50+ Lifestyles

Home Series Booklets Offer Home Energy Efficiency Information

Information from the Iowa State University Extension Office

The Home Series booklets are filled with everyday energy-saving tips to help Iowans make a positive impact on family budgets.

The average Iowa family spends more than half of its annual household energy bill on heating and cooling. That’s a significant number, but you can dramatically reduce these costs – up to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy – by making some simple energy-saving weatherization and insulation improvements to your home. In addition – with a little attention to proper ventilation – you can protect your home from moisture damages year-round, reduce problems caused by ice dams on the roof during the winter and significantly cut summer cooling costs.

If you like to fix things around the house, you can handle many of the projects suggested in the Home Series books and make the most of your energy improvement budget. However, don’t hesitate to call a professional for help if you’d rather not do the work yourself; the dollars gained through energy savings in upcoming years will be worth the expense.

To get your free copy of the Home Series:

• Stop by the Scott County Extension Office at 875 Tanglefoot Lane, Bettendorf.
• Call your utility company.
• Download a PDF copy from the Iowa Energy Center website.
• Request a copy by e-mailing the Iowa Energy Center at iec@energy.iastate.edu.
• Call the Iowa Energy Center at (515) 294-8819 to ask for a copy by mail.