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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Learn how to corral nature’s warmth

Having grown up in the Midwest, Kelly Lerner is no stranger to cold weather.

The Spokane architect remembers her parents replacing weather stripping, putting up storm windows and checking the fireplace damper for damage every fall.

Lerner, who specializes in sustainable architecture, still follows those steps – and then some – to conserve energy during winter.

She recently moved to a house in West Central Spokane and within three weeks covered the home’s upstairs windows with a film that holds warm air inside and installed a programmable thermostat.

“We set it to 45 (degrees) at night and 63 during day,” Lerner says. “You can go colder at night when you set the thermostat to warm up a half hour before you wake up in the morning.”

There are similar actions homeowners can take to keep their homes comfortable during the dead of winter while reducing their use of electricity, gas or other heat sources. The strategies not only save energy but can save money, too.

The first step is to plug up any holes in your home.

Avista suggests applying weather stripping around the moving parts of doors and windows and caulking around nonmoving parts.

The utility company also advises customers to remove window air-conditioning units and store them until summertime. When left in windows, they’re a pathway for cold air to come inside.

Lerner says another major household hole needs to be sealed: the chimney.

“Unless you’re heating your home with wood, you shouldn’t be using your fireplace,” she says. “When you put a fire in there, hot air rises and sucks all the heat out of house.”

Make sure the chimney’s damper works and keep it closed when the fireplace isn’t in use, Lerner says.

Reluctant homeowners might avoid taking steps toward conservation because they think it costs money, but some of Avista’s wintertime energy conservation tips don’t cost homeowners a dime:

•Close off rooms that you don’t use often, and don’t heat them.

•Remove dried up leaves from around your heat pump so air can get in.

•Move furniture away from vents so heat can flow freely.

•Turn kitchen and bathroom fans off when you’re done cooking or showering. “In one hour, these fans can pull a houseful of warm air right outside,” according to Avista’s Web site.

•Reverse your ceiling fan’s motor to push warm air down.

Some of Avista’s other tips, such as upping the insulation level in your home and replacing drafty doors and windows, cost money upfront but likely pay for themselves over time in energy savings and might qualify for rebates.

People who want to improve their insulation but are concerned about what conventional fiberglass insulation products contain might consider using insulation made from recycled denim instead. Read about it at www.bondedlogic.com.

Through her work, Lerner helps clients reduce the footprint their homes leave on the earth. Often, that involves designing and building straw-bale houses, which have thick walls that keep out cold air during the winter and hot air during the summer.

Lerner also specializes in making existing homes greener – including her own – and she takes small steps throughout the day to be mindful of her own energy use.

“It’s about keeping your house warm, but keeping yourself warm, too,” Lerner said during a telephone interview from her office. “I’m wearing a turtleneck and long underwear right now.”