrush if you don’t want the material to touch your hand) and glide over the bead, pushing the caulk into the crack, and force the caulk deeper into the crack you’re filling.
5.) Clean up any mistakes or excess caulk with a damp rag.
Make sure to take care of any problem areas right away, since dried caulk is much harder to clean up later.
6.) Allow the caulk to dry according to the directions on the package.
It usually takes about 24 hours for the caulk to fully cure, but can depend on air temperature and humidity.

Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 2.220 lbs. We have offset the equivalent of 28 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

April Energy Tip – Spring into energy savings (From the http://www.consumerenergycenter.org)

What to Do to Get Energy Ready for Summer

Before it gets too warm, it’s time to make sure you’re ready for hot weather.

This doesn’t mean running out and buying the latest swim wear. It means checking your home’s heat and air-conditioning system.

First, change your filters in your heating/cooling system. Change them regularly as recommended by the manufacturer.

Next change your thermostat over to “cool” and test the system by turning the temperature down. If the air conditioner does not turn on, first check to make sure no breakers are tripped. If you can’t figure out the problem, call your heating and air conditioning repair person. Calling early may keep you from making an “emergency” call when the temperatures are soaring and the repair people are too busy.

If your cooling system turns on, make sure it is putting out adequate cooling. If it’s not, and you can’t figure out the problem, call your heating and air conditioning repair person. Make sure you set it at 78 degrees.

If your air conditioner needs replacement do it BEFORE the HOT WEATHER HITS because heating & air conditioning repair people will be very busy. And more than likely, some other things around your home need attention as well. Your air ducts may need testing for leaks and then sealed. Your attic insulation probably has compacted, so you may need to add more. Your windows and doors and other parts of the building envelope may need caulking and weather stripping. You may need solar window film to keep out the heat.

Consider changing your old thermostat to a programmable one. You can save up to $100 a year by using a new set-back thermostat. If your thermostat is really old and uses a mercury switch (a glass tube filed with silvery substance) call your local public works department to find out how to dispose of this toxic material.

Consider installing a whole-house fan that uses cool air in the evening to cool the entire house and push hot air out of the attic area.

Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 1,964 lbs. We have offset the equivalent of 23 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

March Energy Tip – Spring into energy savings (From the https://www.directenergy.com)

• Make sure you change the direction of airflow on your ceiling fan. In the winter, let the fan push warm air toward the floor. In spring, switch the direction and draw air upward, cooling the room and ensuring constant airflow.

• Before buying an air conditioning unit or system, find out its energy efficiency ratio (EER). Calculate the EER by dividing the unit’s cooling capacity (BTU’s/hour) by its energy requirement (watts). An EER of 10 or more is very good, and 6 or 7 is fair. Remember to buy the smallest capacity unit or system that will meet your needs.

• If your home has a sliding glass door, make sure to keep its track clean. A dirty track can ruin the door’s seal and create gaps where heat or cold air can escape.

• When dust and pet hair build up on your refrigerator’s condenser coils, the motor works harder and uses more electricity. As part of your spring-cleaning routine, make sure the coils are cleaned and air can circulate freely.

• Don’t forget to check the seals on your refrigerator door to make sure they are clean and tight. Your refrigerator accounts for up to 11 percent of your household’s total energy use, which can have a major impact on your energy bill.

Insurance was an early participant in the Green Power Community Challenge. Each month we post our carbon offset results from our solar energy array on our headquarters in Creve Coeur.

We are proud to be doing our part to make Creve Coeur one of the leading communities nationwide in deriving our power from renewable resources.

This month, our carbon offset is 1,131 lbs. We have offset the equivalent of 13 trees.

Thanks to our solar vendor, Microgrid Solar, for the photo.

January Energy Tip – Top consideration when buying a space heaters (From the http://energy.gov/)

When buying and installing a small space heater, follow these guidelines:

• Only purchase newer model heaters that have all of the current safety features. Make sure the heater carries the Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) label.
• Choose a thermostatically controlled heater, because they avoid the energy waste of overheating a room.
• Select a heater of the proper size for the room you wish to heat. Do not purchase over-sized heaters. Most heaters come with a general sizing table.
• Locate the heater on a level surface away from foot traffic. Be especially careful to keep children and pets away from the heater.