Robert Chacon
LA CRESCENTA -- Ted Baumgart believes in harnessing power from the
sun, and he is offering a tour of his home to prove it.
At Baumgart's whimsical home, 12 solar panels power his swimming
pool's filtration system, the circulation system for a miniature
waterfall and pond, his refrigerator, and a miniature train that runs
on tracks from his kitchen throughout the backyard.
Large windows and sky lights provide sufficient light on even an
overcast day.
The purpose of giving a tour of his home is to show that, "solar
power can be integrated into our lives seamlessly," he said.
The tour of Baumgart's home is part of the American Solar Energy
Society's ninth annual Solar Tour. More than 1,800 homes, businesses
and public buildings across the country will be open to the public
Saturday.
Baumgart's home is at 2425 Mountain Ave., La Crescenta. It will be
open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. He has opened his home to the public
every year of the tour. Some years he has welcomed up to 150 visitors
in one day. This year he hopes to get 40 or 50 visitors.
Two more local homes will be part of the tour, one at 8300
Valecrest Drive in Sun Valley, the other at 13444 Leach St. in
Sylmar.
For Baumgart, the major benefit of using solar power is its
contribution to the environment's health.
"We have a major problem with pollution and wars over oil that
damage societies across the globe. Solar power is a solution,"
Baumgart said.
But a home that runs on solar power can also lead to significant
savings. Baumgart said that he saves at least $50 a month on
electricity bills, and that is only for a house that runs partially
on solar power.
Solar panels aren't the only environmentally friendly additions to
his house. The concrete walls of his home, inlaid with large river
boulders, keep the temperature in his home about 70 degrees year
round.
