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Editorial
A Hot Topic for Chilly Days
It’s
winter all across North America in February, and in many places
it’s very cold, too! Those of us who live throughout the northern
tier of states and beyond are used to the seasonal changes that
bring falling temperatures, wind chills and snow, but what we aren’t
used to are the nearly weekly announcements from utility companies
on rising heating costs. To be fair, the warnings began six months
ago, but when many homeowners opened their January heating bills
it really hit home—literally.
In an odd way there’s some good news here. Skyrocketing heating
costs, added to already sky-high gasoline prices, have renewed our
conservation efforts and restarted our conversations on energy savings.
Admit it, this wasn’t a hot topic when SUV sales were going
through the roof. Now that gasoline is $2.50 gallon sales of most
gas-guzzlers have plummeted.
Did you know many home mortgage companies offer federally recognized
Energy Efficient Mortgages for homeowners who are buying, selling,
refinancing or remodeling? These mortgages provide the borrower
with special benefits when purchasing a home that is energy efficient
or can be made efficient through the installation of energy-saving
improvements.
Did I say “energy-saving improvements”? That’s
where window coverings come in! There are any number of window treatment
products that can help insulate a home and make the homeowner more
comfortable. It is to all of our benefit—some would say it
is our responsibility—to promote and provide these qualities.
Kitty Stein offered eight tips on how window treatment specialists
(that’s you, the retailer or workroom) can help add insulation
value at the window (see D&WC, January 2006, page 48).
It’s a good business decision, too. Homeowners with lower
utility bills have more money in their pockets each month. They
can afford to allocate a larger portion of their incomes to housing
expenses. It brings back something a former journalism professor
taught us years ago: If you want to get people’s attention,
tell them how it affects their pocketbooks.
Howard Shingle
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