Kitchen Flops

Insulation, Weatherization, And You

Heating and cooling your home, particularly in the harsher weather environments, like winter and summer, can be expensive.

There are reasons, thermostat settings, the comings and goings of family and friends, the age of your heating and cooling system, and your insulation and weatherization practices.

Setting your thermostat higher in the winter and lower in the summer causes your system to cycle on and off more as well as running longer. Set your thermostat and forget it — we recommend 68 degrees in winter and 78 degrees in summer.

The older your HVAC system gets, the more it costs to run, even that efficient unit you bought 15 years ago. Beside, the lifespan of a heating and cooling system is around 10 years, though we often hold onto these systems as long as they run, efficiently or not.

But, the crowning and least costly improvement when it comes to heating and cooling is insulating and weatherizing your home. Insulation prevents heat transfer, or the loss of heat from inside your home to the outside. If you feel cool spots in your home, a cause could be insufficient insulation. Insulation settles, and when it does, there can be bare spots that allow for heat transfer. By making sure the area is covered and refreshing it as needed, you can improve comfort, which could also improve cost.

Another option is weatherization, a practice which prevents air infiltration, or the loss of inside air outside, or vice versa. This can happen in any number of places, plumbing penetrations, around doors and windows, and more. However, by weatherstripping and caulking, you prevent that heat you're paying each day or month, from leaving. Another comfort and cost improvement.

South River EMC offers rebates on heat pumps, as well as insulation and weatherization improvements.

If you're looking for a gift for someone special, give them the gift of savings, it might save you as well.

For more information and details on these rebates, visit sremc.com/ rebates-efficiency-tips or call 910-892-8071 x 2123 (heat pumps) or x2222 (insulation and weatherization).

'Tis the season to be jolly and the season to save energy. The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends, to be merry and to be thankful for our everyday blessings that are bestowed upon us. With so much going on during this time of the year, it’s also a time that we may neglect our energy-saving habits. There are steps you can take this year to help save energy and money.

Mind your thermostat The recommended thermostat setting during the winter months is 68 degrees when in heat mode and the fan should always be set to auto. Having a house full of family and friends during the holidays can warm up a home pretty quickly.

You may also find yourself cooking more during this time of the year. The added heat from more bodies and cooking allows you to decrease the thermostat even more. This decreased setting will lessen the run time on your HVAC system. If you have a fireplace with a damper, make sure the damper is closed when you are not using the fireplace. By closing it, you are preventing the warm air in your home from escaping out of the chimney.

If you do a lot of cooking, try cooking as many dishes as possible at one time. Hosting a potluck meal is a great way to cut back on oven use. It can also give you more time to relax and enjoy the season. Energy-efficient lighting For me, the holidays are not complete without some type of Christmas decorations. Putting up Christmas lights and decorations become a tradition for many families.

If you purchase lights, consider light emitting diode (LED) Christmas lights. LEDs can be up to 90 percent more efficient than incandescent bulbs. On top of saving energy and money, they are also safer. LED bulbs are not as hot as incandescent bulbs and reduce the risk of combustion along with burnt fingers. The cooler bulbs are safer to use on your Christmas tree, wreaths and garlands as well. They are made with epoxy lenses that give it more resistance against breakage. Just like the LED bulbs in your home, they will last longer than incandescent, halogen and CFL bulbs. Advise Guy Eric Gainey

When you have your Christmas tree lights on, turn off lamps and other lights. Even though LEDs are more efficient and safer, you do not want to keep them on all the time. Make sure timers are installed and/or you unplug lights to ensure they do not stay on around the clock. of a programmable schedule.

If you are going to be gone a few days, adjust the thermostat down to a 50-55 degree setting. You want to leave a little heat in case the weather is extremely cold to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. This practice is something you should do any time you are leaving for a few days during the winter months and not just during the holidays.

Also unplug devices or small appliances that won’t be used and make sure your timers are set for any lighting or decorations you wish to have on for periods of a time.

Adjustments for time away If you travel instead of hosting during the holidays, it’s important to adjust your thermostat accordingly. Remember, your HVAC system will operate to satisfy the thermostat set point you leave it at or run based off For tools and more information on ways to save, you can visit our website at sremc.com or call the Advise Guys at 910892-8071. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

South River EMC Communicator PO Box 931 Dunn, NC 28335 910.892.8071 800.338.5530 Follow Us! southriveremc www.sremc.com

Holiday Safety Word Search

Remember to keep electrical safety in mind this holiday season! Read the tips below. Then, find and circle each tip’s red word in the puzzle.

D P D E M X D I D A N C X C X T E C X P R T N P J M O A K C T Y R R W K Z S G K V N W L M X E A E W Z G P V F D B X B A M N K I T Z P E B L T B S T Y L H P O W A N C E B W R N K S N S T J F T W T E A V W O R K L A C I R T C E L E X O I A B W G K T V L C D L S R H T J O V E J B V X N P Q K I O A B Y B T X S Z W L F P H R W R C Q H Q N L U L Z R H I B Q O M M G W C E U M A R V Z H N C D Q P C J Y V X H Z W W U Q E Y K M O Q I J Y Z T F M C P D P Q

• Do not overload electrical outlets with too many decorations or appliances. • Make sure your Christmas tree is watered daily. • Turn off all electrical decorations before leaving home or going to sleep. • Never leave a candle burning if you’re not in the room. • Extension cords used for holiday decorations should always be inspected for damage or exposed wires.

Healthy Swaps

Make better-foryou baked goods this season

Holiday cooks can make a nutritious twist on baked goods this season by swapping out less healthy items with other pantry items. For example, consider using Greek yogurt for sour cream or a fruit purée as a fat substitute.

Another example is swapping in light olive oil for butter, canola oil and vegetable oil. You can find additional olive oil recipes at pompeian.com/recipes.

Pompeian Oils & Vinegars Pompeian Oils & Vinegars Lemon Cake

11⁄₃ cups light olive oil, plus additional for oiling pan 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar ¾ cup brown sugar 1½ teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon baking powder 1¼ cups whole milk 3 large eggs 1½ tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus additional for garnish (optional) ¼ cup fresh lemon juice ¼ cup limoncello

Powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)

Dried sweetened lemon rings, for garnish (optional) Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 8-by-12-by-2inch pan with olive oil and line bottom with parchment paper.

In bowl, whisk flour, sugars, salt, baking soda and powder. In another bowl, whisk 1¹/₃ cups olive oil, milk, eggs, lemon zest, juice and limoncello. Add dry ingredients; whisk until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 60–75 minutes until top is golden and cake tester comes out clean. Transfer cake to rack; let cool 30 minutes.

Run knife around edge of pan, invert cake onto rack and let cool completely, about two hours.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon rings right before serving, if desired. Yield: 20 servings

Glazed Sugar Cookies

Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup light olive oil 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract 2–3 tablespoons unsweetened milk of choice Glaze 1 cup powdered sugar, plus additional if needed, for thickening 2–3 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice* 1⁄₈ teaspoon salt

Blood orange slices, for topping

Sugar, for topping

For cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheet.

In large bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine. Add olive oil, vanilla extract and almond extract. Stir until crumbly dough forms. Add two tablespoons milk; stir until soft dough ball forms, adding more milk if needed.

Place dough ball on lightly floured surface. Roll out dough until ¼-inch thick. Using a jar lid or cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on baking sheet. Bake 8–10 minutes (do not overbake). Set aside to cool. For glaze, in a small bowl, stir powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice and salt until thick glaze forms. Add more juice, if needed, to thin out glaze or add more powdered sugar to thicken.

When cookies are cooled, glaze them. Top with blood orange slices and a pinch of sugar. Yield: 25 servings

* Note: The glaze is naturally pink from the blood orange juice. You can substitute regular orange juice, but the glaze won’t be pink as shown.

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