ELECTRIC CONSUMER • FEBRUARY 2010 • 7B

Local..........................................260-726-7121Toll.Free.................................... 800-835-7362Fax............................................ 260-726-6240E-mail..............................remc@JayREMC.comWeb.Site.........................www.JayREMC.comTo report an outage or emergencyCall.260-726-7121.or.800-TEL-REMC.(835-7362)24 hours a day, 7 days a weekBe.ready.to.provide.the.following.information:.1..Name.under.which.the.electric.service.is.listed..2..Map.location.number..3..Your.phone.number.in.case.we.need.to.call.you.back..4..The.type.of.problem.you.are.experi-encing,.e.g.,.flickering.lights,.complete.power.outage,.etc..5..Hang.up.when.all.information.has.been.recorded.—.other.members.may.be.trying.to.contact.the.REMC,.too..

Office hours: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.Monday-Friday

484 S 200 WP.O. Box 904, Portland, IN 47371

PHONE NUMBERS & HOURS

Jay CountyREMC

CO-OP NOTES$50 bill credit drawing winnerThe.$50.drawing.winner.for.the.month.of.December.was.John.Harris.of.Portland..Read.Electric Consumer..for.your.chance.to.win.a.$50.bill.credit.

Jay County REMC Member Business EXPO

The 2010 Jay County REMC annual meeting will spotlight Jay County REMC members who are business owners.

If you are interested in participating in the Member Business EXPO, fill out the application below. There is no charge for participating in the EXPO. The EXPO will be held March 27 from 6-7:30 p.m.

Member’s name___________________________________________________________________

Member’s map location # __________________________________________________________

Business name____________________________________________________________________

Electricity required? (Circle one) Yes No

Jay County REMC will provide signage, a table, table covering, and two chairs.Please return to the REMC, Attention: Cindy Denney, P.O. Box 904, Portland, IN 47371 or e-mail denneyc@jayremc.com by March 3.

Space is limited — so please hurry!

The 2010 Jay County REMC Annual Meeting will be Saturday, March 27,

at Jay County High School Auditorium.

What’s in store for youat the meeting?

• Kids’ program• Business EXPO• Entertainment:Edwards Family

• Business Meeting • Attendance gifts

• Door Prizes

See you there!

Tax credits availableFor.those.members.who.have.installed.or.replaced.HVAC.systems.in.2009.or.have.made.home.improvements.which.increased.the.efficiency.of.your.home,.tax.credits.are.available.

IRS.Tax.Form.5695.will.need.to.be.filed,.along.with.your.2009.tax.returns,.to.receive.the.tax.credit..Visit.www.energystar.gov.and.go.to.“tax.credits”.in.the.search.bar.or.inform.your.tax.consultant.of.any.changes.you.may.have.made.to.your.home.

Changes?

Has.your.phone.number.changed?.Has.your.mailing.address.changed?

Please.notify.the.Jay.County.REMC.at.260-726-7121.or.800-835-7362..Thank.you!

Information from your electric cooperative

8B • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • FEBRUARY 2010

All you need is Miller Home Improvement

Win $50 toward home improvement fromMiller Home Improvement and Jay County REMC!

Name _____________________________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________________________

Account # _________________________________________________________

Phone # ___________________________________________________________

Mail.entry.to:.Jay.County.REMC,.P.O..Box.904,.Portland,.IN.47371.or.e-mail.to.denneyc@jayremc.com. The drawing will be held Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m.

Cindy Denney is director of marketing and customer services for Jay County REMC.

by.Cindy.Denney

According to the Beatles, “all you need is love” — except if you want to build a home, remodel a home, add a deck, put in a new window or anything dealing with construction. Jay County REMC member Chris Miller of Miller Home Improvement is all you need then.

Miller said he was born with a hammer in his hand. His father, Milo, taught him the tools of the trade at a very early age. The importance of doing things right the first time was a part of his early training. That training was reinforced while he was a Zoomie (U.S. Air Force) for 12 years. A portion of that time was during Desert Shield. For that we thank you, Chris!

Coordinating building a home is complex. Miller’s military training enhanced his abilities to work with multifaceted tasks and vendors. My grandson would call him “Optimus Prime,” leader of the Transformers from toy and movie fame. Miller can take wood, wire and pipe and transform them into a beautiful home.

When one decides to transform an old kitchen into a new one or an empty lot into a home, countless decisions are involved. Do you want a two-story house? Do you want a ranch house? Do you want brick? Do you want cathedral ceilings? Do you want a steep gable roofline? Do you want a heat pump? Do you want wood floors? Do you want tile? Do you want single pane windows? Do you want foam insulation? Do you want to knock out a wall? Do you want to add a basement? There appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel until you decide on the lighting.

“I have built a lot of homes on basements poured by Shawn Mumby (another Jay County REMC member — 260-726-9728). That is the one thing I wish I had different at my home,” com-mented Miller. “I would like a useable basement. My home is an 1880 farmhouse; the basement is dark and has little head room. For just a little more money, you can have a useable basement. Your house size can double. You have a place for climate control equipment and a water heater making easy access in the event of needed repairs. You also have storage and a place for kids to play.”

What is some good advice from a seasoned builder when building a home? Miller advises — don’t skimp on the foundation or basement, practical rooflines, and insulate, insulate, insu-late. In today’s slow economy, Miller has noted a trend in the construction industry. More people are remodeling kitchens and baths. Kitchens and bathrooms tend to date a house. Remodeling those two rooms can give the appearance of a new house.

“My grandmother had her house for sale forever. It was because when you walked into the house the first thing you did was step back in time to the 1950s. If she had remodeled the kitchen and the bathroom, the house would have sold quickly,” said Miller.

There are some people in the world whose work is art. I believe Miller Home Improvement

to be artistic craftsmen. Remodeling a home is stressful. Throw in a forced remodeling caused by a house fire and the stress level can reach Mount Everest. The Miller Home Improvement profes-sionals not only helped us conquer Mount Everest, they reconstructed our house and provided ideas on ways to make the house more attractive and took some of the stress off of us, thus sparing Mr. Denney’s life. Miller and his crew were able to bring our house back to life and we love it.

What I loved about Miller Home Improvement was their willingness to work with the other ven-dors we wanted to do the insulation and plumb-ing. Miller Home Improvement coordinated with Scott DeHoff of DeHoff Insulation to insulate the house and Phil Laux of Laux Heating and Plumbing for the plumbing.

Miller was also ready to work with the paint-ers we had lined up, but he luckily talked us out of using the darling Denney daughters. He does admit that Miranda’s bedroom colors were definitely the most unusual he has ever had the privilege of applying to walls, which is probably a nice way of saying UGLY colors, and he would be correct. Bright neon lime green on three walls and one black wall are not pretty. It fact, we have to keep the door closed because of the glare. Next time, I will not let them pick out their own bedroom colors.

Miller’s painting skills are amazing. There were no streaks, no runs, no bristles marks and no blotches of colored paint on the white ceilings. I did not know that was possible. It is amazing how fantastic walls can look when painted by a professional. Thank God he likes to paint because every time I walk into the house, I praise the Lord I did not let the girls paint the house. Our walls look perfect.

Is there something you would love to have done around the house? All you need is Miller Home Improvement. Give Chris Miller a call at 260-251-9318 and have your house transformed. One lucky winner will receive $50 towards home improvement from Miller Home Improvement. You will love the results.

Chris Miller of Miller Home Improvement looks toward the ceiling while spackling a home.

The above photos show the Denney home before and after Miller Home Improvement following a fire.

ELECTRIC CONSUMER • FEBRUARY 2010 • 9B

SIDELINESREMC water heater details releasedRheem water heater information — Professional Series

Rheem Pro Series water heaters available at Jay County REMC have an 8-year warranty. They have the following features:• Brass drain valve.• Stainless steel lower heating element.• EverKleen self-cleaning device.• Exclusive Rheemglas tank lining that will resist corrosion.• Isolated tank design reduces conductive heat loss.

• Over-temperature protector cuts off power in excess temperature situations.• Automatic thermostat keeps water at desired temperature.• Meets or exceeds NAECA and C.E.C require-ments.• Patented R-Foam insulation.• Electric junction box located above heating ele-ments for easy installation.

Rheem Marathon water heater informationRheem Marathon water heaters available at Jay County REMC have a lifetime limited tank warranty. They have the following features:

• Seamless, blow-molded, polybutylene tank- impervious to rust and corrosion.

• Bowl-shaped bottom allows complete sedi-ment draining.

• Multiple layers of filament-wound fiberglass give the tank unmatched strength.

• High temperature polysulfone dip tubes.• Polyurethane Envirofoam insulation helps to

reduce energy consumption.• Thermally-fused upper element provides pro-

tection against “dry-firing” – stainless steel incoloy lower element for resistance to lime build-up.

• The highest energy factors (EF) available!

• Factory-installed conduit between element control boxes.

• Pipe wrap energy saving kit included to achieve maximum energy savings.

• All plastic tank eliminates the need for an anode rod.

• Recessed drain valve is out of the way of brooms and scrubbers.

• Factory-installed temperature and pressure relief valve.

• Tough-molded polyethylene outer shell resists dents and scratches.

• Factory-installed vacuum relief valve.*** Minimum clearance of 12 inches is required

for installation of Marathon Water Heater.

• 7 percent sales tax is added to all water heater purchases.• A $150 bill credit is issued to members who purchase a qualifying heater elsewhere.

• The REMC recommends a qualified professional plumberinstall the water heater.

• Pricing is subject to change without notice. • 1-800-835-7362 or 260-726-7121

Courtesy of Berne Chamber of CommerceFeb 16: State of City Address. DRG Creativity Center. Noon. 260-589-8080.During school year until June: Fundraiser for Jay County High School Marching Patriots. If you are a DIRECTV customer and plan to subscribe for another year, the Marching Patriots can earn $50. If you aren’t a DIRECTV customer and plan on subscribing, the Marching Patriots can earn $100. To help out the Marching Patriots, just call 1-888-388-4724 and give the operator the school code of B1688. Carolyn Carducci, 260-726-4151, or Kelly Smeltzer, 260-726-9306.

When the power goes out, a por-table generator can make life a lot easier. But if it’s used improperly, that generator can make life a lot more danger-ous! Jay County REMC and Safe Electr icity re-mind you to keep these tips in mind when you’re us-ing a portable generator:

• Plug individual appliances into the genera-tor using heavy duty, outdoor-rated cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.

• Observe the generator manufacturer’s in-structions for safe operation.

• Do not plug the generator into a wall outlet.• If connecting the generator into the house

wiring is necessary, have a qualified electrician hook up the standby electrical system.

• Only operate the generator outdoors in a well-ventilated, dry area, away from air intakes to the home, and protected from direct exposure to rain and snow. Preferably, use it under a canopy, in an open shed or in a carport.

• Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled, non-glass safety containers. They should also not be stored in an area near a fuel-burning appliance: the vapor from gasoline can travel invisibly along the ground and be ig-nited by pilot lights or arcs caused by activating electric switches.

• If the generator is connected directly to the house wiring, disconnect your house from the grid by turning off the main breaker or removing the main fuse. This will protect co-op workers from being shocked by power from your genera-tor while doing repairs to the line.

Safe Electricity is an electrical safey public awareness program suppored by several electric utilities, including the electric cooperatives of Indiana. Visit its site at www.safeelectricity.org.

Avoid danger when using portable generators

10B • ELECTRIC CONSUMER • FEBRUARY 2010

IN OUR COMMUNITY

$50$50 monthly bill credit drawing

NAME:__________________________________________________________________________

ACCOUNT.NO.:___________________________________________________________________PHONE.NO.:_____________________________________________________________________

Note:.To.be.eligible.for.the.drawing,.your.coupon.and.payment.must.be.in.the.office.by.4:30.p.m..on.the.last.working.day.of.the.month.

Event sponsored byJay County Visitor and Tourism Bureau

and in part by MainSource Bank

Thursday, March 11, 5-8 p.m.Beginning Knitting / Cable Knit Scarf Instructor: Helen Rouch Teacher fee: $30Painting with Fiber & Needles Instructor: Kenya Habegger Teacher fee: $30Pieced Applique Instructor: Deb Tumbleson Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $25Making a Purse Instructor: Kathy Diveley Teacher fee: $30/ Material fee: $20The Ancient Art of Spindling Instructor: Julie Davidson; Teacher Fee: $30/ Material Fee: $6

Friday, March 121-4 p.m.

Spinning Clinic Instructor: Karen Hainlen Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $10Making a Chenille Pillow Instructor: Kathy Diviely Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $25Wool Mat Instructor: Deb Tumbleson Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $29Wet Felting Instructor: Kelly Dossett Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $7 (Bring two old towels)

Kids’ ClassesEach class 1 hour. Class size: 6-12

2 p.m.: Fiber Science Lab and Color Theory Teacher fee: $10 / Material fee: $53:30 p.m.: Fused Fashion Teacher fee: $10/ Material fee: $55 p.m.: In a Tangle - Weaving Teacher fee: $10/ Material fee: $1

5-8 p.m.Needlefelt on Alpaca Hat Instructor: Carol Haughton Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $20Paper Piecing Instructor: Deb Tumbleson Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $20

Sheep Breeds for Fiber Instructor: Jamie Stark Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $30Colonial Rug Hooking Instructor: Jan Ryan Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $15

4-7 p.m.Benefit Soup Supper: Admission fee.

Saturday, March 138:30–11:30 a.m.

Rughooking Instructor; Jan Ryan Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee : $35Raggy Shaggy Jacket Class Instructor: Kathy Diviely Teacher fee: $30 / Mateial fee: $48Beginning Crochet Instructor: Helen Rouch Teacher fee: $30 / No material feeLocker Hooking Instructor: Kelly Dossett Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $5Blending Fibers for Spinning Instructor: Pennie Phares Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $10Straw Weaving Dolls Instructor: Kenya Habegger Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $7

12:30-3:30 p.m.Inside out Jacket Instructor: Deb Tumbleson Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $55Curly Gift Basket Instructor: Deb Gerber Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $6Purse Class Instructor: Emily Tumbleson Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $32Easy Fun Dyes Instructor: Pennie Phares Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $10Folded Star Candle Mat Instructor: Kim Flueckiger Teacher fee: $30 / Material fee: $8Chainmaille Bracelet Instructor: Deb Woodlings Teacher fee: $10 / Material fee: $2

Fiber Fest and Spin-in celebrates the fiber arts

For more information, go to http://www.visitjaycounty.com/fiber-fest.aspx

How does your family compare to the Denneys?Our family truly could be a reality TV show. But, instead of going for the millions of dollars from Hollywood, we have chosen to share our story with you each month for free — or at least our energy use story. We have a ranch-style home. Next month I will give you a little more info about the Denney home.

Energy use from Dec. 13 to Jan. 12 was 3,578 kwh. It is impossible to accurately compare one family’s electric use to another’s because of all the variables, but we are going to have a little fun discovering just how much electricity the darling Denney daughters can use. We have finally taken down the Christmas lights, so I am thinking next month should be lower unless the temperature is COLD! How do you compare to the Denneys? — Cindy Denney is director of marketing and customer services for Jay County REMC

Energy tip of the monthCold air leaking into your house around windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures, and gaps in corners can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable.

As cold air is coming in through leaks, warm air is escaping through other leaks. The biggest leaks for escaping air are often found in the attic. Recessed lights and attic access hatches are also common heat loss locations.

If you seal those areas, you can often greatly improve your comfort and lower your energy bills. You can do some of these improvements yourself, but for the best solution you may need to hire a contractor.

Check out http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improve-ment_sealing for more information on how to make your home more comfortable.