Children helping parents

BRIGHT IDEAS

For my birthday this year, I asked my parents for curtains. Not just curtains, though, but for my dad to come actually hang them for me.

A week after birthday cake was consumed, I scheduled a time for my parents to come to my home. As my dad stood on the stepping stool with his electric screwdriver in hand and my mom handing him the curtain rods as needed, I realized in years’ time the roles will be reversed. I’ll be helping them.

This got me wondering about what children should plan on doing for their parents as they enter their older years – specifically when it comes to saving energy and money.

After a Google search on this topic, I found an article in Climatewire, highlighting a Girl Scout troop in San Mateo, Calif., that taught their parents how to cut their energy usage by 12 percent. The troop increased their own energy-saving behaviors by 49 percent after participating in the Girls Learning Environment and Energy program (GLEE).

GLEE initiatives include teaching the troop members to turn off lights when leaving a room, to hang clothes to dry after washing clothes in cold water, adjust the temperature in the refrigerator, and to switch off power strips at night.

One of the troop members, 12-yearold Rachel Swan, was quoted as saying, “We all had a lot of fun with it because it felt nice being the one to teach your parents things because they always teach you things. You know, return the favor.”

As a former Brownie with a budgetconscious mindset, I do agree with the GLEE concepts and with Rachel in that we can return the favor to our parents. What can I do to help my parents save energy and money as they get older?

From what I’ve learned during the past two years working with SWEPCO’s energy efficiency department, along with what my co-workers at Sci-Port taught me, there are several things I can do to reverse roles between my parents and me.

For starters, there’s replacing every incandescent or compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb in the house with a light emitting diodes (LEDs) bulb.

One of the advantages of replacing all of the incandescent or CFLs with LEDs is the lifespan. One LED lightbulb lasts longer than two and a half CFLs or up to 25 incandescent bulbs (based on 1,000 hours life for incandescents and 10,000 hours for CFLs). With an LED, you’re looking at a minimum of 13 years before you change it out again. Plus, the estimated annual energy cost of a 5.5 watt LED bulb for indoor or outdoor use is $0.66. Sure, that’s less than a buck, but those savings add up quick. Also worth noting: An LED bulb’s performance is not affected by turning it on and off, and each time it is turned on, the brightness is instant.

When it comes to an HVAC system, have a specialist inspect your parents’ system at least once a year to ensure energy savings, double the life of the unit and prevent fires (see my column in last month’s issue, specifically on the benefits of annual HVAC tune-ups). Help your parents by changing their air filters every three months, too, or when required.

As for windows and doors, be sure air leakage is eliminated using caulk, spray foam and weather-stripping. Check the obvious sources for air leaks, too, such as in the attic and wiring holes (cable TV, electrical outlets or phone lines). These proactive actions can lead to saving up to six percent on a home’s heating and cooling costs. Insulated curtains can help curb the energy usage, too, because these act as an extra layer of protection over the windows (which are most likely the leading source of heat loss or exchange in a home).

As for actually cooling and heating the home using the thermostat, you’ll want to make sure your parents have one that’s easy to read! I found one recommended by an Alabama HVAC company called the Emerson Blue Easy Reader Thermostat. The thermostat has a large screen and numbers, simple onebutton functionality and lighted display.

Speaking of heating and cooling, when I talked to my dad about this topic, he said his grandmother would always turn the heater off at 7 p.m. each night during the winter in Princeton, Ind. We’re talking about 20 degrees outside. So how did they stay warm? About eight quilts each night (probably an exaggeration, but you get the idea). It saved money, though. While this isn’t practical for everyone, prepare your parents to tolerate cooler temperatures in order to save money by making sure they have the proper clothing and bedding.

A final thought is to set your parents bills to auto-pay. While this isn’t necessarily an energy or money saver, it could be a life saver.

Karen E. Wissing works in Shreveport-Bossier City and loves her community.

E-mail your questions, comments or suggestions to [email protected].