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Black Hills weatherizes four Lincoln homes to help save on gas bills

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By the Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Oct 09, 2008 - 04:57:43 pm CDT

Black Hills Energy employees will weatherize the homes of four of its customers in Lincoln on Saturday to help the owners prepare for winter.

The Lincoln houses are part of a companywide program designed to help customers control their energy bills. Eighteen to 20 homes will be weatherized free of charge in Black Hill’s eastern Nebraska service territory.

The company worked with community services agencies to identify homeowners who needed weatherization assistance, said Black Hills spokesman Bob

McKeon. Customers in Norfolk and Columbus and the Omaha area also will get help from employees, who volunteer their time. This is the third year for the program.

Black Hills weatherization teams will inspect and clean furnaces and replace furnace filters. They also will install weather stripping, caulk, pressurized expanding foam, window plastic, outlet gaskets, water heater blankets and water heater pipe insulation if needed.

“Helping customers conserve energy is a Black Hills Energy priority,” Dan Mechtenberg, vice president for Nebraska natural gas operations, said in a news release. “We want to emphasize the importance of conservation and energy efficiency for all customers and at the same time extend a helping hand to selected customers.”

Customers whose homes are weatherized through the program will receive general energy conservation tips and a complimentary package of fluorescent or CFL light bulbs.

Also, Black Hills employees will check batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace them if necessary. They also will install detectors if a home doesn’t have them.


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Hmmm... wrote on October 9, 2008 5:32 am:
" This is a nice way to "give back" to the community. I am sure whoever they select will appreciate the help. They way they are talking, heating bills will be outrageous again this winter! Now, if we could get LES and Time/Warner cable to do something beside rape us... "

 Ros wrote on October 9, 2008 8:02 am:
" This sounds like an excellent preliminary effort for energy conservation. I hope this program can be greatly expanded. As a tenant whose energy costs have skyrocketed, I would love to have my place weatherized but I have been unsuccessful for several years in getting my landlord to do even modest weatherization. I'm sure there are many tenants in a similar position. Conservation-minded tenants with uncooperative landlords need some help. "

 Curt wrote on October 9, 2008 9:08 am:
" Ros, if you have had the same landlord for years, and they haven't helped you, wouldn't it have been in your own best interest to do it yourself simply for the savings on your monthly bills? I resisted replacing a running toilet because I thought the cost was too much initially. When I finally got it taken care of, I saved nearly 25 dollars a month, well worth it. I know it stinks, but make many of the modifications yourself, and if possible make them "removable" so you can take them with you when you go. You can easily do the door draft protectors, the outlet gaskets and even putting felt seals around drafty windows yourself with little investment. You can take them with you to your next house too. Living in a "cold" environment I would also consider getting heat shrink plastic kits for covering your windows, especially any north facing windows if you have them. "

 kjbclg wrote on October 9, 2008 10:49 am:
" My rental I am living in has plaster walls and a brick exterior and no isulation in between. I ask my owner of this house to do something about it and he said he can't because it won't make a difference. I run my heat in the 4-5 month winter season at 64 degrees and it STILL costs me 150 per month in gas bills. I put the plastic window shrink crap up and that doesn't make a bit of difference in my home. I have done this for 3 years and I have not seen any difference in my bills. I have 2 space heaters (tip over shut-offs) and that only make my electric bill go up 20 percent or should I say 29%. Any ideas on how to make my house warmer while having these plaster/brick walls? "

 Options wrote on October 10, 2008 9:16 am:
" If you rent why don't you turn your landlord into the housing authority. You know they have the Landlord Police to take care of issues like this. Or better yet Move. "

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