The Conserve kit launched in May of 2022 as part of the Year of Literacy initiative covering environmental literacy. The kit provides some tools and consumable items that help borrower's better seal the "envelope" of their home and understand more about how various appliances and devices use energy. Items below marked with an asterisk are considered consumables - use what you need, return the rest; all other items are to be returned with the kit along with any unused consumables.
Learn more about energy conservation and initiatives within Fairfax County.
Measures the amount of electricity used by a particular device to help you understand its power consumption.
Allows you to safely read temperatures without touching the item being measured. This model is intended for HVAC, ovens, engines, breaker boxes, doors, and many other uses. Not intended for use on people.
Turns lamps, fans, season lighting, and other small devices off and on based on your desired times saving you energy and possibly deterring crime when you are away from home. Try this one out to see if you want one of your own.
Detects moisture content in materials, such as drywall, hardwood, masonry, or softwood, letting you know if it is within normal ranges.
MATERIAL | GREEN LEDs | YELLOW LEDs | RED LEDs |
---|---|---|---|
DRYWALL | 0 to 40% | 40 to 70% | 70% + |
MASONRY | 0 to 36% | 36 to 63% | 63% + |
HARDWOOD | 0 to 14% | 14 to 24.5% | 24.5% + |
SOFTWOOD | 0 to 21% | 21 to 39% | 39% + |
Mini digital thermometer hygrometer allows you to easily know the environment’s temperature and humidity in a space. Great for garage, cellar, closet, greenhouse, refrigerator, freezer, and humidor use.
Caulk is a flexible material used to seal joints or seams against air or water leaks through cracks, gaps, or joints less than ¼” wide. This kit includes latex-acrylic caulking, a caulking gun, and some finishing tools in a canvas bag. Please rinse caulking from finish tools after use.
Use what you need, return the rest. The consumable items in the conserve kit are for your use and are intended to help with your home envelope needs.
Caulk is a flexible material used to seal joints or seams against air or water leaks through cracks, gaps, or joints less than ¼” wide. There are many types of caulk available for various applications -- acrylic latex, polyurethane, silicone based to name three. The caulk in this kit is fast drying latex, intended for indoor use and is able to be painted over.
Caulk (in kit) | Silicone |
---|---|
Caulk is a sealant used to seal construction cracks in the body of the house. | Silicone is a type of sealant used mainly to bind surfaces such as metal, glass, and plastic together. |
It is less prone to movement than silicone. | It can be used in rooms with higher moisture level. |
Caulk dries quicker than silicone and it shows good resistance to weathering. | Silicone has strong binding properties that can be applied to almost any surface. |
it cannot be used in areas that are prone to expansion and contraction. | It is ideal for areas that are prone to expansion and contraction. |
Paint can be applied over acrylic latex caulk. | Paint cannot be applied over silicon. |
Ideally used to seal the corners between walls, between windows and sills, and cracks between walls and ceilings. | Ideally used to seal junctions between the tiles, baths, sinks, bathroom fittings, and so on. |
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Insulation gaskets fit behind the wall plate of light switches and outlets, to seal off draughts of air that flow through your switches. Perforations make it easy to install on several different types of switches.
Used to stop air leaks on objects that open and close, making heating and cooling your home more efficient. The weather stripping can be used at the bottom of sliding window/door, plastic-steel windows, thresholds, or shower doors.
Used to add an extra thermal barrier to older windows. Kits feature a clear plastic sheet that shrinks tight and wrinkle free with an ordinary hand-held hairdryer and can be easily installed on metal, painted, varnished wood or vinyl clad window frames.