Brower Home Power Hour

Hear your hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small begin the conversation as it leads down the path to changes in the industry for home energy, solar and the dramatic differences from just a few years back. What’s changed is the myriad of options you now have to do what you need to do to get more comfortable, spend less and live healthier in the home.

Wouldn’t you love to be able to make a “last payment” to your utility company? It can be done with the slight exception of having to pay for the connection, but that’s a minimal number and not one that will be going up as aggressively as power. Not to mention, you don’t want be caught short in the event an emergency arose and you needed utility power. Continuing the discussion, electrifying other elements of the home, Duane explains the value proposition of rebates and reduction of expense that net a gain after the total investment is complete. There are some great stories here that are well worth the time to listen. Case studies clarify the opportunity for you to compare to your own situation.

Our caller today has a 16 year old furnace and a/c unit that is beginning to act up. Sometimes, the problem may not be the symptom for your homes’ energy. Hear what the suggestions may be to optimize the situation in the home do it right.

What is the Brower Power Plan? Learn how Brower Mechanical will give you assurances for your power where there are concerns for the consistency of your utility’s delivery. When you do this process correctly, you’ll save money since your power supply assets will be much smaller than if you don’t execute the plan properly. Hear Duane address many of the elements that are necessary to get this done with examples of things to consider. Then take the next step to get your home assessed and see what your best options are. Call Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Or visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com

Your hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small, start where the year left off with portable generators for backup power. It’s not too soon to get your home ready for potential power shutoffs. Properly wiring the house to make the generator startup simple and safe is something you’ll want to do sooner than later… before you find yourself with no power. Sooner better than later. This is also an excellent time to have the electrical panel checked while you’re at it.

WII-FM. Everybody’s favorite radio station. What’s In It For Me? Hear the explanation and the relationship to SMUD or any of the utilities as what gets evaluated when determining to get the energy expense under control. It’s always boiled down to what the most benefit to the customer is going to be. Get your home right, sealed tight, rebates earned. Tune into the station and get your home where you want it to be...then you can enjoy listening to that really low utility bill speaking to you.

First in, last out. Last in wins. Old sales adages die hard but when considering what’s best for your home, Brower always wants to be first in. That way you have a great comparison when the rest of the characters come in to try to “sell” you something. You’ll also have a great template to ask questions from when the “other” guys come in. Start first with the true experts in home energy and then engage your other estimates from there.

Better results in writing when it comes to your home’s energy consumption? And really, you’re going to cut the size of the A/C in half? Tell me! Tell me! This is the segment you’ll want to hear. The attic is where the greatest opportunities exist and once correctly sealed, it could reduce the size of the equipment necessary. And, you’ll get a written guarantee on the energy consumption as well. It really doesn’t get much better does it? This is why you need to give Brower Mechanical a call today. Efficiency, health and quiet. The number is

916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com

Yes, you may be thinking that’s how long a furnace can run or your AC unit. Not so true. Your hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small, share that it’s Brower Mechanical that’s been around 40 years. That means, they know the “guy”. Or the “girl”. When you need something relative to the home that may not be a service provided, Brower is surely going to know who to send you to for handling that issue.

Continuing into the second segment, you’re going to hear all about zero energy homes and the requirements for the state on all new home construction. It’s more loosely related to zero net electricity usage. However, a truly zero net energy home would be all electric, no gas or other power source. Find out what that really looks like in the conversation and where the trend is headed. You’ll be surprised at the incentives to support the process.

When is too much too much? When you get solar before upgrading the home to energy efficiency. The current average should be 1 panel for every 1500 SF. You can even do better depending on how well your home is sealed. At $1000 per panel, the offset easily can go into those upgrades yielding a much more efficient and valuable home. Address the symptoms of the home before you try to cure the problem. Here’s the elephant in the room. What if you’re considering a backup generator? Then you would certainly want the most efficient home you could create. You’ll need a smaller generator as a result. And of course, saving you money on the size of the generator as well. That’s truly the win-win-win.

Know the end of the game before you start to play. Why would you look forward to a PG&E rate increase? Because you’ve got an efficient home with solar. You’re now saving more money than prior to the rate increase. That makes you smile. If you know what you’re trying to accomplish with the home before you invest in any energy products, you’ll be way ahead of the game. This is what Brower Mechanical does best. To get your free clipboard audit energy assessment, give them a call at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com

So you’ve weathered the holidays, you made it thru PSPS, and new year put an end to both a year and a decade. Phew! But now it’s time to get real again. Time to get your house in order and be prepared for anything. Hot, Cold, power or no power. You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again, start with the clipboard audit to tee the year up right. Home performance is everything. With the new year, get a plan put together that you can act on and take advantage of all the benefits.

Did you hear that there is a possibility that new homes may not have gas lines connected to them, by law! Yes, California is pushing the issue and it’s not just net zero. Hear what that’s all about and how the code is mandating it. This is a big deal and will impact all new construction, possibly even commercial buildings. And if your home is not new, you can still get to net zero as well. That’s all in the discussion this segment and one that couldn’t be more informative.

Looking for long term solutions to your home energy needs? There is a great caller here who has been keeping track of his family’s carbon footprint for 10 years. This is somebody who is aware of home energy consumption and its’ environmental impact. He’s describing, in detail,

what he’s looking for. Now here is a great candidate for at the very least, a clipboard audit. Better yet, he would likely appreciate a full energy audit. Hear how the discussion continues into some of the elements and his next steps. This is one of the more informed callers that come into the show.

Closing out the first show of the new year, the real question is, does your new year resolution include improving your home’s efficiency? What does energy independence really look like? Fixing the effect of the construction slop is what getting the home “right” means. And then evaluate your options, of which there are many. This also includes consideration for generator power if you’re in that area. Be sure to start the year right by calling Brower Mechanical and getting your energy expense in-line with what your goals are. Do it now and don’t miss a beat. 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com

Your hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small dive right into the holiday discussion with a consideration to energy. Do solar panels impact the ability for Santa to land on the roof? What’s up with Tesla and why is natural gas going up in price?

Duane starts this segment off with a little explanation about why the cost of natural gas is going up vs down when the actual cost of gas is down significantly. (hint: distribution). Following that discussion, why are home values in PG&E areas possibly getting challenged? Fires and power shutoffs don’t do you any favors when you’re looking to sell. BUT, there are solutions and they’re called energy upgrades. How you convey the value if you’re selling in these areas are to be able to demonstrate value with solar and backup power. So, the homes with these options for stabilizing utility costs and minimizing interruptions are going to get the greatest ROI on those investments as they’ll sell first… and likely for a premium.

Does your furnace have issues? The caller in this segment does and it’s quite serious if not addressed. Listen as Duane explains the situation and the significance of ignoring the problem. Carbon Monoxide poisoning could be a very serious concern and one you do not want to mess with. This is a safety concern to be aware of. How does electricity compare in similar situations? You’ll hear it all in the conversation.

OK, so it’s gotten a bit colder out, furnaces are firing up and people are more aware today than historically so they’re realizing that the attic is important to help keep the house more comfortable. It’s not just insulation but that’s a good place to start. Then sealing everything up right and tight and being certain there are no leaks improperly outside and no leaks improperly into the home. The “cool tools” used to identify the issues make all the difference to get it absolutely right. A clipboard audit would help identify this issue so it’s important to start with an assessment to get it right. And…what about those rebates and options? Brower knows. Don’t wait, call Brower Mechanical today.

916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.

Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small start today’s conversation with generator hookup considerations. Do it right for sure but more importantly, have a plan to keep you and your family safe. It’s not as simple as you might expect and the most simple approaches may be the most dangerous.

Building science and home performance. What? Well, this is going to give you an idea of how this whole thing about getting it right came to be for Duane when he decided to literally change the entire direction of his company. Yes, it’s all about home energy, indoor air quality and comfort. More importantly, that means your inner peace and health. Yes, it’s that significant. Back to that Clipboard Audit, this is where you start. For Free. It’s that simple. Then, Duane goes off on some case studies to really hammer home the values of the outcome of those clipboard audits. And your utility company thoughts on this? Check it out at any of their websites and you’ll see how consistent they are in the process. No surprise, they totally agree to get that plan in place with a audit, FIRST.

Callers are always fun to hear their objectives. This caller is no exception. Educated customers are no surprise given the options on the internet and here is a customer that knows the brand and the fuel type she would like to get a proposal for and hookup. These are the best types of customers Brower loves to engage with as the expectations are clear. The ability to articulate the need and the understanding of the process just makes everything that much better when the decisions need to be made.

So how do you keep up with utility bills in retirement? Can you afford the roller coaster billing from the utility company? Do you even want that sort of fluctuation? Well, there are ways to fix your utility bills so you have some security, especially in retirement. This is an incredibly important segment as there are ways to help you get to the comfort of knowing what that utility bill looks like. No hype, no gimmicks, this is something you should consider if that’s something you would like to see happen. As always, for more information on the topic, give Brower a call at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.

Opening the show with a bit of a chill in the air, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small get a bit more into the detail and process for a clipboard audit. If you’ve been aware, and not fully comprehending the specifics, you’ll get the details in this conversation. Then you’ll hear a bit more on the topic of discussion at every holiday dinner table…generators. It’s probably become a more engaging conversation than politics at the dinner table with relatives with a little less polarization.

Choices are everything and today’s home energy options are so diverse. New homes are no longer using natural gas, they’re totally electric, solar, battery and more. What are some of the reasons, some of the elements to consider, best ways to go? This is the story to be told as the country makes it’s shift to different ways to do things. Even your vehicle is now able to be fueled in your home. No extra stopping at the gas station. No time wasted fueling up. No pollution either. Remarkable. You’ll be sure to learn something you didn’t know you didn’t know.

This is a most interesting call as the caller is fluent in the process of what to do during a PSPS and how best to connect his home. He wants to be most cautious and do it right. He is looking at wiring directly to his home, minimizing the cords and hassle. The Brower representative walks him, and you, through pre-wire options in detail. This is a critical listen if a portable hard-wired unit is something of consideration for your home.

Our guest this segment is David Duffield from Champion Power Equipment. Listen up as this is going to be an informative segment.

Hear recommendations and options you have when the power situation is less than stable. Should you choose a portable or a home standby system? There are a considerable amount of risks that you

should be aware of. They occur with both the unit itself as well from fuel to carbon monoxide and heat. Then you have the connection. Are you running extension cords? Open windows? Moving appliances to get the cord. Does that open window create an issue in itself? Would you be better off if you ran it through your own home’s wiring instead? Maybe even safer? To make these things happen, help is only a phone call away. Call Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.

Your hosts, Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small give you an early payoff on that turkey oriented headline. Yes, it’s a joke from Duane’s nephew and you can’t help but laugh. Bringing a little humor to the program always helps lighten and brighten some of the great information they share like home energy to, well, lighten and brighten your home! As a continuing reminder, the solar tax credit does go down from 30% to 26% in 2020 so this is just about the last call on this to make it in time to get your full credit and solar installed in time.

Energy upgrades are a popular conversation in nearly every show. And what better way to be more thankful during the holiday then to save a little money on your utility bill? Back to energy upgrades, they’re discussed in one way or another and you can be sure the detail of the upgrades can’t be understated. They not only reduce overall utility expense, but they also increase home value. Not to mention this is a much more comfortable, healthier and less expensive home to run and enjoy. These energy upgrades are such a valuable proposition, you absolutely want to get the clip board audit to start the process. This is before you do anything to change the energy scheme in your home. The worst case would be oversizing your solar requirements and then upgrading only to find you need far less solar to fuel the electricity. That would be a terrible situation to find yourself in and the case study today, really exemplifies that. How does going from two HVAC units to one sound as a start? The story ends very well.

The caller in this segment seems to be in need of something that Brower offers and that’s a regularly scheduled visit to do both filters and tune up for both A/C and heat. The automatic activity takes all the burden off your mind. Hear why it’s worth the investment.

Finally, what does it look like when your power is derived from alternatives? Do you think cooking the turkey in an alternative powered oven makes it taste different? Uh, no. So the discussion begins with PG&E power purchase agreement, to solar to more. Would 17 cents per kilowatt for a 20 year fixed price make sense with very little out of pocket expense? How about 14 cents for financed solar? Still way better than the twenty something cents for your utility bill on a roller coaster depending on the month. You can get a fixed payment. You can budget for your utility expense for the next 20 years. And of course, the least expense going forward would be to simply pay cash and buy outright. Then, no significant utility bill. It’s all just math. So there may be 50 ways to leave your lover or, well, 3 ways to leave your utility but a whole lot of things to be thankful for this thanksgiving holiday. Those answers as to what is best for you are all just one phone call away. Call Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.

Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small open the conversation with our incredible, albeit dry, weather of late. Wow. Who needs air conditioning or heat in paradise, right? Well, the show really is all about home energy so a slight regression occasionally is perfectly OK. So you know something needs to be done, where it is you begin. What do you do? Where and when do you start? You’ll hear this time and time again, get a complimentary clipboard audit. Learn what you need to consider. Are you a good candidate for the idea you have to address your home’s energy needs? In other words, don’t do solar first! Start with an assessment. And then learn your options with rebates. You have many ways to go. You’ll hear it all here.

I’ll bet you didn’t think your fridge, TV or any device in your home might notice a difference on how it gets power…or did you? Well, it doesn’t matter. Electricity is electricity. Doesn’t matter where it comes from. Now, if solar has been a consideration, this is the time to get a clip board audit, determine what your true need is going to be, what you can do to minimize the number of panels and maybe even move on then to get the solar ordered today to take advantage of the full tax credit benefit in 2019. Next year is less. Give it some serious thought and make that decision today, before it’s too late to get it installed.

And if PG&E is still making you nervous, there’s always generator power to consider. Hear how proper wiring makes the process so much easier.

Todays’ caller is right in line with what you might expect from a generator call given the recent power shutoffs. You’ll notice he’s is quite aware of what he needs. This is very impressive at the consumer level and you can be sure, he’ll get the best result given his particular situation. Yes, this particular homeowner is a victim of recent power shutoffs and is concerned about what’s going to happen going forward. He’s even got specific goals that he’s looking to meet. A very good call indeed.

So, if you’re giving consideration to solar before the tax credit changes, you’re going to want to seriously consider battery backup as well. They’re both eligible for the credit when you do it right. And that’s the key consideration. How much backup and energy you need on the front side of it all is a big question. There’s one way to find out quickly and that’s to call Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.

Wow. PSPS, Public Safety Power Shutoffs have been all the conversation when it comes to home energy of late. Solutions, temporary or permanent, begin the show and your hosts Duane Knickerbocker and Bill Small get it going right from the start. Even some very simple solutions to keeping the fridge cold and minimizing loss. So what happens when these outages occur and does it impact your home equipment? May be…. are power surges possibly impacting or ruining your home appliances?

Hear Duane explain the details and benefits of solar installation after home energy upgrades, not prior to doing them. Power is a critical thing when you’re used to it so the case studies discussed give great examples of how the proper approach is an efficient way to go. This applies not only to solar but also to generator power. The principals are the same. Get the home right first and then invest the money to keep it as you like it. Exactly as you like it. In every area of the house too. But that’s not all. The outcome and expense in operation of your newly upgraded, energy efficient home is also guaranteed. Yes. You would receive a guarantee on the monthly bill for the use of your newly upgraded home.

Ready to save some big money? How about a $3000 rebate from SMUD on your installation of a new heat pump water heater? That’s literally like getting the water heater free. And, your monthly bill will go down by about 50% if you’re converting from gas. Be sure to explore this option if you’re currently looking or even think you might be in need soon. It’s that worth it.

Closing the show out, the conversation moves to solar and battery backup. Timing is now if you want to get the maximum tax credit on your investment. Next year, the credit reduces a bit. The good news is that there is still time to get it done this year. Plus, if you install battery backup at the same time, the credit also applies to your battery backup as well. Bill calls the seamless process of battery backup power “wonderfulness”. And it is. Nothing for you to do in a power outage. It all happens seamlessly. If you’re in an area prone to short term power outages, this is a fantastic solution to what’s going on in your home. Following the batter backup situation is the generator alternative. Portable or permanent generator? What’s best for your situation? There’s a quick way to find out and that’s to reach out to Brower Mechanical at 916-624-0808. Or you can visit on-line @ www.browermechanical.com.