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.

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.

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.

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

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

“This was a historic day for all of North Texas, as we began to officially count the days to the A-train opening, connecting Denton. Lewisville, Highland Village, Dallas, Fort Worth and surrounding areas via passenger rail, while also addressing our region’s transportation challenges and mobility issues by enhancing air quality, preserving energy resources and expanding transportation options,” said Charles Emery, DCTA Board Chairman and member of the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC).

Slated for completion in mid-June 2011, the A-train will connect residents and visitors to Denton County from both Dallas and Tarrant counties via a regional rail system. Construction began on the $314 million project in April 2009. In addition to construction of the 21-mile rail line, the A-train project includes five new rail stations, a bicycle/pedestrian trail, a regional rail operations and maintenance facility and a new generation rail vehicle to be delivered in 2012.

As the agency transitions from rail construction to planning for rail operations, DCTA has worked diligently with local community leaders and interested citizens to prepare for the opening of the A-train. This preparation has included the creation of a new fare structure, the implementation of bus route changes to connect with the new rail stations and the adoption of A-train service levels and hours of operation.  In November 2010, the DCTA board announced that it would honor citizen requests and launch a pilot program during the first year of rail operations to include service on Saturdays and later service on Friday nights.

Denton County residents have been anxiously awaiting the launch since DCTA’s creation in 2002. The recent strategic decisions and preparations made by DCTA illustrate that the A-train is one-step closer to reality.  As construction nears completion, as station canopies are installed and the last pieces of rail are laid, DCTA hopes that you will join them on the countdown to connectivity.  Six months to go!

Installing solar panels is big step toward making your home more efficient. Relatively few homes in Denton have solar panels, though evidence suggests they are growing in popularity. As long you complete the necessary research, these systems can be a great asset to your home.

Denton Municipal Electric (DME) offers rebates for photovoltaic solar systems through its GreenSense Energy Efficiency Rebate program. Through this program, DME offers up to $15,000 to help offset the cost of buying and installing solar. So far, 10 residents have installed systems using the GreenSense program. Significant federal rebates are also available for installing solar panels.

Even when you consider the rebates available, installing solar panels is expensive. Expect to spend around $30,000 before rebates for a mid-sized system (around 3KW). With this cost in mind, it’s important to know if other energy-efficiency improvements can be made that will have a shorter payback. You may find that it’s more effective to seal your air ducts or add more attic insulation before you install solar panels. Think of solar as the final step in making your home more efficient.

Visit www.dmepower.com to ask the Energy Expert a question or to learn more about GreenSense Energy Efficiency Rebates.

Denton is loaded with opportunities for us to join in recycling, no matter how big or how small we want to move ahead.  If you are not recycling at this point, start small by keeping your plastic grocery bags each week and return to the store to place in the bag recycling box.

City of Denton programs that can help progress you into recycling:

Recycling Drop-Off Centers
There are four drop-off centers located at North Lakes Park, Cupboard Natural Foods, Shady Oaks at Dallas Drive, and the City of Denton Landfill.   When you buy a large piece of furniture or appliance, these recycling centers can handle what to do with the enormous box.  Accepted recyclable materials must be sorted into the seven categories listed below:

•    Wax coated cartons (gable top milk and juice cartons, and soy milk and juice boxes)
•    Cardboard and boxboard (flatten all boxes)
•    Paper (office paper, newspaper, magazines, catalogs,  phone books)
•    Aluminum cans and bottles
•    Steel and tin cans
•    Plastic bottles, containers, and jugs #1-7 (no plastic bags or styrofoam)
•    Glass bottles and jars

Electronics are everywhere and they cycle in and out of our lives quickly because technology improves so fast.  There are several local retailers who provide electronic recycling opportunities for items such as televisions, computers and equipment, cell phones, ink jet cartridges, batteries, and other small electronic products.  Their info and recycling descriptions are listed:

Batteries Plus
Recycles batteries and many portable electronics. Recycling of batteries reduces waste in our landfills, stops harmful chemicals from contaminating soil and water, and preserves our environment by decreasing the need for new raw materials from the Earth.
Batteries Plus recycles these spent batteries types:
lead acid (Pb) batteries used in cars, trucks and emergency lighting, Nickel Cadmium (NiCd) batteries used in cordless phones, cordless tools and two way radios, Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries used in camcorders, bar code scanners and digital cameras, Lithium Ion (Li Ion) or Lithium Polymer (Li Poly) used in cell phones and laptops. They also accept portable electronic devices such as cell/smartphones, laptop/netbooks, MP3s, PDAs and portable tools.

Best Buy
No matter where you bought it, they’ll recycle it!  You trust Best Buy when it’s time to buy the latest electronics., you can also trust them to help you safely dispose of your old ones.  Regardless of where you bought it, what brand it is, or how old it is, bring it to Best Buy. They’ll make sure it’s properly and safely recycled. It’s all part of the Greener Together™ program.  They accept TVs, DVD players, monitors, audio and video cables, cell phones, and more. Most things are recycled absolutely free, with a few restrictions.

Radio Shack Trade & Save Program
Trade what you have for what you want and save, no matter where you purchased the item.  In-store and online options are available.  If your device has no trade-in value, Radio Shack will recycle it responsibly for free. Some older items have no trade-in value and may not appear in the database.  Don’t send them to the land fill just yet. Simply indicate the quantity of each product type you have on their website, click the “Recycle It!” button and generate a free shipping label so that your device is recycled properly.

Computer Crushers
Second Saturday of every month, Computer Crusher Recycling Company will be at The Cupboard Natural Foods lot (200 W Congress St.) to accept your computer electronics. As always, they will “crush” your personal data on site and accept any computer electronics.

See the City of Denton Recycling website for a full list of businesses who offer programs to area residents.

Radiant barriers give your home an extra level of insulation. By using reflective materials, they keep the heat in your attic from trickling into your home, which helps give your air conditioner (and your energy bills) a break. All radiant barriers use reflective material to send heat away from your home’s interior. The more reflective the material, the more efficiently it will deflect heat. When choosing a radiant barrier, look for higher reflectivity materials (.9 or 90% and up). Some radiant barriers will list a level of “emissivity” (also called the “emittance”). Lower levels of emissivity correspond to higher levels of reflectivity. When considering the different types of radiant barriers, use the level of reflectivity and emissivity as a guide.

Radiant barriers can be installed on top of attic insulation or attached to roof rafters. Homes in the hot, humid Denton climate benefit most from radiant barriers that are attached to the roof.

Remember that radiant barriers are only one piece of your home’s efficiency. Denton Municipal Electric offers rebates on radiant barriers and other energy saving products through the GreenSense Energy Efficiency Rebate program. Visit www.dmepower.com for details.

To submit a question to the Energy Expert or for more information about GreenSense Energy Efficiency Rebates, visit www.dmepower.com.