Brower Power Hour Radio Show Archive
About the Show
Brower Home Power Hour: Formerly the CHERP Energy Wise Forum, Brower Mechanical has now recrafted the program to further promote the process of home energy optimization thru home energy audits, insulation, windows, solar and more. Continuing the relationship with the non-profit Community Home Energy Retrofit Project (CHERP)monthly seminars are designed to provide access to virtually free home energy assessments ($300+ value!)that can then lead to maximizing government and utility rebates and incentives to both reduce expense and increase home values. An incredibly informative show to help anyone considering solar or home energy upgrades make the best investment decision utilizing the small solar process by reducing before producing.
Presented in Part by: Ygrene Home Improvement Financing
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Radio Show Archive
Spreading the Word on Public Safety Power Shutoffs
Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small dig into the local community scene with a conversation on the Public Safety Power Shutoffs and how that message is being disseminated in the community. This is a great and necessary outreach to keep homeowners aware of what they can do for prevention first, then power second. Generators, batteries, solar are all topics of the discussion. Those necessities, or bare essentials are individual to each consumer. The consensus is that a PSPS could be, on average, two to three days. Very important if you’re one of the families affected.
What about SMUD Benefits?
I’ll bet you didn’t know why SMUD might be different than PG&E with regard to Public Service Power Shutoffs. Michael Corbett tells the story. The conversation then drives straight into time of use billing and how you should actually save on the program and how it’s going to benefit in Winter with little to slight impact in the Summer if you pay attention to the peak hours.
Electrification and Rebates
The discussion continues with Michael Corbett talking more about why utilities give rebates to use less of the service. You’ll even hear about a big decision you’ll have to make when you purchase your electric vehicle. It has to do with saving money so you’ll want to hear it. Now, about those rebates…why. Start with carbon and emissions reduction. Environmental Stewardship is critical and knowing demand will likely continue to grow, managing it today preserves the future and in the long run, reduces cost to the consumer. This allows each customer to make choices to meet their specific needs to their best advantage. Electrification will be more and more significant in the future and now is the time to get educated.
Go Small Solar Case Study
The case study here is one that literally took advantage of every energy upgrade and rebate available including solar. It’s a compelling story that starts with a solar only option to reduce the expense. You’ll hear how this turned out to be a terrible option. Then, after a home performance evaluation, the steps were taken to completely upgrade the home. The outcome is nothing short of remarkable. Originally bid at 45 solar panels, after all the upgrades were complete, the final solar panel count was 16! 29 panels less mean roughly $30,000! And that does not include all the rebates!
Looking to take advantage of potential savings from a home evaluation and potential savings? Give Brower Mechanical a call at (916) 624-0808.
Warning: Fun show ahead. Well, you’re not going to really find much out about electric guitars but you will hear about why electric cars are becoming more and more significant to our environment. And you’ll hear an incredible story about a Brower employee who is taking older window units from homes being upgraded and bringing them to people in need and installing them to help them stay just a bit cooler. He’s doing this on his own simply as a service to help. That’s pretty neat or actually, darn cool!
Researching Technology? Listen to this before you shop!
As the show progresses, you’ll hear from a caller, with what is nicknamed the www casualty. He’s done the research on the internet and found out that a particular technology may be most efficient to pulling the heat down from 90-100. And he’s correct but it will only work to cool to about 80-85. Not what most would consider comfortable. Duane explains that situation as it’s not an uncommon occurrence.
What Will the Future of Energy Consumption Bring?
Flex alerts, PSPS, smart meters, battery backup… you never heard any of these things 10 years ago. Heck, electric cars were barely on the radar. Hear the explanation of many of these terms as they relate to your energy consumption. They’re all behavioral electrical manipulation and we sure hope for the greater good. Smart meters, talking to smart home appliances, talking to you telling you what’s going on…and of course the utility as well. Really neat stuff to look forward to. A glimpse into the future that’s here today.
Make a Plan for Home Energy Consumption
Knowing this all really dictates the need for a plan for your home energy consumption. Think about one of your on-going expenses. Home energy expense is a monthly variable expense every single month. You budget for it as it isn’t going away so why not get a plan together that gives you the most clarity possible? Let somebody who knows something about it, help.
Call Brower Mechanical today at (916) 624-0808.
Home Energy and Everything That Covers
It’s hot, it’s been hot and it’s likely going to get a bit hotter yet. Now what? Your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small enter into a fun discussion on HVAC monikers and where the description of “mechanical” in the name actually comes from. Fun story and really interesting to hear how much more the industry has changed and how inclusive what used to be just a simple heating and air conditioning company is now so much more. Brower Mechanical now means, HVAC, attic sealing, ducting, solar, home energy assessments, backup power including batteries and generators, roofing, windows and even pool pumps. If it has something to do with home energy, you can be sure your mechanical service company is involved to some degree in many of the options.
Does Your Home Have Backup Power?
o what’s going on now and what’s on most people’s minds? Power. Backup power. What if there’s a Public Safety Power Shutoff? PSPS? Will you be able to have your home powered up? And how are you going to do that? Depends. Do you have solar, do you need a generator? What are the steps to all the processes for all this energy? This isn’t something you’re going to want to tackle on your own. A big investment could go down the drain if you’re unaware of the legal variations in locale. Trust the experts here. It’s covered in the conversation in this segment.
Can Your AC Keep UP With The Heat?
So what happens when you have an A/C unit that just can’t keep up with the temperature you expect? Or not even really comfortable? Well, first off, it depends on if your expectation is realistic. But, in many cases, it could be signaling something bigger and a problem you’ll want to address. The caller case study did just that. Hear about it in this segment.
Prepare Your Home For Solar
Solar size and expense is always a critical concern when you’re considering options for home energy. An absolute must is understanding not only today but tomorrow as well. Is there anything you’re going to do differently that could change your home’s energy consumption? Be sure to factor everything in. If not, you WILL make an investment that’s unnecessary. Home energy upgrades planned properly will yield less panels and at $1000 per panel, that could be a significant savings.
So, what to do? Pick up the phone and make the call to Brower Mechanical a call today at (916) 624-0808 or contact us today.
Stay cool!
It all starts with a Free Clipboard Audit
Yep. I said Free and so do your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small. A couple of things are free. Like the service to provide you the information you need to best assess and get the biggest rebates possible. And the free clipboard audit is what leads you to big rebates which some consider free energy devices or free energy in some way shape or form. Whatever your interpretation, free is free. Listen and learn in this week's podcast!
Reduce Energy Before Producing Energy With Solar
Solar only may be a good consideration for many of you in the listening area and there’s a case study on two homes with different approaches. Two similarly sized homes with full solar systems are providing energy in roughly 2300SF. One home has 36 solar panels and the other with 13. Both are accomplishing the same thing. The home with energy upgrades is using the 13. At $1000 per panel, that’s a $23000 difference in solar alone! Yikes. What happened? Clearly the home with more panels is consuming much more energy to warrant the panels. What a waste. There’s so much more to solar than just adding solar. This is why Brower suggests reducing before producing.
The case study in this segment is about a referral from a co-worker for a customer that understands the process of solar and knows what she wants. Battery backup, solar and new HVAC. Wow. This is a rare situation but you’re going to find that more often than not, you’re going to be asking these questions as well. Great stuff.
Energy Assessment At Your Fingertips
So, you may have heard the “set it and forget it” option you have. Set your thermostat to the temperature you want it to be and get the estimate of what that’s going to cost you. No solar. Just an accurate estimate of what your expense is going to be. You’ll have your energy assessment identify the issues and what needs to be done and from there, the rest is simply completion and confirmation. This is a great report with full data from case studies to demonstrate the accuracy of what’s capable in your individual situation.
If this is something you think may make sense for you, give Brower Mechanical a call today at (916) 624-0808.
Stay cool!
Keep Your Home Comfortable in the Heat
Who doesn’t love an outdoor thermostat reading of 107 degrees! Certainly not your show hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small. Heat is good as it gives them an opportunity to help demonstrate how they can keep your home as comfortable as you like it and do it for less than you would have thought possible. The season of heat is now and the next 6-8 weeks are exactly the reason this show exists.
Benefits of a Whole House Fans
Whole house fans have been the rage of late since the weather has been mild in the evenings allowing the house to pull in the cool outdoor air and stay relatively comfortable most of the day. By nighttime, more cool air for the home from the moderate night. Repeat daily. Ahhh, the benefits of the whole house fan. The case study here is a great example of how a home was upgraded to accommodate the whole house fan and in the long run, it represented a reduction of 5 solar panels needed for energy. That’s easy math - A savings of $5000 on what would have been needed prior to the upgrades and the whole house fan. Now that it’s getting hotter, what to do? More answers are in the show.
How Often Should You Get a HVAC Maintence Check?
This third segment, our usual segment with a caller from the market, is actually very aware of his situation. He knows roughly what’s wrong with his system and he also knows it’s been some time since anyone has looked at his system. Like 16 years. Not a bad run to have nothing done. But just think if he was getting some sort of regular revitalization? Even if it was only every other year, or two or three. Likely, the demise of something in his system would have at least been noticed had he done something about it with regular maintenance.
Keeping the Lights On When the Grid is Off
Finally, we’re all faced with the certainty of Public Safety Power Shutoffs. What are some alternatives to protecting the integrity of your home’s energy? Well, generators for sure, but the big deal now is battery backup. Generators can be expensive but battery backup is reasonable and depending on your expectations, more often the choice of most. Make your home energy system comprehensive and complete. This way you’re able to have some electricity if and when you need to power those things that were in your plan. You’ll also get your neighbors attention if their lights are out and yours are on! You’re either going to become very popular or irritate somebody, but that’s another story.
Let Brower Mechanical do what they do to help you get what you need. Give Brower Mechanical a call today at (916) 624-0808.
Do you know what to do if your power is shut off?
Listen up as your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small start right in on the increases seen in rates from the utilities just in front of the most demand from air conditioning. That’s not to mention the issue of power shortages or complete power shutdowns. So what’s the deal if power is reduced or completely shut off? What do you do? What are some of the options.? And did you know who uses the most electricity in your town? You might be surprised to know who it is. You’ll hear it in this first segment of the show.
Money Saving Tips on Your AC Costs
OK, here are 9 tips to help save you money on your a/c expense. Take your notes as you know you can make some of these things happen quite simply. Stage by stage in order of importance, you’ll hear the most to least significant things you can do but they’ll all save you money. The case study here is a remarkable story and demonstrates that when the house is correctly retrofitted for energy efficiency, there are huge savings to be had. This is extremely valuable information that you’ll get here and easy takeaways for knowing what you didn’t know you didn’t know.
Get SMUG about SMUD Rebates
Always a popular topic and that’s the one most people are likely to make a mistake on... rebates! It’s where the money is right now. SMUD is way out in front of it with significant rebates to convert elements of your system to electricity. Your water heater is one of the most valued rebates today with a $3000 rebate if you replace it with an electric one. Only if you’re in SMUD’s service area, of course!
How to Lock In Your Utility Bill Forever!
What is that money, anyway? Hear how you may be able to get assets, increase your home’s value and flat-line your utility expense in both the short and long-term, all with literally no change in your monthly expense. If you’re going to be spending the money on a utility bill and getting only the service, what if you changed the concept and invested in home energy upgrades, took the rebates and lowered your utility bill…forever? Literally, you’re locking in your utility bill forever!
This is what Brower does every day. It’s worth reaching out to learn what you can do and get your free clipboard audit to find out everything you need to know by calling Brower Mechanical at (916) 624-0808.
When does revitalization recoup its’ value? How about when it actually pays for almost two solar panels? This is a most interesting story that your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small get into at the beginning of the show. It’s an incredible story of an A/C unit running poorly, not needing replacement but just needing some attention. Since the family was also looking at solar as well, this was a critically timed visit saving the family nearly $2000 on a simple revitalization call. Amazing. Hear how in this week's podcast!
Don't miss out on solar tax credits!
Tax credits. Solar. Changing. Did you know that the solar tax credit dips from 30% to 26% next year? Or that if you purchase a battery and solar system together you can still get the full 30% tax credit? It’s true. Learn some of the options you have when making this decision since there have been changes and they mean both money and comfort in your home. With Public Service Power Shutoffs imminent, do you have to go without power should that happen? Or, do you have to suffer the high rates in prime time to stay cool? Well, with batteries as backup, you may find that you’ll barely notice that you’ve even had a power outage or premium time of use expense.
Also, you’ll hear how the Brower teeny tiny Solar club is growing and what those case studies are all about. There are two examples that will really surprise with what can be done with fewer solar panels on the roof.
Benefits of an All-Electric Home
Natural gas has risen faster in price than electricity when purchasing from PG&E. Fact. That means there are options for you to consider when looking at the equipment your home is using. This is critical. Electricity may be less expensive to heat your home and water now when compared to gas. Not to mention, burnt fuel sucks all the moisture out of the air so your furnace, if it’s gas, is really drying things out. Heat pumps pull less moisture from the air for a higher humidity heat. And humidity is a good thing within reason. This makes electric heat a pretty attractive deal and even more so when you consider the rebates offered by SMUD. Could your bill be even smaller than you expected after installation of more electric home energy systems? Find out in today’s show.
Is your home energy system in trouble?
Finally, could your existing home energy system be in trouble after only a few years? Only if it was defective or installed improperly. These systems are meant to last much longer than a few years. They should be good for much, much longer. And many times, you’re replacing the system well before it’s needed. More importantly, you may be a candidate for a much smaller system once your home energy upgrades have been completed. And…small solar.
Call Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Now is the time.
OK, that headline doesn’t really make sense until you hear your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small talk about one of the local utilities that has a $50 rebate for a home energy revitilizaton. Find out which utility that is.
What is a SIM on a Service Call?
You’ll also hear about SIM’s. They’re known as a “SIM”. A salesman in masquerade. Don’t be fooled. If two people show up on a service call, beware. It’s very possible the second person is a “SIM”. They’re only there for the purpose of working to figure out how to sell you something. And more often than not, it’s something big and expensive. Don’t be fooled.
What Does Energy Independence Look Like to You?
Making your home run like it should to provide you the Independence from the utility that you would like to have is becoming more and more available to every homeowner. What does energy independence look like to you? Knowing that is the first step to getting your plan put together. Technology can be your best friend with all that is going on with electric appliances. Induction cooktops, electric water heaters, heat pumps, even electric cars… and then solar. So many options, so many ways to become independent. One other benefit is the comfort you’ll have both inside your home and in your mind. Knowing what that utility bill is going to be month in and month out is a truly comforting experience.
Check Your Home Warranties
Now, here’s a first on the show. A home warranty issue. Unfortunately, it was a situation where the warranty lapsed. You’ll hear how the caller’s situation was alleviated, what needed to be done and the next steps. When you take proactive steps with a revitalization, you’ll mitigate the problems most of the time but that doesn’t always happen. Brower knows. And while it’s important to know about your home warranty expirations, sometimes stuff just slips thru the cracks. There’s a good heads up in this segment.
It's Hot - Think about Heating
So why is thinking about heat when it’s hot, reasonable? Yes, when it’s hot. Well, listen closely to Duane and Bill talk about why this could make sense for you. Take all the steps necessary to really look ahead. Think about the winter coming up before it’s time to heat your home and pay that big energy bill. What better time to do that than while you’re paying the big bill for the cooling season? This is where most of us are impacted. While we may have efficiencies in our electricity and reasonably inexpensive service depending on our utility, many may have gas for heat. Now’ the time to look at the options since natural gas prices are only going up. So what to do with $10K? Listen to Duane’s picks. Hear what he suggests.
Make the right call and do it now. Call Brower Mechanical at (916) 624-0808. There’s never been a better time.
Your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small kick off the show with some fun Fourth of July stories the segue perfectly into home energy like only they could do. Power outages, fires, whole house fans, energy assessments, there’s a little bit of it all in today’s show. The first discussion wraps right around the ability to learn about what’s happening in the home.
Looking for home energy upgrades? Start with a Free Clipboard Audit!
Listen as Duane explains a case study from one of the home energy upgrades as a great example of the process and the outcome. The story begins with, of course, the clipboard audit, which is free by the way. The exercise goes top to bottom and clearly, the attic would be the first place to start. And one of the obvious, no brainers was upgrading the pool pump as well. With rebates and energy reduction, you’ll hear the monthly outcome they were able to achieve. Wouldn’t you like to have your home energy system decrease in size and consumption…by 50%!
Take the heat out of an AC Service Call - Follow These Steps First
UH OH! It’s 95 degrees out and the A/C is not going on. Now what? Well, there are some tips to ensure that you’re air conditioner is truly the problem. Before you call and pay that service call fee, follow these few simple steps to be 100% sure you’ve got a real problem and not something simple that you can correct in just a few easy steps. These actions alone could be your situation and you’ve likely saved yourself the cost of the service call. Listen in the segement to find out how!
Energy Monitoring Near and Far
Did you know that Brower can actually monitor your energy systems from afar? If they notice a power event at your home, they can alert you to the fact that something may be going on. Many times, it’s something simple and if you want to hear how “squirrels” can be really be cute culprits, listen in for a little humor and a fun story.
Keeping your home running full-time takes planning and it’s not something you can do on your own. Get the security and comfort you need by calling Brower Mechanical at (916) 624-0808 or check out our services online!
Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small get you started on an interesting visual in this really high heat. You can save money by raising the thermostat but what if that gets too warm for you and you’ve gone as far as you can? Yeah, like take all your clothes off. Then what are you going to do? Sweat. Or change something in your home energy plant. This is a fun show today and you’ll hear all about options you have, processes to evaluate and ways to look at bringing down that energy bill.
Ready for Solar?
So now you’ve come to a decision to evaluate solar. Have you taken into consideration all the energy consumption elements before you’ve made a decision on the solar panels? That way, you’ll do it right. You’ll save yourself money in the long run and make a decision that works for your overall goal, not just a short-term fix. If solar is in your future, this is a great segment to glean some significant value from. There’s so much more… don’t miss it.
Rebates, rebates
Do you know what you can do and how much you can get back with rebates? It’s huge! Be sure you’ve got an idea of what that means to you in the long run. It may be really surprising for you to learn.
