Win one of three Wizard Sticks to chase

down air leaksSee page 5

It’s National Co-op Month!

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R M E M B E R S O F T O U C H S T O N E E N E R G Y C O O P E R A T I V E S

2 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

Features

6 Solar power shines in Iowa For the second part of our series on

solar power options for Iowa’s electric co-op member-owners, we visited two installations at opposite ends of the distributed generation spectrum.

8 Potluck recipes The season for sharing soon will be

here! PLUS: Receive a $25 credit on your power bill if we include your best quick-and-easy recipe in an upcoming issue.

10 23 ways to reduce your heating bills this winter No matter what type of heating

system you have, there are some things you can do to make your heating dollars work harder for you.

Volume 68 • Issue 10E D I T O R

Robert A. Dickelman

A R T D I R E C T O RJoel Clifton

R E G U L A R C O N T R I B U T O R SBuck Jones Ruth Rasmussen Valerie Van Kooten

________________________

E X E C U T I V E V I C E P R E S I D E N TChuck Soderberg

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S M A N A G E RErin Campbell

B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R SMarion Denger, Dows – President

Steve Seidl, Coon Rapids – Vice PresidentFrank Riley, Osceola – Secretary-Treasurer

Larry White, Mount Pleasant – Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Shirley Benson, RemsenVince Morische, Osage

Don Shonka, IndependenceRoxanne Carisch, Lake City

Sam Nichols, Knoxville________________________

Living with Energy in Iowa magazine (ISSN: 1935-7176) is published monthly by the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, a not-for-profit organization representing Iowa’s member-owned local electric cooperatives. Association address: 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992. The phrase Living with Energy in Iowa is a mark registered within the state of Iowa to the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives. The magazine does not accept advertising.

Editorial Office: 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992. Telephone: 515-276-5350. E-mail: editor@livingwithenergyiniowa.com. Website: www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com. Living with Energy in Iowa magazine does not assume responsibility for unsolicited items.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Living with Energy in Iowa maga-zine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992. Periodi-cals Postage Paid at Des Moines, Iowa, and at additional mailing offices.

© Copyright 2015, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives. No portion of the editorial, photographic or other content of Living with Energy in Iowa magazine or its website may be reproduced without written permission of the editor.

Contents October 2015

How to Contact UsWE’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! Letters may be edited for clarity and length before publication.E-mail: editor@livingwithenergyiniowa.comAddress: Editor, Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992

SUBMITTING A RECIPEYou may submit a recipe to be considered for publication in an upcoming issue. Recipes appearing in the magazine also may be shown on the Living with Energy in Iowa website at www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com. Please include your name, address, telephone number, co-op name and the month’s recipe category on all submissions.E-mail: recipes@livingwithenergyiniowa.com (Attach your recipe as a Word document or a PDF to your e-mail message, rather than including it in the body of your message.) Address: Recipes, Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992

CHANGE OF ADDRESSEvery local electric cooperative maintains an independent mailing list of its members, so please send your change of address directly to your local electric cooperative’s office. Living with Energy in Iowa magazine cannot make an address change for you.

Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives 88

Favorites

3 Statewide Perspective Co-ops power lives and

communities.

13 15-Minute Energy Saver Reduce cold-weather air leaks with inside window

insulation film.

14 Updating Your Home Maintaining even temperatures

is a balancing act. 15 Out Back Access to outdoors brings pet

problems indoors.

66

Energy-saving tip of the monthIf you often need small amounts of hot water for cooking, don’t let the kitchen faucet run for a couple of minutes until the water is hot. Instead, install an instant hot water dispenser at your sink.

1010

ON THE COVER

Marena Fritzler, graphic designer at Corn Belt Power Cooperative, climbed into a bucket truck to capture this photo of the co-op’s linemen during safety training.

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 3

Co-ops power lives and communitiesB Y C H U C K S O D E R B E R G

Statewide Perspective

October is National Cooperative Month, and across the country 29,000 cooperatives will join to celebrate the advantages of cooperative membership and recognize the benefits and values co-ops bring to their members and communities. Unlike other businesses, cooperatives are not-for-profit, democratically controlled and locally mem-ber-owned. Our sole purpose is to serve our members and power our communities.

Nearly 80 years ago, electric coop-eratives democratized the American Dream when we lit up rural areas with affordable and reliable power. Before that time, individual businesses and residences had to rely on their own sources of fuel to provide power and light. The long-awaited delivery of centralized power generation – the delivery of electricity from one cen-tral station power plant to end users through transmission and distribution lines – dramatically improved the qual-ity of life for farm families and rural businesses.

From technologi-cal innovations to policy changes to the way member-owners use and rely on electricity, a lot has changed in the decades since electric cooperatives were established. To meet our member-owners’ needs – today and in the future – Iowa’s elec-tric co-ops are always looking ahead to ensure we deliver optimal value and service. Despite decades of success, we know that our future likely will look much different than our past, and it will require all cooperatives to adapt to changing technologies, regulations and member expectations.

For us, ongoing sustainability and success revolve around a basic ques-tion: “If electric co-ops didn’t exist to-day, would we create them? Could we do it again?” The short answer is: YES.

Times change, but our purpose has not. Cooperatives are guided by seven principles, and one of those principles,

Concern for Community, is often the most visible and tangible purpose of our busi-ness. Today, we’re just as focused on empowering our member-owners to improve the quality of their lives as we were back in the 1930s and 1940s.

Would Iowa be as vibrant (and still growing) without electric coop-eratives? We don’t think so, and our results in community and economic development demonstrate that the cooperative business model is more crucial than ever. The board members and employees of Iowa’s electric co-ops are strongly committed to the success and viability of rural Iowa and our great communities. When your locally elected board members make decisions for your cooperative, they have first-hand knowledge of the issues because

they’re your friends, neighbors and col-leagues. We know what our members and communities need to thrive, and we can quickly adapt

to changing times.For example, through our economic

development efforts we’re attracting good-paying jobs and strong compa-nies that contribute to our tax base and overall vitality while being a good fit for our communities. Iowa’s electric cooperatives are recognized as lead-ers in rural economic development. We promote value-added agricultural enterprises, venture start-ups and the expansion of existing industries.

Most importantly, as electric cooper-atives, we engage our member-owners and know that those relationships are the cornerstone of our success. Whether it’s implementing new pro-grams for energy efficiency, developing renewable energy resources, helping to

build a community center or provid-ing resources to help members decide if an onsite solar energy system is right for them, we’re committed to being an integral part of our member-owners’ energy future.

In fact, our role as a loyal and trusted partner sets cooperatives apart in the industry and is the backbone of why the cooperative business model contin-ues to work as well today as it did al-most 80 years ago. As we celebrate the many benefits of co-op membership during National Cooperative Month, the bottom line is: Your membership matters.

Chuck Soderberg is the new executive vice president and general manager of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives. He worked for 36 years at Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) in Le Mars and served for 11 years in the Iowa House, representing District 5.

The Seven Cooperative Principles

Iowa’s not-for-profit electric coop-eratives exist only to serve you and meet your needs for safe, reliable, af-fordable and enviromentally respon-sible power. We operate under seven principles that create the framework of our business model and govern co-op directors, managers and em-ployees in making decisions that are in the best interests of our member-owners – and recognize that you have a vote in how your co-op operates. It’s a structure that’s served us well for almost 80 years – and it will continue to work for many years to come.

Voluntary and open membership Democratic member control Members’ economic participation Autonomy and independence Education, training and information Cooperation among cooperatives Concern for community

4 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

Quote of the Month

Setting your clocks back from daylight saving time should be just one of the things on your

list for Nov. 1. This also is a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, emergency radio and flashlights, so you’ll be prepared if a severe winter storm causes a power outage in your area. Of course, if any of these devices have long-term or lifetime batteries, you won’t need to replace them – but be sure to check all of these safety products for correct operation monthly.

This is a beautiful time of year, but the weather can present some serious challenges as you try to com-plete around-the-house jobs before the first snow flies. According to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, nine percent of con-sumer product-related electrocutions each year are caused by accidents involving the use of lawn-and- garden equipment and ladders that come into contact with overhead power lines.

Stay safe outside Invest in safety

glasses, hearing protection, dust masks, gloves and other protective gear as recom-mended for each tool. Also wear the appropriate clothes for the job, including closed-toe shoes and shirts or jackets that don’t have loose-fitting sleeves.

Keep ladders and other tools at least 10 feet away from power lines and other co-op equipment.

Check the GFCI protecting the outdoor circuits or the one on your extension cord for proper operation before you plug in any electrical equipment.

Use only weatherproof electri-cal devices for outside activities. Check power cords and plugs for damage before you power up these tools.

Blade guards and other protective devices on outdoor electric tools are there for a reason. Make sure they’re in place before operating the tools.

Protect outdoor tools from mois-ture, and make sure electrical equipment that has gotten wet or causes a circuit breaker to cut power is inspected and recondi-

“Today’s policies are based on a fixed-grid operator selling power to its customers. Times are changing. Customers can now generate their own power and put it back on the grid. At the same time, host utilities must maintain their complex infrastructure to meet government mandates for reliability.

“Utilities must continue engaging stakeholders and regulators in ways that harness technology gains and support environmental goals. They must do so while maintaining the reliable grid that consumers rely on.”Dean Oskvig, president of Black & Veatch’s energy business, recently commented on the company’s ninth annual Strategic Directions: U.S. Electric Industry Report. In part, the document measures the electric industry’s response to the rise of renewable energy and distributed generation, as well as highlighting the need for balanced regulations between utilities and consumers that matches the pace of new technology.

Safety Matters

Keep electrical safety in mind as you work on projects this fall

tioned by a certified repair dealer. Keep dry leaves swept away from

outdoor lighting, outlets and power cords.

Safely store warm-weather tools such as lawn mowers, blowers and trimmers, along with battery

chargers that won’t be used again until spring.

Inspect cold weath-er tools, such as leaf and snow blowers (and their power cords) for unusual wear and tear. Repair or replace worn tools or parts right away.

Get ready inside too Make sure heating

pads, electric blan- kets and space heat- ers are in good re-

pair and certified by an indepen-dent testing lab such as UL, CSA or ETL.

Look for broken or partially detached plugs, as well as dark, charred or frayed spots where the electric cord is cracked or damaged.

Never leave a heating pad, electric blanket or space heater plugged in and unattended.

Don’t tuck your heating pad or electric blanket under mattresses or children, and don’t put any-thing – including a comforter, quilt or bedspread – on top of the blanket while it’s in use.

Never allow pets to sleep on a heating pad or electric blanket, which can cause overheating and possibly a fire.

Place the space heater on a flat, level surface at least 3 feet away from combustibles such as furni-ture or draperies.

For more fall safety tips, go to www.esfi.org.

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 5

Sometimes, even FREE doesn’t make sense!

Editor’s Choice Contest

Win a Wizard Stick to locate air leaks in your home!

At first glance, you may think the Wizard Stick from Zero Toys, Inc., is an inter-esting toy or the perfect choice for kids’ science experiments. But we think there’s a more practical use: doing your own home energy audit to hunt down energy-wasting air leaks at windows and doors, along baseboards, in the attic or around the foundation.

The Wizard Stick is a fog-producing plastic wand that uses the same tech-nology as special effects fog machines for movies and concerts. It runs on AA batteries and includes a 3-ounce bottle of fog fluid to produce enough white, nontoxic vapor for many hours.

Suggested retail price is about $28. For more information or to buy one, go to www.zerotoys.com, www.chimney-balloon.us or www.amazon.com.

Visit our website, and win!We’re going to give a Wizard Stick (and batteries) to

three randomly chosen readers this month. To enter the contest, go to the Living with Energy in Iowa website at www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com by Oct. 31, 2015.

You must be a member of one of Iowa’s electric cooperatives to win. There’s no obligation associated with entering, we don’t share entrant information with anyone and multiple entries from the same account will be disqualified. The winner of the Hunter Ceiling Fan in the August issue was Janet L. Lagerstrom from Southern Iowa Electric Cooperative, Inc.

ABCs of Electricity

Is your home wasting energy while you’re sleeping?

Most homes never quite shut down for the night. Although the overhead lights and table lamps may be off, darkened rooms typically are dotted with tiny red, blue and green LEDs on appliances, phones, battery char-gers and other equipment – plus the glow of digital clocks.

Vampire electronics can add about 10 percent to your monthly electric bill, according to the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy, which could add up to $100-$200 a year in the average home. To trim this excess energy use, you need to know where these vam-pires reside and how to keep them in check.

Take a close look at the electronic equipment around your home. The devices that use remote controls – such as TVs, DVRs, audio systems, ceiling fans and computers – are sus-pect, because they have to maintain a constant state of readiness. Any appliances with a digital display or a clock, such as a microwave oven, toaster or a coffee machine, are working against your electric bill. And many of the chargers around the house that keep cell phones, pow-er tools and laptop computers at the ready constantly draw power when plugged in, even if their companion products are fully charged.

Unplugging these vampires ef-fectively drives a stake into their

energy-consuming hearts. So, un-plug the ones that don’t need to be reprogrammed when you restore the power, but don’t unplug ones like the microwave, Internet modem or cable box.

Power strips provide another way to thwart energy vampires. Simply plug appliances and other devices into a power strip, and switch it off when those devices aren’t being used. Also look into using a smart power strip that turns off everything in a “system” that’s not in use – for example, in your home office, power may stay on to your computer to maintain its state of readiness, but the smart power strip will cut power to the monitor, speakers and printer until they’re needed.

6 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

Solar power arrays are popping up all over the state, ranging from a few panels on the roof of a family’s home or a small office to a large farm instal-lation or a community-wide project. In the second part of our series on distributed generation solar power systems, we’re going to take a look at projects that fall into the latter two categories.

Are you considering solar power generation for your home, farm or business? Contact your local electric cooperative to learn more about the energy efficiency, geothermal and

renewable energy programs and ser-vices available in your area.

This co-op boasts the state’s largest community solar project

Heartland Power Cooperative in northern Iowa is proud to boast that its cooperative member-owners are part of Iowa’s largest community so-lar project.

The 852-kilowatt array features 2,706 solar panels and occupies 4.5 acres of land just east of St. Ansgar on Hwy 218. Producing nearly 1.2 million kilowatt hours annually, the $1.5 million array generates enough energy to power approximately 125 homes each year.

“We knew that some of our mem-bers were looking at solar and asking questions,” said Richard Rosenberg, president of Heartland Power’s board of directors. “We pride ourselves on being proactive, and we knew the economies of scale would translate into our members being able to buy more for less.”

Mark and Donna Gaffey of Rice-ville bought 30 panels and view the investment as a win-win situation.

“We were looking at putting up our own solar system and even had the

paperwork done, when we received a letter from Heartland Power that they were looking at a community solar project,” says Mark Gaffey.

The Gaffeys, who had maxed out the energy efficiency options at their home, love the relatively hassle-free approach the project offers and noted that the cooperative’s communication with members has been exceptional.

“Owning a project by ourselves meant we would have needed to in-crease the insurance on our home and have an annual maintenance contract for removing snow and dust from the panels,” added Gaffey. “Now, we can just enjoy the benefits of the project.”

Teamwork yields positive resultsPrairie Energy Cooperative mem-

ber Bruce Kluver is passionate about energy; just ask his wife, Marcia, or

Richard Rosenberg, board president of Heartland Power Co-op, cut the red ribbon for co-op employees and member-owners at the co-op’s community solar open house event in June.

John Leerar (right), CEO/general manager of Heartland Power Co-op, presented a plaque of appreciation to Henry (Junior) and Virginia Boerjan, who provided the co-op with the opportunity to lease the ground for the community solar project.

Subscribers of the co-op’s community solar array signed solar panels during the open house event in June.

almost anyone who knows him. He jokes that he’s so concerned about en-ergy savings that he limits the num-ber of Christmas lights that his wife puts up each year.

“I like to do my research and invest in the latest technologies,” says Bruce Kluver. “We have geothermal, LED lights and auto-shutoff switches on everything we can. Owning a renew-able energy system seemed like the next step.”

PART 2

Solar power shines in Iowa

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 7

Heartland Power Cooperative’s community solar array, the largest of its kind in the state, sits along Highway 218, just east of St. Ansgar.

This aerial view shows the solar array on the roof of Bruce Kluver’s maintenance building at his farmstead near Britt.

Photo: Bruce Kluver

Bruce Kluver (left) stands in front of the control box for his solar array with Ken “Butch” Norem, operations/engineering director at Prairie Energy Cooperative.

At one time, Kluver thought he wanted a wind turbine, but as his research progressed he determined solar was a better fit for his family’s needs. In addition to supplying a por-tion of his energy needs, safety was a priority so he purchased a system that places a high emphasis on safety. The cooperative also has a shutoff at the pole to eliminate any risk to coopera-tive employees who are working on nearby power lines and equipment.

The 22-kilowatt system is mount-ed on the roof of his shop, which is just yards from his home. In ad-dition to the solar system, Kluver invested in monitoring and battery systems. In the case of a power out-age, his home automatically switch-es over to battery backup. Through his research, he knows that the battery can power his furnace over-night; he also knows which appli-ances he can run while the coopera-tive is restoring power.

“With where technology is at, investing in the battery system is expensive and can be cost-prohibi-tive,” says Kluver. “But, we wanted a complete system.”

Kluver says that making an invest-

Some people think that once they install solar panels on their roofs that they won’t need to stay connected to the electrical grid, but a recent filing with the Iowa Utilities Board shows this is far from true. In fact, this chart shows that even with a solar array meeting all the power needs of a typical Iowa residential power customer about 8 hours a day, that cus-tomer still would need to be connected to the grid 23.99 hours a day – from about 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to send excess power to the grid and the rest of the day to receive power from the grid.

ment in owning or leasing your own system takes a lot of teamwork, and he has high praise for Prairie En-ergy Cooperative.

“My best advice is to talk to your co-op early and work with a reputa-ble vendor. Then, get all parties to-gether, so that you can understand the requirements and run the num-bers,” says Kluver. “Whether you decide to pursue your own project or participate in a program offered by your cooperative, you’ll be glad you did.”

Residential solar needs grid 23.99 hours/day

Mexican Chip Casserole 1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced or 1 tablespoon garlic

powder 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can Mexicorn 1 can seasoned diced tomatoes and chilies

(Rotel) 1 small can chopped green chilies 1 package corn chips 1 can enchilada sauce 1-2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese

In a skillet, brown ground beef, onion and garlic until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain. Add soup, corn, tomatoes and chilies. Mix well. In a shallow 3-quart baking dish, layer meat, corn chips and enchilada sauce. Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until heated through.

Rae Jean Ulrichs ∙ Greene ∙ Butler County REC

Chop-Chop Salad 1 cup salad dressing 1 cup sour cream 1/3 cup sugar 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets 1/3 cup diced onion 1 4-ounce package shredded Cheddar cheese 1 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled 1/2 cup diced green bell peppers 1 carrot, thinly sliced

Combine the salad dressing, sour cream and sugar. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and add the dressing. Toss to combine. You may substitute grapes or dried cranberries for the carrots.

Emily Maassen ∙ Maurice ∙ North West REC

Barbecue Beans 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 3/4 cup catsup Salt, to taste 1 16-ounce can pork and beans, drained and

rinsed 1 151/4-ounce can red kidney beans, drained

and rinsed 1 141/4-ounce can lima beans, drained and

rinsed

In a large frying pan, sauté onion and garlic in butter. Stir in cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, catsup and salt. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until well blended. Remove from heat. Drain and rinse the beans and put in slow cooker. Pour sauce over the beans. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Recipe doubles easily.

Annalee Buffington ∙ Marshalltown Consumers Energy

FAT BURNERThe food you eat can have a positive impact on your body’s ability to burn fat. For example, egg whites are rich in branched-chain amino acids, which can boost your metabolism. They also contain plenty of protein and vitamin D.

TIP

8 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

TIPCOOLIDEAThe best method for thawing poultry is in the refrigerator. Figure 24 hours for every 5 pounds.

TIP

Ready? Set? Go! Please send us your best quick-and-easy recipe. If we run your recipe in the magazine, we’ll send a $25 credit for your electric co-op to apply to your power bill. Recipes appearing in the magazine also may be archived on our website at www.livingwithenergyiniowa.com.

The deadline is Oct. 31, 2015. Please include your name, address, tele-phone number, co-op name and the recipe category on all submissions.

E-mail: recipes@livingwithenergyiniowa.com. (Attach your recipe as a Word document or PDF to your e-mail message.)

Mail: Recipes, Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 8525 Douglas Ave., Suite 48, Des Moines, IA 50322-2992.

Pizza Pasta Casserole 1 pound ground Italian sausage 1/2 cup chopped onion 7 ounces elbow macaroni, cooked 1 31/2-ounce package sliced pepperoni 1 15-ounce jar pizza sauce 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms, drained 1 21/2-ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained 1 8-ounce package shredded pizza cheese

Brown sausage and onion; drain. In a bowl, combine all remaining ingredients except the cheese. Pour into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Michelle Dailey ∙ Huxley ∙ Consumers Energy

Best-Ever Apple Crisp 8 large apples – peeled, cored and sliced 11/2 cups sugar 31/2 tablespoons cornstarch 11/2 cups water 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon, to taste 11/2 cups brown sugar 11/2 cups flour 11/4 cups quick oatmeal 11/2 sticks butter, melted

Place apples in greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and water and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Pour over the apples and sprinkle with cinnamon – to taste. Combine the remaining ingredients and sprinkle on top of the apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Mary Ann Goebel ∙ Granville ∙ North West REC

Spinach Salad 1/2 cup sliced almonds 3 tablespoons sugar 1 bag of spinach or lettuce-and-spinach mix 1 can mandarin oranges, drained – or other

fruit of your choice Raspberry vinaigrette

Toss almonds with sugar in a medium nonstick skillet. Cook on medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until sugar forms a golden brown syrup and evenly coats the almonds. Stir constantly and watch closely. Spread almonds in single layer on waxed paper to cool. Then break into small pieces. Toss spinach, fruit and almonds in a salad bowl and chill. When ready to serve, add vinaigrette.

Lori Collingwood ∙ Ladora ∙ T.I.P. REC

Lima Bean Casserole 1 pound dried lima beans 11/2 teaspoons salt, divided 3/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon dry mustard 1 tablespoon molasses 1 cup sour cream 3/4 cup butter, cubed

Soak beans with 1/2 teaspoon salt in water overnight. Drain off water and cover with fresh water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook until beans are tender. Drain and rinse. Mix beans, brown sugar, mustard, molasses and sour cream together and pour into casserole dish. Place butter cubes over top and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Mary Ann Martin ∙ GoldfieldBoone Valley Electric Cooperative

ALTERNATE ONIONSSubstitute 1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon dry minced onion for one small onion, chopped.

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 9

Wanted: Main dishes

in 30 minutes (or less)

The Reward: $25 for every

one we publish!

TIPPUT A LIDON IT!Lids help your pots and pans retain heat, allowing foods to cook faster and more efficiently. Your kitchen will stay cooler too.

TIPLAST, BUT NOT LEASTAdd cut up tomatoes to your tossed salad last, to avoid tomato juices thinning your dressing.

10 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

1 Open the curtains on south-facing windows to harvest the sun’s warmth during daylight hours. Close the curtains at night to prevent heat loss through the windows.

2 Reverse the blade rotation of your ceiling fans to clockwise (when you look up at the fan). Just flip the small switch on the side of the ceiling fan housing to change its direction. Run the fan on low speed so it creates a gentle upward breeze, away from people in the room. This will push the warm air – which naturally rises and gathers near the ceiling – back down into the room, where it’s needed. Then you can set your heat pump or furnace a few degrees lower to save energy.

3 Have your heating system inspected by a professional technician to make sure it’s op-erating at peak efficiency. Space heating probably accounts for the largest share of your utility bill during winter months.

4 Take out wall or window air conditioners during cold-weath-er months. For a wall unit, cover the opening with a thick plywood panel backed by rigid foam insu-lation; caulk to ensure the unit is weather-tight. For a window unit, remove it, close the window and fix air leaks. If you can’t remove the air conditioner, wrap it in an insulated, waterproof cover made for the job.

5 Remove humidity from the kitchen and bathroom with a properly sized exhaust fan. Too much humidity can cause con-densation and frost on windows and possibly damage them. But don’t leave an exhaust fan on longer – or at a higher speed – than necessary. In less than an hour, an exhaust fan can blow a “houseful” of heated air outside. In addition make sure these fans are not discharging air and mois-ture into the attic; they should be vented outdoors.

6 Warm up your bed. Turn down your thermostat and use extra blankets or quilts – or an electric blanket or mattress pad – to stay toasty at night.

7 Change the filter! Whether you have an older forced-air furnace, a heat pump or a state-of-the-art geothermal system, you still need to change the filter regularly for maximum heat output and efficiency. Otherwise, the unit will run longer than necessary to warm your home, because it has to fight to push air through a dirty air filter.

In addition to making sure your existing heating system is in peak operating condition (or replacing it with a more energy-efficient unit), talk with family members about how a little effort can yield significant results in cutting heating bills – without adversely affecting anyone’s comfort.

8 From below, caulk around recessed lights where the can meets the ceiling with flexible, high-temperature caulk. These fixtures can poke into the attic insulation and create a pathway for air leaks.

23 ways to reduce your heating bills this winter

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 11

9 Install a programmable ther-mostat. Models are available for almost every type of home heat-ing and cooling system, and you run many of them from your smart phone or tablet. You can save about $180 a year by prop-erly setting your programmable thermostat and maintaining those settings.

10 Grab a sweater, instead of turn-ing up the thermostat!

14 Move furniture or window coverings that are blocking baseboard heaters or air

registers. Make sure all the heat-ed air you’re paying for reaches its destination! A blocked air register can cause an adjoining room to overheat, and upholstery or curtains can trap heat between the wall and the fabric – prevent-ing it from being distributed throughout a room.

15 Isolate unused rooms. Turn down the thermostat in a room with baseboard heat, or close the registers for a forced-air furnace. However, don’t allow tempera-tures in rooms with water pipes to approach the freezing point.

16 Caulk interior trim where it meets the ceiling (or soffits) to prevent air leaks to the attic from rooms below.

19 Use spray foam sealant or caulk to stop air leaks around plumb-ing pipe penetrations through floors, walls and ceilings.

23 ways to reduce your heating bills this winter

11 Caulk the gap around the metal box for the bathroom exhaust fan where it meets the ceiling to stop heated air from escaping into the attic. You’ll first need to turn off the power and remove the fan’s decorative grill or light cover.

12 Seal basement windows with a caulk that works well with masonry. Fill cracks where the frames of the windows are set in-to the walls. Windows that aren’t used for summer ventilation or as fire exits can be caulked shut permanently.

13 Install foam gaskets on all switches and outlets – even on interior walls. Use child-safety plugs to minimize the amount of cold air coming through the sockets.

17 Find out how much insulation you have in your attic. A small investment there can pay big div-idends in cutting your power bills and keeping your home more comfortable this winter. The in-sulation should be rated R-49 to R-60.

18 Insulate the attic hatch. Weath-er-strip the edges of the access hole and insulate the back of the hatch or door to the attic.

20 Tightly close the fireplace damper whenever you don’t have a fire burning, to prevent air warmed by your home’s heat-ing system from escaping up the chimney.

21 Adjust the threshold under each exterior door to eliminate cold air leaks. If the threshold isn’t adjustable and you feel a cold air draft, replace the threshold with a new one in the appropri-ate style. If you think there’s an air leak but you’re not quite sure, place a dollar bill on the thresh-old and close the door. If you easily can pull out the dollar bill, adjust the threshold until it fits tightly against the bottom of the door.

22 Seal leaks in your heating system’s ducts using adhesive-backed foil tape or duct mastic specifically designed for the job. Ironically, duct tape is not the best thing to use, because the cloth-based tape often fails when subjected to heating cycles.

23 Make sure the windows are re-ally closed all the way to prevent air leaks. If you can’t latch the windows, check for accumulated dirt and debris where the sash meets the weather stripping.

12 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

Product Recalls

LED replacements for recessed cans can shock you

In cooperation with the U.S. Con-sumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Technical Consumer Products Inc. is recalling one of its LED retrofit lights. Follow the instructions below to receive a free replacement lamp.

To report a problem with another product you believe is unsafe, go to www.saferproducts.gov. For details on recalls in any product category, go to the CPSC website at www.cpsc.gov or call the agency’s Hotline at 800-638-2772 from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time. Note that it’s illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.

Connected by TCP LED Downlight Retrofits for Recessed CansRECALL: 15-234UNITS: About 24,400IMPORTER: Technical Consumer Prod-ucts Inc., of Aurora, OhioHAZARD: The internal wiring in the LED downlights can contact their metal trim, posing a shock hazard.INCIDENTS/INJURIES: None reportedDESCRIPTION: This recall involves Con-nected by TCP 5-inch and 6-inch LED downlight retrofits for recessed cans.

For more details on these product recalls, go to CPSC’s Home Page at www.cpsc.gov and enter the Recall number in the Search Box at the top.

These recalls may interest you too

Dremel Micro Model 8050 Rotary ToolRECALL: 15-227SOLD AT: Ace Hardware, The Home De-pot, Lowe’s, Menards, and other home improvement, hardware and major re-tailers nationwide and online – includ-ing www.amazon.comHAZARD: Overheating, burns and personal injury from control defects

Philips Halogen 60-Watt BulbsRECALL: 15-242SOLD AT: The Home Depot, professional distributors nationwide and online at www.amazon.comHAZARD: Shatter-ing, lacerations and burns

Item Number UPC Description Date Codes

CD611LC UPC# 7-62148-26168-1 Connected 5”/6” Downlight

141021014242171428217143921714442171451217

These replacement downlights are white and produce a soft white (2700 Kelvin) or bright white (5000 Kelvin) color temperature. Affected units have item number “CD611LC” and the date code printed directly on the black base of the lamp. You will need to shut off power to the lights and disengage the lamp to check the item number and date code. “Connected automated home lighting system” is printed on the product packaging, along with the item number, UPC code and date code.SOLD AT: The Home Depot stores and electrical distributors nationwide and online at Amazon.com from June 2014 through June 2015 for about $35MANUFACTURED IN: ChinaREMEDY: Immediately contact TCP to receive a free replacement lamp with installation instructions. Don’t touch the lamp while it’s powered.

CONSUMER CONTACT: Call Technical Con-sumer Products at 800-397-2864 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday; e-mail connected@tcpi.com; or go online to www.tcpi.com, and click on “Recall” for more informa-tion.

Glacier Bay and Schön Touchless Kitchen FaucetsRECALL: 15-240SOLD AT: The Home Depot stores and www.homedepot.comHAZARD: Overheating, fire and burns

Item number and date codes

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 13

The U.S. Department of Energy says windows can account for 10 percent of the air leaks in the average home. If replacing old, leaky win-dows or adding outside storm win-dows is beyond your budget – you still can reduce window air infiltra-tion significantly by installing win-dow insulation film inside for just few dollars per window.

This is the time of year when hardware stores and big-box retail-ers offer window insulation kits on sale. Look for a kit that includes everything you need in one package: optically clear plastic window film, window film tape and alcohol wipes for cleaning the window frame.

15-Minute Energy Saver

Reduce cold-weather air leaks with inside window insulation film

United States Postal ServiceStatement of Ownership, Management and Circulation

1. Publication title: Living with Energy in Iowa2. Publication number: 1935-71763. Filing date: 8/31/20154. Issue frequency: Monthly5. Number of issues published annually: 126. Annual subscription price: N/A 7. Complete mailing address of known office

of publication: 8525 Douglas, Suite 48, Des Moines, Polk County, IA 50322-2992 Contact person: Brian Kading Telephone: 515-276-53508. General business office of publisher:

Same as above.9. Full names and complete mailing addresses

of publisher, editor and managing editor: Publisher – Brian Kading, Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, 8525 Douglas, Suite 48, Des Moines, Polk County, IA 50322-2992; Editor – Robert A. Dickelman, same address as above; Managing Editor – N/A.

10. Owner: Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, 8525 Douglas, Suite 48, Des Moines, Polk County, IA 50322-2992

11. Known bondholders, mortgagees and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None

12. Tax status: The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding 12 months.

13. Publication title: Living with Energy in Iowa14. Issue date for circulation data: 09/01/2014 - 08/31/201515. Extent and Nature of Circulation:

a. Total no. of copiesb. Paid/requested

circulation: (1) Mailed outside-

county mail subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541

c. Total paid distributiond. Free or nominal rate

distribution (3) Free or nominal rate

copies mailed at other classes through the USPS

e. Total free or nominal rate distribution

f. Total distributiong. Copies not distributedh. Totali. Percent paid

48,43147,828

47,828

100

10047,928

047,928

99.79%

47,84147,833

47,833

100

10047,933

047,933

99.79%

16. Electronic Copy Circulation 0 017. Publication of Statement of Ownership

will be printed in the October 2015 issue of this publication.

18. Signature and title of editor, publisher, business manager or owner: Brian Kading, Executive Vice President (8/31/2015). I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete.

Average no. copies each issue during preceding

12 months

No. copies of single issue pub-lished nearest to

filing date

A reasonably competent home do-it-yourselfer should be able to complete this project in a relatively short time. If you’re uncomfortable with the techniques mentioned here or a product manufacturer’s instructions, please contact a professional technician, licensed electrician or qualified contractor for assistance.

Photo: ShurTech Brands, LLC

Tip No. 1: Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, especially re-garding cleaning the window frame thoroughly so the tape will adhere properly.

Tip No. 2: Before you apply window film inside, replace damaged caulk-ing outside. If the temperature is be-low 40 degrees, use a caulk specially made for cold-weather application.

Tip No. 3: No style of window is im-mune from leaks as it gets older, but sliding, swinging and double-hung units are particularly vulnerable to problems.

Tip No. 4: Not all window film kits are created equal. The Duck Brand Roll-On Window Kit, for example, includes plastic film with a pre-taped edge for easier installation.

HAVE CONCERNS ABOUTSTRAY VOLTAGE?

The Iowa Stray Voltage Guide outlines the steps farmers, electricians, utilities and their advisors can take to discover and resolve stray voltage concerns on livestock farms.

This project was a collaborative effort of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, Iowa Farm Bureau, Alliant Energy and the Iowa State Dairy Asso-ciation. Other sponsoring organizations included the Iowa Energy Center, Iowa

Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Institute for Cooperatives.

Information includes: Common Causes of Stray Voltage Ways to Avoid On-Farm Stray Voltage Farm Wiring Checklist Proper Testing and Installation

Procedures Utility Contacts Frequently Asked Questions

Download a FREE Iowa Stray Voltage Guide at www.iowastrayvoltageguide.com.

14 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA October 2015

Updating Your Home

Keeping the room temperatures in your home at similar levels often is a challenge, especially if you live in a multi-story home. Unless you install an expensive zone-control system with multiple thermostats, your heat pump only can respond to the temperature of the room where your wall thermostat is located.

Many factors determine how much heating (or cooling) energy is used: the number and orientation of the windows, whether a room is located on the first or second floor, the activity level in a room and the length of the ducts leading to it. There also may be differences in the energy efficiency of various rooms – caused by things such as air leaks and insulation – that will contribute to temperature variations.

Get your ducts in a rowIn addition, the standard builder-

installed sheet-metal duct-work to each room often has many leaky spots, so some of the heated or cooled air leaving the heat pump never makes it to the rooms in your home. The joints between the duct segments are the most common areas that leak. Use duct mastic to seal – or a high-quality duct tape to wrap – all of the joints you can reach. You may find this takes care of much of the problem.

Each room also should have a return-air register – particularly bedrooms where the doors may be closed at night. Return ducts usually run between the studs inside interior walls, so adding them in prob-lem rooms shouldn’t be difficult for a contractor. If putting a return duct in-side a wall isn’t possible, the contractor may be able to hide one in the corner of a closet or even in a laundry chute to the basement.

Check ducts near the heat pump for dampers

If you see short handles on the ducts, they’re for controlling the airflow in-side the ducts. When the handle is par-allel to a duct, the damper is fully open. Try partially closing the dampers in the duct leading to the rooms that are getting too much warm air (or cooling air in the summer); this will force more conditioned air to the problem rooms.

On the other hand, don’t close the dampers in a room’s floor or wall regis-ters. First, they’re typically leaky, so the airflow won’t be reduced by much. Sec-ond, because the ducts inside the walls probably are leaky and you have no ac-cess to seal them, more conditioned air will be lost inside the walls.

Give airflow a boostIf these methods don’t provide ad-

equate temperature balancing, con-sider having a professional install duct booster fans. These small fans mount in the basement ducts to the problem rooms and force more conditioned air to them.

The fans are sized to fit standard round and rectangular residential ducts and can be controlled in different ways. The simplest fans sense when the main blower turns on, and they automati-cally run at the same time. Others have built-in thermostats to determine when they run.

A simple do-it-yourself option is to install a register booster fan, which sits on a register cover in a room and plugs into a standard wall outlet. The small fan uses only about 30 watts of electricity, and some models are adjust-able to turn on only when more heating or cooling is needed in that particular room.

Have a question? Send inquiries to James Dulley, Living with Energy in Iowa magazine, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 – or visit www.dulley.com.

Maintaining even temperatures is a balancing actB Y J A M E S D U L L E Y

To install a duct booster fan, you first must remove a small section of the existing duct that the booster fan/duct unit will replace.

This adjustable duct thermostat controls when the booster fan comes on.

Photo: Field Controls

F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N

These companies offer booster fans.

Aero-Flo IndustriesPHONE: 219-393-3555WEBSITE: www.aero-flo.com

Field ControlsPHONE: 252-522-3031WEBSITE: www.fieldcontrols.com

Suncourt ManufacturingPHONE: 800-999-3267WEBSITE: www.suncourt.com

These companies offer register deflectors.

AmeriflowPHONE: 800-252-8467WEBSITE: www.ameriflowregisters.com

Deflecto CorporationPHONE: 800-428-4328WEBSITE: www.deflecto.com

Photo: Suncourt

After many years of owning and caring for pets, I’ve come to the conclusion that they bring out ex-tremes in my emotions. They can be incredibly comforting, charming and smart.

For example, when I’m walking with our dog, Monte, I’m constantly astounded by his recollection of each plant and mound of dirt that he’s “vis-ited” before. My cat, Boo, curls up on the bed with me and allows me to pet her … occasionally … when she feels like it. When she doesn’t feel like it, she scratches the heck out of me.

But the pendulum can swing the other way too. Owning pets can bring revulsion, anger, frustration and disgust.

What I dub the Principle of Pet Puzzlement has been aptly illustrated at our place since we put in a doggie door. Letting Monte in and out had become a real pain, especially since my husband and I were the only ones who could make him go out. Going on vacation meant leaving a hapless family member trying to convince a surely constipated dog, cowering under my desk, that he needed to go out.

So my husband, Kent, put in a homemade doggie door, which opens into the garage. We leave the garage door open a crack, and voilà – the problem is solved. Monte comes and goes at will.

The problem is, Monte isn’t the only thing using it.

One day, Kent came home and stomped into the kitchen. “Did you get another cat?” he accused, know-ing my penchant for kitties. I denied this vehemently. “Then where did that cat come from?” he demanded,

Out Back

pointing at Boo’s bowl. A calico cat that I vaguely remembered seeing at the neighbor’s was daintily chomping from the cat bowl, oblivious to us. We stared at her in wonder and watched as she stepped away from the bowl, eyed us arrogantly, made her way back to the doggie door and stepped through it.

The next clue that the door was get-ting more action than it should was when my son said he spotted Boo run-ning across the yard late one night. “That’s impossible,” I assured him. “Boo is scared to death even to be in the garage.” My son insisted it was Boo. “She’s so fat that I’m sure it was her. She was trying to run but sort of harrumphing across the yard.” This observation did cinch the argument.

When I began to pay attention, I noticed that Boo’s fur seemed more matted than usual. I actually found a

tick on her. And when dead rodents began showing up routinely on my breezeway floor, my office floor and my bedroom floor, I knew the jig was up. Boo had overcome her inhibited tendencies and made a dash for freedom.

Having the garage door open also has its share of problems. I’ve found toads hopping around, a possum snuggled in the corner and a few birds nesting in the rafters.

I still think the doggie door is worth the trouble, even if it invites unwanted guests. But I have to ad-mit I’ll be relieved when the barn swallows in the nest in the corner of the garage finally depart.

Valerie Van Kooten is a writer and editor who grew up on a farm west of Pella and loves telling stories about family life in the country. She’s married and has three sons – two of whom are out of the nest.

October 2015 LIVING WITH ENERGY IN IOWA 15

Access to outdoors brings pet problems indoors

Every electric co-op member has a say in what’s best for the community. Power to the people, from the people. Doesn’t that sound good? Learn more about the power of your co-op membership at TogetherWeSave.com.

EVERY MEMBER HAS A VOICE.TOGETHER THEY WORK IN HARMONY.