PORT ANGELES — Clallam County Public Utility District is hoping that more than a few light bulbs went off after the KONP Home Show on Saturday and Sunday.
Talking conservation to thousands of people who stopped by the home show, the PUD crew also distributed more than 1,200 compact fluorescent light bulbs on Saturday morning alone, said Arne Traceski, utility services adviser for the PUD.
“We are here to talk to people about conservation and the many ways they can do that,” he said.
The compact fluorescent bulbs use about 75 percent less energy and last about 10 times longer than regular incandescent bulbs.
“This is just one way they can do that.
“They can also come talk to us about windows, insulation, duct sealing and heat pumps,” he said.
Energy-saving tips
A host of energy-saving brochures were also available — the first to run out was the one about saving money by saving electricity.
“We also want to make sure everyone knows all of this information is available on our Web site,” Traceski said.
“People seem really eager to hear about it.”
The conservation information is at www.clallampud.net/conservation.
Although Todd Ortloff, KONP’s general manager, couldn’t guess how many people attended this year’s show, he said this year’s edition probably drew a slightly smaller crowd but that it was steadier.
“I’ve been some years where there are so many people you can hardly walk around, and then suddenly no one at all,” he said.
“This year was very steady with people coming in and out steadily.
“I also know from talking to many of our vendors that the quality of customer was better this year than many.
“The people who come this year seem serious about doing things to their homes, rather than people coming just because there isn’t much else to do in town.”
Visitors had focus
Margaret and Bill Gottschalk of Agnew are working on a new deck for their home and attended the show to look for some help.
“We might have found someone,” Bill Gottschalk said.
“We were looking for someone to be a cement or deck contractor.”
He said he wished there had been more building-related booths but that he had seen some of the companies he had been looking for.
Casey Bass of Sequim said she and her family attend the Home Show every year. This year, she and her husband are considering selling their home and they came to the show to find out about improvements.
“We need to fix up the carpet and the siding on the house,” she said.
“So this is a good place to come and see and talk to people.
“We always come every year just for fun anyway.
“The kids love it because there are treats and candy everywhere.”
The show also allowed a longtime company to share a history many don’t know about.
Steve Hoskis, who was at the booth for Hartnagel Building Supply, Angeles Millwork & Lumber Co., The Showroom and Quarry, was spreading the word about the four entities of the business and the 100-year history of the company.
“A lot of people have no idea that we are all part of the same employee-owned company,” he said.
“So we came down to show not only some of the things we make but to talk about our history in the town.”
Along with a timeline showing the major events since the 1906 opening of the mill, the display also included historic tools — next to modern versions of the tools — as well as a carving of the Hartnagel logo.
“This guy is over 30 years old,” said Hoskis of the display, which he said is typically kept in a special case at the business.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
