Tours to highlight green options
By David Harry
Staff Writer
William and Deborah Lord made their solar choice 15 years ago when their Kennebunkport house was built.
Jim and Deb McDonough made their solar choice about three years ago.
The choices they made to use the sun to heat their homes, warm their water and provide electric power will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, as part of a state and nationwide day of open houses highlighting alternative energy sources.
Peter Zack, who educates students about energy efficiency with the Maine Energy Education Program, said the day is about showing how many methods and devices there are to help conserve energy.
“We do this to allow people to see the practices in action,” Zack said.
William Lord said his timing was good when he built the house that uses solar power to generate electricity and heat water and the house.
Although tax credits for energy conservation improvements first offered in the late 1970s had expired, Lord said it meant the manufacturers of solar panels, batteries and other equipment were making quality products for customers committed to change.
The result is, the Lords generate surplus power that is transferred to Central Maine Power. The utility then credits the Lords’ account when the couple may need to draw power when daylight recedes in the winter.
In Scarborough, Deb McDonough said her family of six has been so pleased with the solar hot water heater installed three years ago they have installed solar panels they hope will decrease monthly electric bills by half.
When the McDonoughs lived in Colorado, Deb said the family used natural gas to heat their water. When they moved to Scarborough, their house had a water heater operated off the oil furnace. They made the change to an insulated 500-gallon water tank to store water heated by solar panels as they added insulation to their home.
That is a two-pronged approach contractor Tom Rebmann said should always be considered.
Rebmann said he has been designing and building homes and shops using solar power and heating for almost 30 years, but advises people to “insulate before they insolate,” meaning harnessing solar energy.
Zack said other small steps, such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs, buying more energy efficient appliances and turning off surge protectors to fully shut off computers and appliances, are good first steps to conservation.
The Lord and McDonough families said their lifestyles have not been significantly altered by solar power.
“We do the same things we did before, we just try to be more mindful,” said Deb McDonough, whose husband is a programmer who works at home.
Lord said he and his wife have computers, a microwave and a wide screen TV that require “a balancing act – don’t have heavy resistant electrical loads when gas can do the same work.”
It was the open houses that helped the McDonoughs decide to go solar, Deb said.
“Installers were making claims we could not readily verify,” she said. So visiting other homes gave them a better sense of what benefits and drawbacks could occur from the change to solar power.
Zack, Lord and McDonough said initial costs are high for installing solar powered systems. McDonough estimated the family spent about $35,000 for panels, water tanks and the equipment to convert the electricity for use.
The payback comes with reduced utility and heating oil bills and current federal tax credits allowing up to 30 percent of the cost and a state tax rebate of $2,000, McDonough said.
The local open houses are organized and sponsored by the Greenfield, Mass.-based Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. The organization describes itself as dedicated to “advancing sustainable solutions, proven results and cutting-edge development in the field.”
The McDonoughs live at 6 Minuteman Drive in Scarborough, the Lords at 189 Mills Road in Kennebunkport.
Other homes featured include Daniel Leonard’s and Clara Steeves’ at 15 Burwell Ave. in South Portland. The couple has installed a solar hot water heating system.
Two additional Scarborough homes will be open to visitors. Mark Follansbee has installed a solar heater at his house 33 Arbor View Drive, and a solar hot water heating system will be on display at the home of Molly and Eli Chase at 99 Quarry Road.
For more information about the open houses, visit www.nesea.org. For more information about William and Deborah Lord’s home, visit www.solarhouse.com.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.
Staff Writer
William and Deborah Lord made their solar choice 15 years ago when their Kennebunkport house was built.
Jim and Deb McDonough made their solar choice about three years ago.
The choices they made to use the sun to heat their homes, warm their water and provide electric power will be on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 3, as part of a state and nationwide day of open houses highlighting alternative energy sources.
Peter Zack, who educates students about energy efficiency with the Maine Energy Education Program, said the day is about showing how many methods and devices there are to help conserve energy.
“We do this to allow people to see the practices in action,” Zack said.
William Lord said his timing was good when he built the house that uses solar power to generate electricity and heat water and the house.
Although tax credits for energy conservation improvements first offered in the late 1970s had expired, Lord said it meant the manufacturers of solar panels, batteries and other equipment were making quality products for customers committed to change.
The result is, the Lords generate surplus power that is transferred to Central Maine Power. The utility then credits the Lords’ account when the couple may need to draw power when daylight recedes in the winter.
In Scarborough, Deb McDonough said her family of six has been so pleased with the solar hot water heater installed three years ago they have installed solar panels they hope will decrease monthly electric bills by half.
When the McDonoughs lived in Colorado, Deb said the family used natural gas to heat their water. When they moved to Scarborough, their house had a water heater operated off the oil furnace. They made the change to an insulated 500-gallon water tank to store water heated by solar panels as they added insulation to their home.
That is a two-pronged approach contractor Tom Rebmann said should always be considered.
Rebmann said he has been designing and building homes and shops using solar power and heating for almost 30 years, but advises people to “insulate before they insolate,” meaning harnessing solar energy.
Zack said other small steps, such as using compact fluorescent light bulbs, buying more energy efficient appliances and turning off surge protectors to fully shut off computers and appliances, are good first steps to conservation.
The Lord and McDonough families said their lifestyles have not been significantly altered by solar power.
“We do the same things we did before, we just try to be more mindful,” said Deb McDonough, whose husband is a programmer who works at home.
Lord said he and his wife have computers, a microwave and a wide screen TV that require “a balancing act – don’t have heavy resistant electrical loads when gas can do the same work.”
It was the open houses that helped the McDonoughs decide to go solar, Deb said.
“Installers were making claims we could not readily verify,” she said. So visiting other homes gave them a better sense of what benefits and drawbacks could occur from the change to solar power.
Zack, Lord and McDonough said initial costs are high for installing solar powered systems. McDonough estimated the family spent about $35,000 for panels, water tanks and the equipment to convert the electricity for use.
The payback comes with reduced utility and heating oil bills and current federal tax credits allowing up to 30 percent of the cost and a state tax rebate of $2,000, McDonough said.
The local open houses are organized and sponsored by the Greenfield, Mass.-based Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. The organization describes itself as dedicated to “advancing sustainable solutions, proven results and cutting-edge development in the field.”
The McDonoughs live at 6 Minuteman Drive in Scarborough, the Lords at 189 Mills Road in Kennebunkport.
Other homes featured include Daniel Leonard’s and Clara Steeves’ at 15 Burwell Ave. in South Portland. The couple has installed a solar hot water heating system.
Two additional Scarborough homes will be open to visitors. Mark Follansbee has installed a solar heater at his house 33 Arbor View Drive, and a solar hot water heating system will be on display at the home of Molly and Eli Chase at 99 Quarry Road.
For more information about the open houses, visit www.nesea.org. For more information about William and Deborah Lord’s home, visit www.solarhouse.com.
Staff writer David Harry can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 219.
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