Cut your utility bills by up to 30%

Jun 6, 2014

In our household it seems we are always looking for ways to cut expenses to help make ends meet. An easy place to invest some money to get a quick payback is efficiency. Here are 5 tips to get started reducing your monthly utility bills.

1. Air seal your home – air sealing requires a low-level of skill and provides a high level of payback. Finding the gaps and cracks that leak your conditioned air to the outside is the key. Places that typically leak in a traditionally built home include light switches, electrical outlets, and around doors. Take off the covers and seal around the electrical outlets and light switches with caulk and weatherstrip the doors to stop the flow of air.

2. Insulate – It is critical to have insulation in the right amount, the right type, in the right places. However, if you are looking for the fastest payback, start in the attic. Typically attic insulation is installed to code minimum standards. Adding that second blanket of insulation in your attic, like you do on your bed in the winter, will make you more comfortable year round.

3. Adjust your thermostat – Turning your thermostat up 1 degree in the summer and down 1 degree in the winter from your typical setting will save you around 3% each month. Installing a programmable thermostat is even better.

4. Capture rainwater – Using rainwater to irrigate your lawn, garden, and flowers will cut your water usage each month. This easy strategy to cut utility bills also captures a better water for your landscape (no added chemicals) so things grow healthy and strong.

5. Install a ceiling fan to cool your home, use a clothes line to dry your clothes, open windows on cool summer nights, and close shades to block unwanted heat gain. So I could not fit it all in 5 tips – go ahead, pick one of these and get started.

As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.

Series Name: An Interlude of Water

Medium: Hand-cut Montage

Artist Statement: “An Interlude of Water

The stillness of a hot, lazy summer evening broken by the laughter of good friends as fishies bite and the sun slowly slips towards the horizon.

The pond collection swirls and twirls like the eddies at the shoreline. Developing slowly to capture the quiet aspects of what creatures could quietly inhabit a pond within the Shenandoah landscape.

The past eight months have been a creative frenzy of exploration, joy, and personal contentment, from envisioning a cohesive grouping of collages that share a color palette to letting my imagination play. The resulting collection has stretched my artistic skills and broadened my perception of interpretation and idea development.

My Process:

Each collage starts as a line drawing, creating a detailed map of the imagery to be included within the work. Moving the drawing to the wooden panel entails many bits of hand-cut paper, acrylic mediums, and acid-free paste. A sticky mess, but it so satisfies the need for detail my brain requires. All papers used are colored with acrylic paint applied with painting tools or a Gelli plate. A lot of time is spent pressing (lever press, heavy books, etc) and drying the glued papers before and after mounting on the wooden surface. Acrylic varnish provides a protective sealant for the completed collage. From concept to finished work, the process takes, on average, four weeks.”

Artist Bio: I’ve always been one to dabble in new trends and techniques. Treading water, seeking the thing that would capture and devour my imagination. In 2018, when life was overwhelming and my soul needed an escape, I fell back in love with collage. Over the intervening eight years, my artistic practice has settled into an obsession, forcing a growth in style and technique with results that personally bring me joy. A relocation to Harrisonburg, Virginia, has allowed me to establish a permanent studio space, adding momentum to my artistic journey.

*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot!