Caswell Foundation awards scholarships
Alexandria Ivey, UNC Wilmington, and Lindsay Warren, ECU, have been awarded scholarships by the Caswell Center Foundation, Inc. Dr. Eleanor Wright, Foundation board member, presented the awards.
The Foundation awarded these $1,000 scholarships for the 2013-14 academic school year. Ivey is a rising senior pursing a special education degree, and Warren is a rising senior pursing a degree in speech and language pathology. Both were invited to a Foundation luncheon to accept their checks.
The Foundation is committed to enhancing the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in Eastern North Carolina. For more information, visit caswellcenterfoundation.com.
Home Solutions: Window coverings can save energy, Part 2
Editor’s note: Part 1 of the window coverings series ran July 22.
Last week’s column discussed how window coverings can be an interior decoration and an energy saver. Carefully selected window coverings can reduce winter heat loss and summer heat gain.
Properly installed window shades can be one of the simplest and most effective window treatments for saving energy. Mount shades close to the window glass, with sides held close to the wall to establish a sealed air space. Lower shades on sunlit windows in the summer. Raise south side window shades in the winter during the day and lower them at night.
Dual shades — highly reflective (white) on one side and heat absorbing (dark) on the other side — that can be reversed with the seasons bring greater efficiency. Face the reflective side outward during the cooling season and inward during the heating season. Keep drawn during the day to be effective.
Quilted roller shades, and some types of fabric Roman shades, feature several layers of fiber batting and sealed edges. These shades act as insulation and air barrier. They control air infiltration more effectively than other soft window treatments.
Several manufacturers offer two- or three-cell pleated or cellular shades with air spaces built in that increase insulating value.
Window shutters need a clear space to the side of the window when they’re opened. They also require hardware that is fastened to the window jams or trim.
Like window blinds, louvered shutters work best for summer shading. Movable or fixed louvers allow ventilation and natural daylight to enter while blocking some direct radiation. However, they provide minimal insulation against winter heat loss.
Solid, non-louvered shutters decrease winter heat loss and summer heat gain. They consist of wood panels, a vapor barrier and sometimes a decorative covering. Fitting them tightly against a window frame will provide an insulating air space between the shutter and the window.
Shutters can also be combined with other window treatments, such as draperies, for additional insulating ability.
Use these tips will all add up to extra dollars in your pocket.
Resource: energysavers.gov
Trudy W. Pickett is extension family and consumer agent at the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Office, 1791 N.C. 11/55. Reach her at 252-527-2191 or trudy_pickett@ncsu.edu.