by Denton Municipal Electric

After the holidays, I would like to have my ducts professionally cleaned. What advice can you give me for what questions to ask when contracting a company?

Before contracting with any service provider to clean your duct system, you may want to ask yourself a couple of questions. What can make a duct system dirty? Is the dirt a symptom of a larger problem?

Your duct system delivers air from your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) throughout your home and removes air from your home through its HVAC system. This is a closed system that should be tightly sealed. If it is sealed properly, how does dust get into the system?

One reason could be the location of your return vents – vents that pull air from the home back to the HVAC system. If your return vents are located in the floor, it could be pulling in more dirt than it would if it were on the wall or ceiling. Instead of redesigning your duct system, just make sure that the filters located in these vents are changed consistently.

Another reason ducts get dirty is due to duct leakage. Duct leakage accounts for a majority of issues in duct systems that are dirty. With the return ducts creating a negative pressure, it is pulling in dirt from crawlspaces and the attic. Using mastic tape to properly seal your ducts will reduce, if not eliminate, these duct leaks.
Having your ducts cleaned is a good plan of action, but make sure that you are addressing the real issues, otherwise you are just going to have a short term fix.

With the cold weather on its way, I want to make sure my home is well insulated. Which kind of insulation works the best?

Fall is a great time to upgrade your attic insulation. The mild weather will make the work easier and you’ll be rewarded with a more comfortable, efficient home in the upcoming winter.

There are three main types of attic insulation, each of which are installed differently and will yield different result:

1.  Batts – these are the rolls of insulation that you have likely seen at your local hardware store. Batts would be easy to install well if your attic was a perfectly flat, square surface with no rafters, wires, electrical junction boxes, exhaust fans, or can lights. The problem is that all attics contain such complications, and cutting batts to fit perfectly with these irregular shapes is difficult.

2.  Blown – Blown insulation, which is available in cellulose and fiberglass, is a great way to solve the problem mentioned above. By blowing in these small pieces of insulation, it’s easy to fill in all the gaps and spaces and ensure a well insulated attic.

3.  Sprayed – The main advantage of sprayed insulation is that, applied to the ceiling, it turns your attic into an insulated space. While sprayed insulation is more expensive, it may be worth it if your AC unit or your ducts are in the attic.

Denton Municipal Electric offers rebates for installing attic insulation. Visit the GreenSense Energy Efficiency Rebates page of www.dmepower.com for details.

After the hot, dry summer we’ve had here in Denton, I’ve been wondering – what is the best way to keep my grass green without wasting water?

Have you heard about the free irrigation audits Denton Municipal Electric offers to customers?

Designed specifically for home and business owners who use automatic sprinkler systems, the irrigation audit offers personalized information on how to keep your lawn lush while saving water. Our certified auditor checks each zone of your system looking at how often and for how long the system is set to run. The auditor also checks water pressure at the sprinkler head and takes a soil sample to determine root depth.

The auditor uses this comprehensive information in conjunction with specialized irrigation software to determine the best watering schedule for your lawn. For instance, some customers may learn that a longer, less frequent watering schedule is a better use of water.

Best of all, these audits are completely free.  Call (940) 349-7137 to set up your irrigation audit.

On Saturday,  January 15th, the Solid Waste Department introduced the Square District Solid Waste & Recycling Pilot Program to merchants and residents around the Denton square.  The pilot program was implemented to achieve some of the goals set forth in the Downtown Implementation Plan; to introduce on-site recycling without significantly increasing amount of containers and to locate containers to meet the needs of merchants while trying to maximize parking.   Solid Waste also must determine rates for shared trash and recycling service.

Clearly marked commingled and cardboard recycling containers have been installed on Austin, Cedar, Mulberry, Pecan, and Walnut streets, while reducing the amount of trash containers.  Throughout the pilot program, Solid Waste staff is monitoring service levels, collecting weight and volume data, and providing feedback to merchants.

In week one, 90 percent trash, and 10 percent recycling were collected, by weight.   At week seven, the results were 70 percent trash, and 30 percent recycling, by weight.

Recycling collections have been doubled, while many of the trash container collections have been reduced, showing a great improvement in a very short amount of time!  The City of Denton is very excited to see the enthusiasm of the businesses, and their dedication to making this recycling program work.  The City’s goal is to educate businesses and residents, so together they can divert all recyclables generated in the Square District from the Landfill.

The pilot program will end September 30th. For more information, please contact
Nancy Herod, at (940) 349-8027 or by email at Nancy.Herod@cityofdenton.com.

I live in an apartment. Since I’m renting, I’m not interested in spending money to make the place more energy efficient. Are there ways to reduce my electric bill without spending any money?

You can take significant steps to lower your utility bills without investing any money. For instance, I’m sure you know to turn out lights when you leave a room.

But did you know that your computer, TV, and other electronic equipment can still use energy even when they are “off?” You might expect that pushing the power button would have the same effect as unplugging the device. Instead, it often puts your device in a standby mode, helping it to power up quickly next time you turn it on.

The best way to ensure that a device isn’t using any energy is to unplug it. Try using a power strip to easily shut multiple devices off without having to unplug each one. Some common culprits include: TVs, Cell phone chargers, Laptop and desktop computers, Printers, Gaming consoles, and DVD players.

By unplugging these devices when they aren’t in use, you can save money and make your home more energy efficient without spending a dime. See www.dmepower.com for more energy-saving resources.

If you have a question about energy-efficiency, ask the Energy Expert by visiting www.dmepower.com

Are there any home efficiency projects that are easier or cheaper to do now than in the summer?

Here in Texas, it’s natural to start thinking about energy-efficiency when temperatures and energy bills start to rise. But by getting an early start on your efficiency projects, you can often save time, effort, and money.

Spring is a great time to get up in your attic to add insulation, put in energy efficient lighting, or install an exhaust fan. Attic temperatures can reach well over 100 degrees in the summer, which can make projects longer and more difficult. By completing projects in the attic while the weather is mild, you can save yourself a difficult task in the summer.

Completing your energy-efficiency projects early can also save money. Some contractors offer discounted rates in the spring compared to summer rates. Better deals may also be available on new and used equipment such as energy efficient dehumidifiers and air conditioners. And of course, when you make your home more efficient in the spring, you can enjoy the savings and comfort all summer long.

If you have a question about energy-efficiency, ask the Energy Expert by visiting www.dmepower.com