Serving Our Seniors Magazine

Securities and investment advisory services offered through Royal Alliance Associates, Inc. (RAA), member FINRA/SIPC. RAA is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of RAA. PH ENIX Financial Group Gary C. Yontz Sr., LUTCF, CLTC Tyler Cammalleri Investment Advisor Representatives 3006 Campbell Street Sandusky, Ohio 44870, (419) 626-1765 There is styrofoam insulation under the concrete slab and 6” of spray styrofoam and a foot of styrofoam beads in the attic. It’s like living in a thermos. The roof is a standing-seam metal roof, guaranteed for 50 years, but likely to last much longer. So when I’m 93 and Mark is 103 (we’re positive thinkers ), we won’t have to worry about affording a roof replacement. We used CertainTeed fiber cement siding, and the exterior trim was made from Azek, a polymer composite. The Azek trim doesn’t rot. While we may have to replace the siding in retirement, the rest should last our lifetime. No wood or drywall was used in the home. The interior walls were constructed with steel studs, and AquaTuff—a moisture and mold-resistant wallboard—was used for the interior finish. The house is heated with radiant floor heating. Warm water circulates through tubes placed in the concrete slab. This warms the concrete and the ceramic tile floor. Heat slowly releases from the floor and keeps the home at a very comfortable 72 degrees in the winter, without any drafts. Ceramic tile is sustainable. Not only is it an excellent conductor of heat and cold, but it will also last a lifetime. That’s why we didn’t use carpet. According to Columbia Gas of Ohio, a 1,600 sq. ft. home uses 900–1200 ccf per year. During the heating season, we keep our home at a constant 72 degrees. Over the twenty years we have lived here, we have averaged 460 ccf of natural gas per year to heat our 1,600 sq. ft. home and our 1,300 sq. ft. two-story garage. What does that mean for heating costs? From October 2024 to August 2025, our total cost was $895.62. Of that, $653.81 was for gas delivery charges and taxes, an expense all customers have to pay. We paid $241.81 for natural gas. In 2015, we installed solar panels on the home. While it required a large upfront investment, it allowed us to buy down our electric costs for the rest of our lives. From October 2024 to August 2025, we paid only $256.92 for electricity. We expect to pay nothing in August and maybe $5 in September. Another reason our electric costs are so low is that the home does not have central air. The house was designed to minimize heat loss in the winter and prevent heat gain in the summer. During summer, we open the windows in the evening to cool the house and close them in the morning. In July, we install a window air conditioner for about a two week period, but only use it occasionally. We absolutely love our home. We both feel that building it was one of the best retirement decisions we have ever made. It is unfortunate that over the last 20 years this method of construction never became the norm for residential housing. Change is hard. 15