How We Increased Our Home's Efficiency by 48 Percent!

I recently scheduled an energy audit with my utility company, Ameren Illinois, I was actually inspired to do so because I was preparing for my one-hour, live interview with the Citizens Utility Board.  Since I was disseminating advice on reducing your utility bills, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to schedule an energy audit of my home.

Our family qualified for a free audit and energy assistance through Ameren Illinois' Home Efficiency Program, aimed at helping low and moderate income families increase the energy efficiency of their homes. Here's a look at the chart from the Ameren website.

Number of Persons in Household	Maximum Income
1	$36,420
2	$49,380
3	$62,340
4	$75,300
5	$88,260
6	$101,220
7	$114,180

The application process was very easy. Our income was verified and within 24 hours and we received an e-mail, stating that we qualified for the program.

*Please note: I received no compensation of any kind for this review, except that which I qualified for through the Ameren Instant Savers Assessment Program. *

The ball got rolling quickly, with a follow-up phone call from Ameren Illinois, my utility company. An energy specialist was slated to arrive at my home within the week.

Our auditor, Travis, arrived promptly at 9am. What a great, informative, helpful guy! He explained the process to me and it quickly became clear why it takes an average of three hours to complete an audit. They are thorough! I mean, this is far more extensive than any inspection I have been through to buy or sell a home!

We immediately discover three problems!

A bright yellow handheld device with a thin, flexible metal rod protruding from the top was slowly waved over the surface of all items, which used natural gas. This combustible gas detector emitted a beep, which increased in intensity and volume in the presence of natural gas in the surrounding air. The reading it takes, known as the L.E.L. - Lower Explosive Limit, is actually able to detect finite levels of gas leakage. Apparently around 50 percent of homes which are tested have some amount of gas leaking, yet the homeowners know nothing about it.

Checking for gas leaks

We turned out to be one of the 50% - twice over! There was a leak right where you see the snakelike projection in the photo. In a scary turn of events, the beeping machine also found that the gas shut off valve for our dryer was leaking.

In a final blow, Travis noticed that the hot water heater exhaust pipe had been improperly installed.

Improperly fitted water heater exhaust pipe

That crimped edge in the center of the photo shouldn't be showing. That portion of the extension should fit securely up against the receptacle at the top of the ceiling.

The problem is that improper alignment can allow the gravity-fed exhaust from the water heater to escape into the room, creating a build up of carbon monoxide. This was not something to be ignored.

The gas was turned off at the street as we awaited a rescue team to arrive to fix all three problems. First, an Ameren journeyman replaced the leaky valve in the front of the house with lightening quick speed. Then, the inspection was put on "hold" for an additional 60 minutes, while a local contractor came out to repair both the leak in the dryer line and the hot water heater exhaust pipe.

Air flow is tested with a puff of smoke

The shiny, new water heater exhaust pipe was tested for backdrafting with a puff of artificial smoke.

Everything was now in proper working order!

All problem areas rectified, we were back on track and once again testing my home's energy efficiency.

More common problems unearthed

I learned a lot as the process turned up more areas of concern. Travis was incredibly gracious and kept up a nice stream of conversation, orally downloading facts, figures, and information as I plied him with questions.

Clogged Central Air Cage

Clogged central air conditioner cage

The vents for our central air were completely clogged. Apparently, you can direct a spray of water from a hose through them and easily clean out the organic material - on in our case, mostly seeds from local, prolific, cottonwood trees.

The big problem with this condition is that the coating of grime causes additional load on the AC unit. The motor must work harder to move air, shortening the length of its life and raising our utility bills.

To fix the situation, we would need to direct a gentle stream of water between the top and side of the unit, spraying outward to remove the debris and clean out the dust, dirt, and debris. This, same procedure should be followed every spring, before turning on the central air unit.

Dirty dryer vent exhaust 

Lint collected at the exit of the dryer vent

Most homeowners, me included, don't think to periodically examine the state of their dryer exhaust. We should! Dryer vent fires are quite common, but the possibility can be drastically diminished when the entire vent is vacuumed out once or twice year.

The Building Flow Leakage Test!

The Blower Door 

The final part of the inspection was something called a building flow leakage test. My front door was covered by a bright, red canopy with a large fan in the bottom, center quadrant.

As I gazed at the contraption, my mind raced back to the hazmat scene from the 1980's movie, "ET". This really did look eerily similar.

Measuring air pressure and flow

I watched, as numbers on this electronic continued to climb, telling the tale of just exactly how quickly air was flowing through my house, even with every door and window closed!

Our blower door test revealed a final number of 11.0 ACH50. The average home measures about a 10 ACH 50. However, one must compare this number with that of new construction: a 4.0 ACH 50.

So, what did all these figures mean to me, the homeowner? Travis quickly broke it down to layman's terms. It was significant that my score was10, because any level between 10 and 15 actually represents a fairly significant leakage problem. Main, but not surprising, problem points were areas which provide a natural bridge between the outdoor and indoor air.

Our main problem areas included:  

Our whole house fan - a major area for leaking air

• My centralized, whole-house fan

• My bathroom exhaust fan

• Our jalousie-windowed back door

• The top plates of our interior walls, where they met the roofline

We got new thermostat, smart power strips, and more!

Nest Programmable Smart Thermostat

Before leaving, Travis installed a number of power-saving devices in my home for free! It's all a part of Ameren's Instant Savers Assessment Program! These included: 

• A Nest programmable, smart thermostat  (Ameren is offering a $100 rebate on these thermostats for EVERYONE, not just low-income families!) 

• Two smart power strips (to help reduce vampire power)

• New low-flow faucet aerators (To reduce water use and reduce strain on the water heater)

• New LED lightbulbs (To reduce energy usage)

New, low-flow, faucet aerators replaced this old, bulky unit.

As the process concluded, Travis, once again reviewed the problem areas in the house and ensured that I now understood how gaps were allowing a continuous exchange of air from indoors to outdoors. My house was far leakier than I had ever anticipated! He left, assuring me that everything could be fixed.

We did, however, have a small financial commitment to make to the process. As homeowners, we had three minor problems, which would need to be brought up to code before project completion. The repairs would cost us less than $300.

In the meantime, a second, and even more thorough examination, would be performed by Todd Abercrombie of EverGreen Home Energy Consultants. Todd would then provide us a with a list of detailed, prioritized, actionable steps and connect us with one of Ameren's trusted, locally-owned program allies.

The next step in the process

Once again, I didn't have to wait long. I received a call from Todd within a week. Arriving at the agreed upon hour, he, first, repeated Travis' initial tests, to ensure that the calculations were correct.

They were.

There was a clear flow of heat from the centralized whole house fan

In addition to verifying the original energy loss numbers, a thermal imaging camera was used, to aid in defining the exact amount of heat loss, The device was aimed at doors, windows, near the ceiling, at the roofline, through the whole house fan, and, finally, up the bathroom exhaust.

Heat escaping where the top plates meet the downward sloping roofline. 

This was pretty cool technology! I was able to physically see heat radiating through unseen holes in my home.

Todd explained that even brand new constructions contain some air flow. Although the numbers looked pretty high to me, Todd said that he had seen worse and reiterated Travis' assertion that just a few upgrades could provide me with a significant reduction in heat or cooling loss. 

The next week I received an extensive, final, detailed report with a prioritized list of both necessary and suggested projects. Todd also recommended and connected us with Central Illinois Insulation, an Ameren energy program ally. 

What our certified Ameren trusted partner did for us

The crew from Central Illinois Insulation were absolutely remarkable! Being in an attic on a blazing Central Illinois summer day brings about visions worthy of inclusion in Dante's famous Inferno. But, they labored tirelessly and cheerfully, putting forth their best effort in less than ideal working conditions. 

Replacing the Bathroom Exhaust Fan

A new Panasonic energy efficient bathroom fan

The new Panasonic Whisper Green Bath Exhaust Fan is vented properly and "hums", rather than rattles when in use. It keeps moisture at bay even when a teenage boy is standing under running water in the shower, singing through multiple verses of his favorite songs. I was very impressed with how effectively the new fan wicked steam from the room.

Sealing the Backdoor

A plexiglass  panel on the inside, seals leaks from the jalousie window.

This was a little tricky. We really didn't want a replacement door. I like being able to look from the backdoor into the garage. But, the original jalousie windows were like a leaky sieve. Tim Wagenbach, owner of Central Illinois Insulation, took on this task personally. He found a piece of plexiglass and had it cut to the perfect size. Then, he custom fitted it over the top of the existing window frame. It was the perfect solution!

Sealing cracks in the attic and adding insulation

New insulation helps keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 

Previous to the improvements, my attic only contained maybe six inches of very old, squished insulation. It's no wonder the attic and roof were the main sources of heating and cooling loss for my home! They were the spaces, which allowed for the greatest degree of conductivity between the interior and exterior spaces.

Sealing, in the form of foam, caulk, or solid materials were applied to areas like the chimney base, top plates, wiring penetrations, plumbing penetrations, the kitchen soffit, and the whole house fan.

We had one additional request for the attic project, a plywood walkway so that the whole house fan could easily be reached for yearly maintenance. We opted to pay out-of-pocket to have the workmen to do this for us.

After that, insulation was blown in to a factor of R-49.

Adding a whole house fan cover

The new fan cover fits tight against the ceiling, but is easy to remove to put the fan into use. 

The final area of concern was our whole house fan. Unlike many people, we actually use our whole house fan, especially in the spring and fall, when nighttime temperatures drop and the humidity is also low. So, plugging it up permanently was not an option.

Instead, an insulated, magnetized specialty cover proved to be the perfect solution. The interior of the cover is insulated, providing an additional R-factor. Yet, the durable cover is also easy enough for my older boys to grab the magnetized corner to remove it when we are planning to use the fan.

The cost of the project 

The cost of these home improvements was nearly $4000 and was completely covered by Ameren's Energy Efficiency Home Audit program! Our only out-of-pocket cost was that of paying to have three minor items replaced and brought up to code and the cost of laying the plywood flooring in the attic. It was less than $500. 

Final report 

The final report showed an amazing 48% increase in air efficiency! 

While our initial blower door test CFM level had been 11.0, the post-improvement test revealed a new number of 5.8! New construction is built to a code of 4.0. That means our home's level of air efficiency is now very close to that of a new build!  The results were even better than Ameren's initial projections! Everyone was well-pleased, deeming the project a rousing success!

Does this mean my utility bills will drop by half? 

No. It's a measure of the reduction of the overall air leakage of my home. It is one of the metrics used to determine how air moves through a structure, which affects its ability to effectively and efficiently heat and cool. 

Have I noticed a difference?

Yes, I have! 

• Our central air, which seemed to be running constantly, is now taking long "breathers" before turning on, rather than continuously cycling. This is happening even though the weather has remained hot and sticky. 

• I can stand in the hallway and no longer feel the heat of the attic radiating through the closed whole house fan. 

• Although we've not had a full bill cycle since the improvements, we did just receive our August utility bill, which was under $200, a record low for us in the midst of hot summer heat and humidity! 

Do I recommend the program?

Absolutely! If you live in Ameren Illinois' service area, check the on-line chart to see if you qualify for the program. Every single person involved in the process was incredibly polite, giving their time and knowledge and treating us with the utmost respect.

Special thanks to: 

• Suzanne at the Ameren home office, who answered my initial phone call and processed our application with lightening fast speed. 

• Travis Crocker, of Walker-Miller Energy Services, who completed our initial assessment.

• Todd Abercrombie, owner of EverGreen Home Energy Consultants, who did a thorough, top-notch job, coming up with such a detailed, thoroughly thought through action plan

• Tim Wagenbach, owner of Central Illinois Insulation and his amazing crew, who worked for hours without complaint in my sweltering hot attic to install the new insulation and complete the rest of the project upgrades. 

• Ameren Illinois, who offer great service to the customers in their service area. 

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

My Top 10 Strategies for Scoring Supermarket Markdowns

Hear me explain these strategies in-depth on FB Live!

I did a 25 minute Facebook Live presentation on these 10 Strategies. Read the ten tips on the post and then, to hear me explain them in-depth, check out the video. 

Tips for markdown shopping: 

1. Call your store.  

Ask to speak to someone in the specific department that you want to look for markdowns.  Better yet, find an employee in that department the next time you are in the store. Ask them directly when they do their daily markdowns. 

2. Time your shopping trip.

Most stores do markdowns either first thing in the morning or later at night. But, be sure to ask if markdowns are completed multiple times a day. One of my Kroger stores does their markdowns at noon each day. The store across town does markdowns at 8am and 4pm. Time your shopping trip to coincide with the greatest concentration of markdowns.

3. Don't assume that every department does markdowns at the same time.  

The meat, dairy, general merchandise, and produce departments all often have their own schedule for doing markdowns.

4.  Even if you have dietary restrictions or preferences, you want to know the markdown schedule in all of the departments.

Yes, my friends, you want the info. for every department. No matter your dietary preferences, the complete schedule of markdowns is important to you. For instance, plant-based yogurts, milks, and grain or bean based meats are found in either the dairy or meat departments. So, even if you are a vegan, you care about the produce and meat department markdown schedule. 

5. Don't assume that every department does markdowns. 

When in doubt, ask. I had a conversation at my local Schnuck's grocery store with an employee. I visited after several Under the Median readers told me that they were scoring fantastic markdowns at the store. They were. But, not in the produce department. The employee told me that for some unknown reason management had declared that no markdowns would be offered in produce.

6. Don't be afraid to voice your opinion.

 Just be sure to do it politely. I asked the employee to pass on to management that because other local stores routinely and regularly mark down prices in the produce department that I always pop into those stores specifically when I am passing by. Therefore, I am in those stores much more often than I am at those who do not offer markdowns in produce. 

7. Your loyalty matters to stores! 

I wrote commercials for a living for many years. I repeated the words, "Target audience" and "Market share" to myself several times a day.  Let me explain what these terms mean. When you are writing, your target audience is the kind of consumer you are attempting to influence. Target audience is often stated in terms of gender, age, income level, and other socioeconomic traits. Market share is the total percentage of the possible market that you obtain. In a simplified version, if 1 in every 10 shoppers makes a purchase at your store, then your market share is 10%. Schnuck's happens to be known for the quality of their merchandise. Their target audience wants exceptional, five-star fruits and vegetables. If I knew that there was a chance of scoring some bargains, I'd be in their doors in a New York minute. Management wants to know how to get you in their store, gain your loyalty, and get their share of your grocery dollars. So, don't be afraid to tell them. Ultimately, they want to corner a greater percentage of the market share. 

8. Ask if they will mark it down for you. 

If you see a stop date that is within 48 hours of when you are in the store, don't be afraid to ask an employee if they can mark it down for you. The worst they can say is, "No". If they won't do it, do be sure to ask if it is store policy to not offer a marked down price. That way you'll know not to ask in the future. 

9. Ask if markdowns are located in multiple locations throughout the store and within each department. 

For instance, Kroger has two produce markdown sections. Many packaged salad markdowns are simply displayed amongst their full-priced counterparts. However, they are sporting bright yellow clearance tags, to make sure that you see them. They also have an endcap display of "red bag" items. Each red bag is just $.99! The produce and meat departments also generally have markdowns displayed in more than one place. You can often find amazing deals, but you have to know to check all of the places in each department where you are liable to find markdowns.  

IMPORTANT NOTE! 

You cannot assume that all endcap items throughout the store are on sale! Often stores will create a display of "like" items together. For example: pasta sauce, pasta, and french bread, They are luring you into an Italian feast for supper tonight, but it may not be at a bargain price. These items are often for sale , but not on sale. 

10. Find out if additional markdowns are offered as items get closer to the "sell by" date. 

I once watched two, 20 pound bags of dried chickpeas for several weeks at GFS. They were on the markdown shelf. A customer had special ordered them and then decided that they didn't want them once the the items had arrived. Initially, the manager put the beans on the markdown shelf, pretty close to the originally offered price. However, as time passed, and no one bought them, management continued the downward trajectory of the price. Finally, after a month, I asked an employee when the next markdown was scheduled and how low the manager would go on the price. I knew that if it got to 50¢ a pound, I was going to pounce on them like a cat on catnip. The employee asked what I was wanting to pay. I told her, "$10 a box". She blanched and replied that she really didn't think the store would go that low, but she would ask. She returned about five minutes later with an answer. They were willing to meet my price! I was one happy camper. I bought both bags of beans and ate a whole lot of chickpea related recipes for the next few weeks. So, being a pleasant, frequent customer and asking politely sometimes does have its rewards. 

Your turn!

What are your biggest money-saving strategies in the grocery store and what has worked for you? Leave a comment below. 

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

"20 TIPS For Saving on Utilities: My Interview with Citizens Utility Board

Let me begin by saying that it has been a crazy kind of day. It began at 9am with an Energy Audit from my utility company, Ameren. It was enlightening and I learned a lot.

My Energy Audit Goes Awry!

But, about half way through the audit, my wonderful auditor, Travis, discovered a small gas link in my gas line to my dryer. This resulted in one of the linemen coming out and shutting off my gas supply until two local contractors could make their way to my house to fix the offending valve.

I watched the time inch toward 1pm, when I was expecting the arrival of the crew from Citizens Utility Board.

Jennifer, who drove down from Chicago, arrived just as the Travis was performing an air flow test with this incredible array of plastic and machinery, which reminded me very much of the hazmat scene in the 1980's movie, "ET: The Extra Terrestrial".

This baby was ramped up to a very loud, incredibly high velocity as Jennifer arrived and we tried to shout through the closed door, "We'll be done in a minute!" We couldn't open the door or it would mar the test results. Thankfully, she was very understanding.

We played Russian roulette with the clock as Travis finished up literally minutes before we went "live" with the interview. Then, I proceeded to try to appear calm, cool, and collected for the next 60 minutes. Whew!

Even with all the craziness of the morning, I had a blast today sharing 20 tips for saving on utilities with Scott and Jennifer from Citizens Utility Board!

FREEBIE!

I'll post a link below. But, first I want to tell you about a terrific FREEBIE that I am offering right now. Check out my FREE Home Energy Savings Guide! This 16 page e-book walks you step-by-step through 21 tips for lowering your utility bills! These are the same tips that I cover in the video. But, I go in-depth in the e-book, with full explanations and check off charts.

You'll learn: 

• How to create a "cooling zone" in your home if you don't have central air. 

• How to get access to rebates from your utility company when you purchase energy-saving devices, like smart thermostats, LED lightbulbs, and smart power strips. 

• Three reasons why I don't like "level payment plans" and how you can average your own utility bills. 

• How to get your kids involved in energy savings. 

• The number one thing you should do right away to begin taking control of lowering your energy bill. 

• And MUCH more!

All 21 tips are just too much for me to list here. But, they're in the e-book and it's FREE right now!

To download: 

Click on the image of the Energy Savings E-Book. It's located in the sidebar on the right hand side of the blog. It's pinned right under my profile. 

No cost. No obligation. No hassles. 

However .... if you haven't yet signed up to be in my e-mail posse, I'd love to have you do that, too! You can sign up right under the graphic for my Produce Savings e-book! (Look right underneath the free energy savings guide on the right hand side of the blog page.)

I'm giving you a free copy of my 8-page e-book on produce savings when you sign up to follow my by e-mail. 

Shout Out to Citizens Utility Board 

I MUST give a shout out to these great folks, whose mission is helping people save money on utilities! They offer to do a FREE analysis of your utility bill. I did it and they found that I could save money with six easy steps. 

Here's a link to my blog post on their report and what I learned from it. 

Six Ways My FREE Utility Bill Analysis Is Saving Me Money

Program Link: 

With all that being said, Here is a link to my FB Live 1 hour interview with Citizens Utility Board.

Click on the image and it will go directly to the CUBIllinois Facebook interview page.

What did you think? 

I'd love to know how you enjoyed the interview? Would you like to see me do more Under the Median videos with tips and ideas for saving money? Let me know in the comments section. 

And remember to download your FREE 16 page energy savings e-book!

Don't Miss Any of Our Posts! 

Follow us:  

Receive posts via e-mail by filling in the "follow by e-mail" link on the main page.  

Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope

My LIVE Interview! How to Save Money on Utilities

Yes! I'll be doing a LIVE  Facebook interview this Friday, June 7th at 1:30pm (CST) with Citizen's Utility Board. CUB is a non-partisan, non-profit agency in Illinois, dedicated to helping consumers cut their utility costs and get the lowest rates available.

I'm excited to partner with them for this live interview. We want to be sure that you know the best ways that you, as a consumer, can insure that you are not paying too much for your utilities.

Sneak peek!

Here's a sneak peek of some of the topics we'll cover: 

• Why utility costs are not as static and "fixed" as most people believe 
• How to reduce costly air flow "in" and "out" of your home
• The best way to keep your finger on the pulse of your utility bill 
• How to find the best prices on newer LED light bulbs
• How to get your kids involved in helping your family save money!
• How to reduce phantom power
• How Hourly Pricing could save you some serious money

I'd love to have you join us live. But, if you miss it, no worries. The replay will be available at the CUB Facebook page.


Here's the URL to get to you to the right place at the right time.  Citizen's Utility Board Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/cubillinois/

Do you have questions?

If you have questions, shoot me a message right away and I'll do my best to cover it on the program. 

You can leave you question in the comments section or send me an e-mail at underthemedian@gmail.com. 

See you all on Friday at 1:30pm at:  https://www.facebook.com/cubillinois/

Best Deals of the Week and Why I Am No Longer Recommending HyVee Price Matching

It happened just today! HyVee changed their price matching policy and it has this budget-minded girl shopping around again. I'll give you the details at the end of this post. But, first, let me tell you which store gets my "best buys of the week" nod.

This week's store is a locally-owned ethnic shop: The Mediterranean Mart. Now, I realize that many of my readers are not Central Illinois natives. But, what I really want you to do, is think outside the box when it comes to where to get great deals on groceries. I have found that often ethnic stores ROCK when it comes to customer service and quality merchandise.

Here Is My All Organic Grocery Haul 

I happened to visit on a Wednesday. Mediterranean Mart brings in fresh produce from the Chicago markets every Thursday. So, on Wednesday, they were clearing out last week's purchases at bargain prices.

They had a nice sized basket of organic produce at the register. Everything in the basket was just $.99 each.

Organic broccoli - just $.99 a bunch

Organic red cabbage - just $.99 a head. 

There was a nice selection of other organic items marked at fantastic prices.

3 pounds organic red onions for $1.50

3 pounds organic red potatoes - $1.50 

3 pounds of organic clementines - $2.99 a bag. I got 2 bags! They taste divine!

What I paid: 

My total was: $12.60 before taxes!  

I see some amazing soup and stir fry in my near future! 

Thanks, Mediterranean Mart! 

And, hey, if anyone remembers the fantastic deal I got last week on 1 pound tubs of organic baby romaine, Mediterranean Mart is getting a new shipment in on Thursday. I paid just $1.59 for a pound of organic greens! 

Owner, Sieed, is always friendly and helpful. He goes out of his way to provide great quality products at reasonable prices. He won't sell you something that isn't right for you! He values every customer!

If you are local, give them a visit at the corner of Glen and University in Peoria. If you aren't local, then do be sure to Google ethnic markets in your area and give them a try! You just might find new friends and the opportunity to try new items that you might never have thought of trying!

The Scoop on HyVee 

As I promised, here is the 411 on HyVee's price-matching policy. Yes, they still price match. But, their new rules state that the product you purchase must be EXACTLY the same product as that featured at other stores. So, when I went in today, Aldi had 6 oz. packages of blackberries on sale for $.99. I got two packages and took them up to the checkout counter. A manager said that because HyVee sells Driscoll brand berries, that they could not be price-matched.

Now HyVee can have any policy that they want. But, from my perspective, blackberries are blackberries. The fact that there are several fantastic grocery stores all within a two mile radius of one another, really puts a damper on me doing any extra work just to save money at HyVee. I have been inside HyVee literally nearly every single week since they instituted their price-matching policy. But, I'm just not going to go to the trouble to try to match the EXACT same brand. Since I am vegan and only purchasing basically fruits and vegetables, any brand berry, citrus fruit, or potato will do just as well as any other. 

The following stores are all within two miles of each other in my town: Aldi, Schnucks, HyVee, Kroger, GFS, and Mediterranean Mart. In addition, during the growing season, the farmer's market falls within this two mile pattern and is open 6 days a week at the height of the season. So, I'll plan out my two mile circular route, walk in every store, and get the best prices on all the items I need.  

Your turn!

I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts on HyVee's price-matching policy. At what point do a store's limitations and rules deter you from doing your shopping there? What is your favorite place to shop for great products at fantastic prices? Have you ever tried shopping at ethnic markets? Leave your thoughts in the comments section. 

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Do all to the glory of God, 

Hope