Features

Californians looking to save power and money; products flying off store shelves 

LOS ANGELES – Home improvement and hardware stores across the state are selling energy-efficient products at a record pace this year, signaling that Californians are willing to spend a little more to lower their power use — and their electric bills. 

Cold temperatures and the repeated threat of rolling blackouts this month have prompted consumers to invest in fluorescent lightbulbs, insulation and weather stripping. 

Fluorescent bulbs, which typically last 10 times longer than incandescent lights, have been the hottest seller. Home Depot reports a 66 percent increase in the sale of fluorescent bulbs at its California stores during January compared to the same time period last year. 

Michael Moore, an assistant manager at a Lowe’s store in Fresno, said he recently had to double the order amounts for the bulbs, which sell for $10 to $15. 

“We can’t keep them in stock,” Moore said. “In the past, we could keep about 100 fluorescent bulbs on the shelves for about a month. Now, it’s a matter of days before we sell out.” 

Smaller, independent hardware stores across the state also are having a surge in sales. Garth Smith, who runs Dale Hardware in Fremont, said customers have been asking more questions about energy conservation in recent weeks. 

“It boils down to economics,” Smith said. “A lot of people want to know what they can do conserve energy because they want to cut their electricity bills.” 

In case the increased conservation fails to stave out rolling blackouts, more people also are buying portable generators, which average between $400 and $750 and can provide enough juice to power household appliances during a blackout. 

Costco stores in California saw generator sales rise 300 percent from January 2000 to January 2001, and Home Depot reports a 85 percent increase for the same period. 

“The generators are more of an emergency type of product whereas the energy conservation items are being bought because people are trying to save money,” said Home Depot spokesman Chuck Sifuentes. 

The deluge of questions about energy-efficient products has prompted Home Depot to offer free, one-hour clinics for homeowners every weekend through the end of March. The “how-to” clinics demonstrate cost-saving measures and help customers learn more about their homes. 

Ofelia Lerma was busy jotting notes at a Home Depot clinic in Monrovia on Sunday. The 75-year-old Pasadena resident has a $300 bi-monthly electricity bill that she expects will drop significantly once she spends $300 to $600 to blanket her attic and basement with insulation. 

“If I can reduce my electricity bill, I am certainly going to try,” she said. “I think in the long run we will save more money by making the improvements rather than what we pay now for electricity.” 

Other people say they have changed their ways since the state’s power crisis began last year. Jack Stephanian, who also attended the clinic, said he used to leave the lights on most of the day in his La Canada-Flintridge home. 

Now he’s focusing more on reducing his home’s power use by installing new windows that reduce heat loss and purchasing a more energy-efficient refrigerator. 

“I got a $50 rebate back from my utility company,” he said. “If you own a home, you are going to have to invest money for upkeep. Buying products that will cut your energy bills seem like a smart decision.”