EPEFCU

Fall Projects: Tackle these Home Repairs for a Warm and Energy Efficient Winter

Before the cold sets in this winter you’ll want to make certain to tackle certain projects around your home, doing so will ensure your heating costs stay down this chilly, winter season.

Prepare your fireplace

Using your fireplace will not only keep you toasty, it’ll help keep your heating costs down as well but be sure to have it inspected at least once a year.

Most likely your fireplace hasn’t been used all summer which means you’ll want to sufficiently clean it out before you begin using it again. A chimney sweep can help you remove any soot or creosote that may be lingering inside your fireplace as well as inspect it while he’s there.

Protect your fireplace from outside elements. Purchase a protective cap with a screen for your chimney. This will help keep rain and snow from damaging the walls of your fireplace. According to thechimneysweep.com, rain coming down an open flue can mix with soot or creosote, causing unpleasant odors and deterioration of flue walls. This can also cause rust damage to your stovepipes, stove and even your furnace.

You’ll also want to inspect your fireplace damper in order to make sure it is opening and closing properly. Don’t forget to keep the damper closed when your chimney is not in use in order to keep the cold air from coming in.

Clean your Gutters

Clogged gutters can occur when debris such as leaves are left behind. By not cleaning your gutters, rain and melting snow can cause water to back up in the gutters, causing your roof to leak. Make sure to give your gutters a good rinse after removing any lingering debris such as leaves.  You’ll also want to ensure that your homes downspouts are carrying water away from the foundation of your house.

Check your Doors and Windows

If you live in an older home with single-pane glass windows, replacing all of your windows before the cold sets in may not fit into your budget. Work on replacing them a few at a time and in the meanwhile purchasing a window insulator kit can help keep the cold air out. A window insulator kit is essentially a plastic film that is adhered to your window’s interior. The plastic is shrink- wrapped to the window by applying heat and can easily be removed in the spring. Installing the kit is cheap and easy, and will serve as a buffer against cold drafts.

Old doors may also be allowing cold air to enter your home, forcing your heater to work harder. Purchasing door sweeps to keep cold air from coming in is a quick and inexpensive way to fix those drafts. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use.

Turn ON your Fan

Fans aren’t just for keeping cool. Did you know that reversing the direction of your fan can actually help push warm air downward? In the winter, reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan at low speed in the clockwise direction. This produces a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space, according to energystar.gov.

Get started on these simple fixes to ensure that your home is prepared for the chilly climates this winter.

Congratulations Martin Robledo!

We recently wrapped up our eChecking iPad giveaway contest and one lucky member walked away with a brand new iPad! Throughout the month of August we encouraged members of our community as well as current members to sign up for our new eChecking account for their chance to win an iPad. Both current eChecking members as well as new eChecking members were enrolled into a drawing where Martin Robledo walked away the winner! Congratulations Martin, enjoy your new iPad and your eChecking account!

Did you know that you could earn 3.03% APY*? That's the highest checking account rate in El Paso! Plus, our eChecking account offers free Online Bill Pay, eStatements, unlimited check writing, no minimum balance requirement, no monthly service fee or per check fee and the freedom to use any foreign ATM, because EPEFCU we will reimburse you any fees incurred by the credit union.

What are you waiting for? Open your eChecking account today!

 

 

*Any eAccount holders who don’t meet the requirement or are disqualified during the quarter, will not earn a dividend for the quarter and the credit union ATM withdrawal fees will be charged.

**3.03% APY is paid on balances up to $5,000. Premiere Checking rates paid on balances over $5,000.

***APY is annual percentage yeild.

Protecting Your Identity: Listen to our first webinar!

At El Paso Employees Federal Credit Union we’re constantly looking for ways to educate our community in money matters. Recently, the EPISD school district’s website was hacked and according to a local news station, an unknown hacking group was able to obtain students’, employees’ and some parents’ names, Social Security numbers , dates of birth and addresses.

In the past, EPEFCU has held financial seminars inside of our branches covering a variety of topics. However, we know you’re busy and so we recently held our very fist online webinar called ‘Protecting Your Identity.’ With this latest security breach we wanted to show you what steps you can take to keep your personal information safe and what to do if your information has been compromised.

Click here to listen to our free webinar!