General Manager’s Message – January 2025
Each day, my path to work takes me by the many new homes being constructed on our system. They’re built quickly, and they serve a basic need for our members. It also got me thinking about the old days when an elderly woman in the community would babysit me and my older brother.
Her house didn’t look anything like these new ones. It was an old wooden-sided house, unpainted inside and out. It had no running water and no plumbing. It did have electricity but no wall plugs just lights wired to the ceiling with pull strings to turn them on and off. If you think you have a hard time finding a light switch in the dark, imagine searching in an open, dark room for a string hanging from the ceiling.
The main room had a fireplace for heat and a wood stove for cooking. There was no TV, but she knew the art of making quilts, not so much for the craft but for the sorely needed added warmth. Her home’s exterior was upgraded with asphalt shingles that looked like bricks, which I’m sure helped greatly reduce the wind passing through the single panel of wood.
As I look at these new houses, I wonder if they are properly insulated. Over the past few years with the inflation crisis, the cost of electrical materials to build lines and run service to members’ homes has greatly increased. In many cases, material costs have increased 3 to 4 times compared to 5 years ago. In some instances, it can be as much as 5 times more expensive. That means the cost of electricity, much like other costs, is likely to continue rising slightly.
Taking care to properly insulate your new home can go a long way toward mitigating that cost for your household. For many couples, building a new home is a lifetime purchase. They want everything to match their dreams, but the budget doesn’t always allow for that. When it comes to making cuts, often the first items people choose are to less visible areas like insulation.
While everyone wants a beautiful home, quality insulation is the wrong thing to cut. It may be possible to redo it years later, but it will be a costly upgrade. Popular features like granite countertops or high-end cabinets, on the other hand, can easily be upgraded later when your income may be better suited to make those investments.
In this month’s magazine, we’re excited to include an article that touches on the various types of home insulation. By investing in effective insulation like spray foam, you can not only cut down on the noise in your house but also save on your heating and cooling costs for years to come.
A home is not unlike a person. What makes a person is not their outward appearance, it’s who they are inside. They are defined by what I like to call their character. Your home is the same way. The foundation of a home is key, just like the foundation of a person. If you’re fortunate enough to build a new home, establish that strong foundation by prioritizing energy-efficient insulation and HVAC systems. They will pay for themselves a lot quicker than granite countertops.
I hope all of our members enjoy the first month of this new year. For those of you building a home, enjoy the process. Sometimes, all you get is one shot to do it right. Start your year off right and stay warm. Until next month.