1. Bird Feeding Month
2. Energy Saver
3. Driving Safety
4. Brownie Recipe
   





Norris Public Power District
606 Irving Street
Beatrice, NE 68310
402-223-4038
www.norrisppd.com

Follow us on:

Ways To Celebrate National Bird Feeding Month:

1. Put A Feeder In Your Yard
   If you haven't already, put different feeders in your yard to attract various kinds of birds. Foods you can leave out include birdseed mixture, lard and beef suet, meaty canned pet food, brown or white rice, crumbled bread or mild grated cheese.
2. Add A Place With Water
   Birds struggle to get fresh water in the winter. Adding a heated birdbath, fountain or even a large bowl of warm water would help greatly. Birds often gather in places where food, shelter and water are reliable.
3. Do Some Bird Watching
   Keep an eye on the birds that make a pit stop in your yard. The one that stops to use your water, the one who feeds or the one that sings on your fence. Either way, try and spot the pattern and identify the species.

Minimizing Energy Losses in Air Ducts

Your air ducts are one of the most important systems in your home, and if the ducts are poorly sealed or uninsulated, they are contributing to higher energy bills.

Your home's duct system is a branching network of tubes in the walls, floors and ceilings. It carries the air from your home's furnace and central air conditioner to each room. Ducts are made of sheet metal, fiberglass or other materials.

Ducts that leak heated air into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your heating and cooling bills, but you can reduce that loss by sealing and insulating your ducts. Insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces is usually very cost-effective. Existing ducts may also be blocked or may require simple upgrades.

,

Maintaining and Upgrading Existing Duct Systems

Sealing your ducts to prevent leaks is even more important if the ducts are located in an unconditioned area such as an attic or vented crawlspace. If the supply ducts are leaking, heated or cooled air can be forced out of unsealed joints and lost. In addition, unconditioned air can be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints.

Although minor duct repairs are easy to make, qualified professionals should seal and insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces to ensure the use of appropriate sealing materials.

Aside from sealing your ducts, the simplest and most effective means of maintaining your air distribution system is to ensure that furniture and other objects are not blocking the airflow through your registers, and to vacuum the registers to remove any dust buildup.

Existing duct systems often suffer from design deficiencies in the return air system, and modifications by the homeowner (or just a tendency to keep doors closed) may contribute to these problems. Any rooms with a lack of sufficient return airflow may benefit from simple upgrades, such as the installation of new return-air grilles, undercutting doors for return air or installing a jumper duct.

Some rooms may also be hard to heat and cool because of inadequate supply ducts or grilles. If this is the case, you should first examine whether the problem is the room itself. Fix any problems with insulation, air leakage or inefficient windows first. If the problem persists, you may be able to increase the size of the supply duct or add an additional duct to provide the needed airflow to the room.

Source: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/minimizing-energy-losses-ducts