rachelh@myweeklysentinel.com
GROVER/CANTON — Nestled on a quiet hill right above Grover is Solaire Energy, a company that many who could use their services might not know about.
Solaire’s main goal is to improve their client’s home energy resources. They offer renewable energy solutions, energy efficiency upgrades, home energy audits and comprehensive energy solutions for homes and businesses throughout North Central PA.
In 1995, Pamela Denlinger saw the need for weatherization work in our area. She started with just one client, PPL (Pennsylvania Power and Light) Electric.
Weatherization is the practice of protecting a building and its interior from the elements, particularly from sunlight, precipitation, and wind, and of modifying a building to reduce energy consumption and optimize energy efficiency.
Solaire has worked with UGI Utilities, First Energy, PPL Electric Utilities, the PA Renewable Energy Pilot Program, as well as private homeowners who have received their own audits.
“Our biggest clients are electric utilities,” said Denlinger.
There are a couple ways homeowners can save energy, and more importantly, money, on energy bills every year.
They currently work with utility programs such as WARM Program from Penelec (FirstEnergy) and the LIURP Program from UGI (Low Income Usage Reduction Program.) PPL is not in Bradford County, but their program is called WRAP (Winter Relief Assistance Program).
“The electric companies are mandated to fund weatherization programs to their low-income customers,” said Denlinger.
“None of the above utility programs are funded with taxpayer dollars. Their only connection with government is that their conservation programs are mandated by the Public Utility Commission. The funding is from electric ratepayers, taken out of company profits,” said Denlinger.
“However, there is a federal and state funded weatherization program that uses county-commissioned non-profit agencies to perform weatherization work, in every state. For example, Trehab in Bradford County,” said Denlinger. “So if people do not have a utility that offers a weatherization program, they can contact their county courthouse to see where to sign up for this weatherization program.”
There are also grants available through the Department of Energy, which are administered through the Department of Community and Economic Development.
After an application is completed, Solaire begins with an energy audit, in which they come into the home and run tests to see where air is “leaking” from the home. This could be because of improper air sealing or not enough insulation, just to name a few.
“We have quite a few tools to help us determine this in a quantitative way,” said Denlinger. “We use infrared cameras, blower doors, and more.”
“We take an exterior door and we take a vinyl cape with a metal frame and a fan and electronic equipment and determine the cubic feet of air in the house,” said Vince Amoroso, an auditor for the company.
“When we turn the fan on, it sucks air out of the house, called depressurization, and when you do that, air comes rushing in where it can (in holes determined where the problem is).”
All interior windows and doors are closed for this process so that the auditor can find leaks in the doors/windows/ walls, thus causing the problem.
Solar Energy
Solar is energy used by capturing energy from the sun and converting it into electricity. Solar energy uses captured sunlight to create photovoltaic power (PV) or concentrated solar power (CSP) for solar heating. This energy conversion allows solar to be used to power auto motives, lights, pools, heaters and gadgets.
“Though solar energy may cost more in the beginning, the end result is that a customer saves money on their monthly electric bill because of solar energy,” said Denlinger.
Solaire also offers quality control inspection services for different programs conservation programs, such as UGI.
Due to COVID-19, business has been running slowly for Solaire. Luckily, they have trained at two seminars on how to deal with COVID-19 regulations in a safely manner when it comes to their clients.
Solaire Home Comfort
Solaire Home Comfort is Solaire Energy’s sister company. It focuses on heating and air condition. Denglinger owns it with her husband, Jason Denlinger.
DeVon Groff had the original vision for the company. DeVon was from Canton, but lived in Lancaster, where he started a heating and plumbing company. He named his company “Groff’s Heating, Plumbing & Air Conditioning.
“The company was Groff’s Heating until 2015, when the Groff partner left the business and it was renamed Solaire Home Comfort. We do residential and light commercial HVAC, plumbing and electrical work,” said Denlinger, who owns the business with her husband, Jason.
“We excel in energy efficient systems like geothermal, minisplits, and solar electric.”
For more information or a quote, stop in at their office at 2174 Grover Road, Canton, call 570-673-4004 or email them at info@solairenergy.com.