From the Desk of Former Mayor Malinda Miles

It has been two years since I decided to remove myself from the political scene in Mount Rainier, MD, Prince George's County, and the State of Maryland. Holding the lofty position of Mayor was such a great honor, but as the years flew by, I realized that it was time to do something else -- get a life.! I did, and still continue to provide resources to the residents through The Front Porch Ministries (TFPM). Real people pass through The Front Porch Ministries weekly. LIFE is good.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Some energy saving tips that you can use!

Energy NOTE from Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

The typical U.S. family spends at least $2,200 a year on home utility bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Unfortunately, a lot of that money and energy is wasted.

"We are not as energy-conscious as we should be," said Glenn Thompson, regulatory and compliance inspector for DHCD's division of credit assurance. "Most Maryland homeowners don't know how easy it is to cut down energy use in their homes and save money on utility bills."

Buying a home may be the single largest investment you make. With down payment and mortgage costs, it's easy to forget bills like electric, water and waste disposal.

In addition to helping you finance you're (sic)house, we're here to help protect your investment, so we compiled a list of energy-saving tips to ensure that you're making smarter energy choices and saving money at the same time.

This week, we listed five cooling tips homeowners can use this summer.

Cooling Tips

Set your thermostat to the warmest comfortable temperature as possible. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature, the less your air conditioner has to work and the lower your overall cooling bill will be.

Clean or change your air conditioner filter once a month as dirty filters can kill your AC's efficiency.

Insulate! Save money by checking your ducts in attics or crawl spaces for leaks. Seal them using mastic butyle tape or foil tape and avoid cloth-backed rubber adhesive duct tape.

Buy an energy-efficient air conditioner with a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Higher SEER ratings mean greater efficiency. The current minimum is 13. Also, make sure to look for ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels.

Shade your air conditioner with a tree or a shrub to ease the strain on the motor, which reduces the demand for more energy.

You can also learn how to get innovative financing for energy efficiency improvements to your home through our Be SMART Home Loan program. Be SMART offers flexible financing of up to $25,000 for eligible homeowners.

We hope you apply these simple and low-cost energy tips to your home. Every week we'll share a new topic so don't forget to subscribe to our blog!

- Samantha Lozano

Mayor Malinda Miles

As a long-time resident of Mount Rainier and a homeowner, it is important to me that municipal government be inclusive of all of its residents. It is equally important that information be communicated through all possible channel so that residents can get involved. It is also important for residents to volunteer and serve on committees, commissions, boards and task forces. I truly believe that municipal government is the government closes to the people, and as such should be easily accessible. This BLOG is another effort to reach out to the residents of Mount Rainier.