eatees ts The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, September 25, 1996 - B? Window Canada's long, cold winters and. hot humid summers make energy efficiency a major concern for bring in sunlight and allow feel connected to the world outside. energy efficiency Think of windows as multi-pur- pose energy units - letting in the sun's energy and losing us to homieowners, When you consider that windows are the major heat loss component of a house, it’s not surprising that today's energy-cffi- cient insulating units can make a real difference - in terms of energy savings and comfort. : The concept of insulating glass: goes back more than. 100 years, when someone came up with the ‘idea of using two panes of glass kept apart by a putty-like spacer, Then there were “storm” windows, units which had to be put up in the fall and taken down again in the spring - a time-consuming and annoying process that those with older homes know all too well. If we wanted to have energy efficient homes, why not just build them with fewer and smaller win- dows? The answer is obvious; win- dows have an aesthetic value. They heat to the outside. The solution to minimizing heat loss is the insulating glass unit - with two (or more) panes of specially-treated glass separated by an insu- lating space. With traditional win- dows, heat is lost by con- duction, convection and radiation. To minimize conductive heat toss, insu- inert gas - usually Argon - in between the glass panes. By spacing of these units 1/2” apart, convective heat loss is greatly reduced. To cut down on radiant heat loss, the glass is specially treated with a heat-retain- ing, low-emissivity (low-e) coating. lating glass units have an. Insulating glass means enhanced home comfort and reduced heating costs ’ The same properties that enable ]. insulating glass windows to keep your house warm during the winter help keep it cool when outside tem- peratures rise during the summer, But improving the thermal properties of glass does not guaran- tee a more energy-efficient win- dow. Improperly sealed units will permit moisture to get trapped between the glass panels, where it will eat into the glass and impair its clarity: Another important consid- eration is installation. If the space between the window and wall is not properly sealed, the unit's efficien- cy will be greatly reduced. REN HELPING YOU SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY COVERED? When ti's time to renew your car (niurance, pour independens insurance broker covers you best. HOUSE COMMERCIAL - BOAT R.V. AUTO PLAN We also offer financial services. Bus, (604) 695-6292 Fax. (604) 635-5288 TOLL FREE 1-800-336-8038 a r 7 4617 Greig Avenue fe beirpresivas inner aso Rirtiee Corea es THE WINDOW FOR ALL CLIMATES... 4 ry 5 Z + car: % aah y ae gals Re oe 5 san (PUN ‘ ihe E 4, B. Baw, am an Ak q z ee 7 ate oy 2 shad 3 ra Ny e ¥, ‘ ‘1 ip ae & y Ng as ; aes : U & fee Base BO9TIOIC EPS Is Your Hearth Ready For Winter? Periodic Service, Maintenance Will Ensure You’re Warm And Cozy All Season As the chilly winter evenings approach, you may be looking forward lo spending some time basking in the cozy glow of your fireplace or stove. But wait—is your hearth ready for winter? [s your’ ‘chimney dirty or partly blocked? Is the chimney flashing cracked and leaking? Did your stove spend the summer in a damp basement? Are the door gaskets frayed, loose or packed? -Are the fan blades full of chist and Hint? Although your system may have none of these problems, you ll never know until itis checked, You don’t want to. have.a-problem in mid-winter when you depend on it most-for heating and ~ enjoyment. There’s no doubt about it, your syslem will work. belter-and be..more reliable after’ its annyal servicing, not.to mention providing some peace of mind. There: are options of course. You could buy all the necessary tools and. learn to do the servicing yourself, Some people don’t mind getting black from head to toe or climbing: up onto roofs, But if-you’re like most people, you'll hire'a professional chimney sweep or a technician froma specialty. hearth retail store to do the service for you, “A chimney sweep.does much more than sweep the chimney. Did you know, for. example, that. some ‘chimney deposits won't sweep out? And that a qualified ‘sweep will never just walk away leaving a potential problem tn your chimney? For example, the winter frost works away al gaps in the chimney bricks and mortar-every year there is a little, more delerioration.-During the annual chimney: servicing, the chimney sweep will seal the cracks and make the minor adjustments that will save you | the cos! of major repaits. Fireplaces and staves have parts that deteriorate too. They get hot (it's their job) and over time the internal components like baffles, air tubes and even fire bricks can wear out from the stress, The heat also makes gaskets stiff and adhesives brittle. Replacing the gaskets on doors and glass panels is nota big job, but an important one. Good seals will provide for better performance, especially for the newer high tech stoves and fireplaces. -Although-the new pellet stoves are more irouble-Free-than ever, they too need regular maintenance to.ensure “that the fuel suger is clear; the exhaust. vent is clean, the drive motors ‘aré lubricated and combustion controls ‘are properly adjusted, - Natural. gas and propane stoves and fireplaces are entirely automatic; but their gasket seals, fans, burners, exhaust vents and ‘flame controls also need periodic service, Most importantly, if the. performance or behavior of your — pellet.or gas appliance changes—it doesn't start, the glass soots up, or the flame looks add—call your service professional immediately, REN HELPING YOU SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY — Insulation Safety tip (NC})—Insulating materials can be dusty und may cause temporary skin irritation after contact, Always wear lightweight goggles and o high-quality dust mask, Wear loose clothing with long sleeves buttoned around your wrists, snug work gloves and 4 hat, ; REN HELFING YOU SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY L RENOVATING WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY { The ins and outs weatherstripping (NC)—Weatherstripping is used on moving surfaces such as window sashes, doors and attic hatches, Properly applied it should ensure an airtight -. fit, while still allowing for easy opening and closing. The type of weatherstripping you apply depends on the type of surface ou are sealing, the are a you are apply- Ing il to, and the size of the gap you are sealing, * When a door, window sash or hatch closes against weatherstripping, it creates a pressure seal. A pressure seal “is used for hinged doors and windows and for attic hatches, * When weatherstripping is in constant contact with the closed part of a frame, sash, face or edge of a door or window, it makes a sliding seal. This seal is used for all sliding doors and windows, * You should use a sweepstyle seal across the bottom of your door, Caulking and weatherstripping alone can decrease your heating bills by 5 to 15 per cent, and you will notice. an immediate difference in comfort, For more information on how to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient, call Natural Resources Canada toll-free at 1-800-387-2000 (in Ottawa, call 995-2943), or write to» Energy Publications c/oCanada * Communication Group, Ottawa, ON, _ K1A 089, and ask for the free booklet called Keeping the Heat Ine 3 \ 1 c | | | Child Proof Paint For Little Artists. REN HELPING YOU SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY | RENOVATING WITH ENERGY EFFICIENCY | (NC}—Before the next heating season, your home heating system should, ideally, be in Up-top condition, ready to charge into action. Since a big part of all your energy casts come from — heating, it makes sense to keep your furnace running as efficiently as possible. To ensure this, have it tuned up regularly by qualified personnel. In addition, here's what you can do on your own to save energy: + Lower your thermostat to 17°C at night or when no one is home (a programmable thermostat is helpful here), | * Tf you have a forced-air system, change or clean your air filter once amonth, ti ters clean and _ Supplies of Power Smart Windows « Keep heating registers clean ati ‘free from obstructions, ’ AL-C’S GLASS LTD. ¢ Close the registers in rooms that =~ ~~ 3720 Rivor Drivo, Terrace are rarcly used, ; 638-8001 Kitimat 632-4800 « Make sure your furnace chimney 4 is clean and free of debris, ani —— : This Coupon Entitles you to a single = of instock wall paper for $9. 99 or less Crayola Washable Crayons & Coleering Book with purchase of 3.79 litres of Regal Aqua Pearl or Pristine Pearl ia #4-4717 Lakelse Ave., Terrace, B.C. V8G 1R5 Ph: (604) 638-8844 Fax: (604) 638-8840 Pal A STROKE OF BRILUANCE® Mon. - Sat. 7:30 - 6:00 p.m. Friday 7:30 - 9:00 p.m.