MaineBusiness.com

With winter approaching at a fast clip, many homeowners in the Greater Portland area are beginning to think about ways to save energy and money this heating season. The Ecovise company, located in Windham, looks to provide some easy and affordable ways for people to do just that. “Our goal is to help people increase the energy efficiency of their homes and save on energy costs,” says owner, Theresa Foster. Theresa is a real estate broker with Energy Smart and Eco-Broker designations as well a property appraiser. She is also a partner at B and K Construction, also located in Windham. After spending 19 years in the construction business, Theresa created Ecovise in 2009. Theresa is an Energy Star Builder and a member of the US Green Building Council, and together with the other staff at Ecovise, strives to increase public awareness about energy efficiency. “We are committed to improving the energy standards of the homes here in Maine and are continually working with other companies and participating organizations to educate, learn, and share the knowledge,” Theresa says.

Among the services that Ecovise currently offers are: home energy evaluations, home energy retrofits, weatherization, and insulation installation. Once a one-person operation, Ecovise now has four staff members, including Ken Stephnick and Liz Keefer who perform weatherization services and insulation installation, and Ron Foster, who conducts energy evaluations. Ron Foster is certified as a home energy evaluator by Maine Home Performance and the Building Performance Institute.

Energy evaluators, such as Ron Foster, use state-of-the-art equipment to determine how well (or how poorly) a home is performing. Foster uses, among other tools, a blower door, which detects a home's air-tightness, and an infrared camera to locate drafts, areas of condensation, and/or other problems which may be reducing a home's energy efficiency. Based on the results of the evaluation, Ecovise can then refer homeowners to the appropriate contractors, who can help fix the problems. Theresa believes that this is money well-spent, saying, “Armed with this information, a homeowner can put their money where it will produce the most savings in terms of energy usage and cost.”

In addition to a home energy evaluation, installing proper insulation is another way that a property owner can improve their overall energy efficiency while saving money on heating costs. Ecovise recommends using a cellulose insulation, which is extremely airtight, as well as being eco-friendly. Theresa points out that cellulose insulation is in her view, a superior product, as it is made from recycled materials (newsprint and other paper) and is fire, pest and mold resistant.

Theresa also has some tips for people who want to take on energy-saving projects themselves. She says that homeowners should first install programmable thermostats, which will automatically turn down heat or air conditioning when they are not home. Secondly, they can switch to CFL light bulbs, which last longer and use less energy. It is important to turn off electronic devices, such as computers, when they are not in use. It is also helpful to use a surge protector to turn off multiple devices. Run loads of dishes and laundry only when full, Theresa adds. Set the water temperature to 120 degrees, and install light timers. Consider replacing appliances older than 10 years with Energy Star-rated options. Think about ways to weatherize the home, like sealing all visible cracks and adding insulation.

Theresa and the other staff at Ecovise are also mindful of their own energy usage at the office and purposely keep their work space on the small side. “We use CFL's and surge protectors to shut off and kill all computer equipment when not in use. We don't run air conditioning or print off materials unless required, opting to save those on the computer.” She and her colleagues also recycle almost all of their office trash. When asked what she would like for people to know about Ecovise, Theresa replied, “First and foremost, we strive to be friendly and helpful to our clients. We value our ability to deliver quality services and advice, in addition to providing referrals to our clients for projects beyond our know-how.”

Ecovise
9 Weathervane Drive
Windham, ME 04062
(207)-892-6279
www.ecoviseme.com (coming soon).

For more info on what Maine businesses are doing to be more eco-friendly, see the MaineBusiness.com green guide.