Community Energy Project (CEP) has been serving Portland for over 30 years with free services focused on energy conservation and safety. They provide free community workshops and materials for DIY weatherization and lead poisoning prevention, as well as direct weatherization and safety repair services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities. With the help of over 200 volunteers a year, CEP serves thousands of households in the greater Portland area, empowering people with the information... more

Winter in the Pacific Northwest has officially arrived, with a familiar sting from the higher utility bills and extra maintenance to go with it. This year, instead of feeling trapped by winter’s demands, make some changes to improve the efficiency and longevity of your home. This begins with an energy audit. Although not required, an energy audit is strongly recommended. For example, windows are commonly blamed as a cause of energy inefficiency. Even the best window is a relatively poor insulator.... more

People who love the charm and character of old Portland homes don’t have to deal with high heating bills and drafty bedrooms forever. Many energy efficient upgrades can make a tremendous change in your comfort, safety, and utility cost. When you think of the energy efficiency of your Portland charmer, you’re often confronted with a seemingly endless list of problems: inadequate insulation, single-pane windows, outdated furnace and appliances… Rather than be overwhelmed with questions like “Where... more

We are all interested in reducing the rising cost of energy to heat and cool our homes. Insulating your home is one way to reduce those costs. With the ever-increasing interest in green products, it’s no wonder that companies are creating products that fill that need. Existing Structures Since most homes in Portland, OR, were built without any insulation, the most common installation method is to inject a foam product to fill the cavity between the wall studs. Air krete is one of those products. ... more

The fall equinox is a great time to start thinking about preparing your home for winter. One task to remember is replace the batteries and test all of your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with the time change. You can perform annual maintenance to keep your home in tip-top shape for the winter. Below are steps you can complete over the next few weekends. Heating • Most HVAC professionals perform an annual maintenance tune-up and inspection of your heating/AC systems and ducting for a nominal... more

Sometimes it’s necessary to spend a little bit of time in the gutter. That drainage system attached to the roofline of your home is designed to divert falling water away from the foundation and into the yard or sewer system. In older homes with basements, properly functioning gutters and downspouts keep the lower level dry and free from mold and dry rot. Free-flowing gutters also make it hard for mosquitoes to breed, a growing concern now that the West Nile virus has penetrated the Northwest. When... more

My dream home appeared in the form of a beautifully restored 1923 Craftsman Bungalow in Northeast Portland. The modern upgrades in the kitchen and bathrooms were a bonus, but it was the wide eaves, the square column porch, the built-in cabinetry, and the leaded glass windows that drew me in and sealed the deal. To my own surprise, I was equally enamored with the cold air return vents. Made of intersecting solid oak slats to form a grid of rectangular openings, these “eggcrate-style” grilles are... more

Now that fall is upon us we are all trying to find ways to save on our energy costs. If you have a cracked or broken window or the old glazing has fallen out it’s time to fix the problem. This How-To will help you tackle the job. Re-glazing is an easy and inexpensive job that will give you an airtight, watertight bond. To make the window look like a pro did the job will take patience. The good thing is that glazing compound is very forgiving, just remove the putty and re-apply. Finished window... more