Kankakee Valley REMC is a lot different than an average energy company. They are a nonprofit cooperative, meaning the member-consumers they serve are also the owners.
“As a cooperative, one of the main things we like to do is provide different services to our member-consumers,” said Darrell Marks, KV REMC’s energy advisor. “With the Energy Advisor Program, we hope to guide them in using energy more efficiently.”
Marks uses more than 20 years of knowledge and experience at KV REMC to help member-consumers discover how to save money and energy in their homes.
One aspect of Marks' job is conducting home energy assessments. In one of these visits, Marks does a simple walk-through of a member-consumer’s home, takes pictures with an infrared camera, and performs a blower door test. These tools help identify areas where energy is being wasted, so he can recommend solutions. No two households are the same, so an energy assessment done with an expert’s eye is the surest way to find savings.
“It’s hard to compare any two homes. Even if you build two houses at the same exact time, with the same square footage right next to each other you’ll likely get different results,” Marks said. “A lot of it depends on lifestyle. You might have five people in one home and two in the next. One family might be frugal while others are less careful.”
Sometimes the solutions are simple, such as turning off old appliances that typically get left on overnight. Another more common problem Marks finds are improperly air sealed windows. Advertisements for more energy efficient windows are common, but according to Marks, the problem usually lies with the lack of air sealing in the housing surrounding a window. Identifying leaks like that, or other common problems like poorly-sealed attics, can go a long way saving money, and helping KV REMC member-consumers feel better in their homes.
“People want to be comfortable in their homes,” Marks said. “A lot of times that comfort is directly related to leaks or inefficiencies, so if you address them it can lower your utility bills and make you more comfortable.”
KV REMC member-consumers can even use Marks' energy advisor services while planning a new home, remodeling, or replacing a heating & cooling system. To learn more visit https://www.kvremc.com/ or contact Darrell Marks at 800-552-2622.