enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Jakob Babcock puts a shingle back over plugged holes on a Portland home after insulation was added.

enlarge Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Mark Poirier blows cellulose insulation into a home in Portland recently after an energy audit by his business partner, Bob Swan, showed almost no insulation in the house.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

SMALL improvements and practices can save money on an average home energy bill. These suggestions can help in most homes:

• Set thermostat back; consider installing an automatic setback thermostat.
• Insulate pipes and duct work.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents.
• Tune up heating system before winter.
• Close unoccupied areas; keep heat high enough to prevent freezing.
• Shut flue damper on fireplace.
• Remove and vacuum furnace filter every month.
• Close storm windows; use drapes and shades at night to conserve heat.
• Caulk and weatherstrip as needed to reduce heat loss and increase comfort.

housing stock in the nation. The state's energy agency estimates that 80 percent of Maine's 477,000 homes could benefit from weatherization.

Even if the state gains a critical mass of auditors, it seems to be lacking enough trained work crews to seal air leaks and insulate all the buildings that need help.

"We're incredibly busy," said Charles Huntington, owner of I&S Inc. in Newcastle. "There's definitely a panic level out there."

Business has tripled in the past two years, Huntington said. He has an eight-person crew and would hire more if he could find skilled workers.

WEATHERIZATION TAKES TIME, SKILL

Huntington and others point out that new understandings of building science make insulation a more complicated job than ever.

Thermal testing shows the importance of sealing around chimney, pipe and wire openings, to cut air flow through the attic, for instance, instead of just rolling or blowing insulation.

Air sealing takes time and skill, which is why Huntington doubts the state can ramp up an effective weatherization effort without better training.

"The sad thing would be to have a whole bunch of people doing shoddy jobs," he said. "That may do more harm than good in the long run."

Some insulators now use infrared cameras during cold weather to scan for heat loss in walls and foundations. Bob Swan, co-owner of The Heat Doctor in Portland, said he does follow-up scans to check his work.

"In the Portland area," he said, "you'd be amazed at the number of homes with zero insulation."

To bring more weatherization crews on line and teach advanced skills, the state housing authority is organizing a pilot course for insulators in September. At WarmTech Solutions, Richards is working with the state labor department on an on-the-job training proposal for insulators.

"There's no standard operating procedure in Maine for people who do insulation work, and that's a problem," he said.

Staff writer Tux Turkel can be contacted at 791-6462 or at:

tturkel@pressherald.com