Energy savings win!

Althea said:
And since we disagree politically, you refuse to carry on an adult conversation? I was curious about the bubble wrap. You already have R 70...more or less...in your attic. I wanted to know if you were getting your claimed savings due to heat reflection up, or down? I don't see a heat shield decreasing your heat loss, given your 24" of fiberglass already.

You also mentioned an attic fan. Said fans are meant to keep a house cool...not warm.

All evidence points toward an attempt to save on cooling, not heating. Given that you made no mention of an A.C unit, I simply asked where you spent the bulk of your electricity.


You don't have to be an asshole in every thread.
Click to expand...

Apparently I'm the only adult in our conversation.

As stated in the OP, The bubble wrap "reflects heat from above in the summer and from below in the winter". According to the chart, it did exactly that.

A roof-mounted attic fan is deigned to draw heat and humidity out of the attic, allowing the insulation to work more efficiently in all seasons, albeit most effective during the summer.

A heat pump is a reverse cycle unit that supplies heat in the winter and cooling in the summer.
 
Althea said:
I'm sure you'll agree that any claimed energy saving ought to be based on your actual usage, and not some average set forth by the power company
Click to expand...
The average is calculated by the energy company based on actual use for each month. This is compared to my actual use for the 12 months. The average is not an arbitrary number. Since degree days vary month to month and year to year it is the best comparison between homes in the same market area.
 
Right said:
The average is calculated by the energy company based on actual use for each month. This is compared to my actual use for the 12 months. The average is not an arbitrary number. Since degree days vary month to month and year to year it is the best comparison between homes in the same market area.
Click to expand...
OK...you've basically proven nothing. The only way to show any actual savings, is to examine your energy usage from winter '12, and that of this season. I was curious about the bubble wrap. I don't see that affording any savings on heat, as the added R factor is minimal. If you have R 70 in the attic already, I don't expect any real heat loss.

I've installed recessed lighting in vaulted ceilings in the heat of August. R 19 kept the ceiling cool to the touch, but when I reached above the insulation, the temp difference was astounding. You have twice that much insulation, so I doubt that the foil saved heat.

If you made the claim that you are saving on your cooling, that would be something to consider. I'm well aware of how heating/cooling systems work.

Thus far, you made a bogus claim based on one month just after you completed the work. You haven't offered any data about YOUR usage for the same period last year.


I find it interesting that your savings disappeared throughout the winter....at least as far as the chart was concerned.

Interesting topic. Perhaps one day, you'll offer real data, and we can continue the discussion.
 
LED lighting is the way to go. Dropped my average monthly electric bill by 35%. It is a worthwhile investment.

I'll be doing that on my boat as well when I retire.
 
Althea said:
OK...you've basically proven nothing. The only way to show any actual savings, is to examine your energy usage from winter '12, and that of this season. I was curious about the bubble wrap. I don't see that affording any savings on heat, as the added R factor is minimal. If you have R 70 in the attic already, I don't expect any real heat loss.

I've installed recessed lighting in vaulted ceilings in the heat of August. R 19 kept the ceiling cool to the touch, but when I reached above the insulation, the temp difference was astounding. You have twice that much insulation, so I doubt that the foil saved heat.

If you made the claim that you are saving on your cooling, that would be something to consider. I'm well aware of how heating/cooling systems work.

Thus far, you made a bogus claim based on one month just after you completed the work. You haven't offered any data about YOUR usage for the same period last year.


I find it interesting that your savings disappeared throughout the winter....at least as far as the chart was concerned.

Interesting topic. Perhaps one day, you'll offer real data, and we can continue the discussion.
Click to expand...

Based on your analysis of the data, I honestly think that you have to be retarded to come up with these conclusions.

I was skeptical of the reflective shield myself, and you're right, it doesn't increase the R value. Of course that was never claimed. But then I realized that a similar material is used in spacecraft. I then noticed that architects in my area are specifying as a type of building wrap under siding, as well as in the configuration that I used it.

I suggest that you wait for at least ten year's worth of extremely precise data before making a decision to do this in your own home. You can never be too careful or analytical.
 
Truth Detector said:
LED lighting is the way to go. Dropped my average monthly electric bill by 35%. It is a worthwhile investment.

I'll be doing that on my boat as well when I retire.
Click to expand...
That was part of the package. Now that the cost is down to $5/ bulb they are going up all over my house. I pay $0.15 per kwh at my mountain cabin so I replaced all those with LEDs or CFLs. The only exceptions are the low voltage exterior lights (rarely use them), the range cover (can't find replacements) and the florescent tubes in the laundry room and garage.
 
Althea said:
You're doing this just to have a workshop? How much electricity can you possibly use?
Click to expand...

No a combination of storage and an area for a small workshop.
Many years ago I made my wife a seaman's chest, similar to this.
images

I used no nails or screws.
Everything was made using glue and biscuits.
I would like to make some more and maybe sell them.
 
Right said:
I need a microscope to see that but it looks to me like they have plywood plates at the connections. That's called a moment frame and if you can get a pre-engineered system then by all means go for it. But unless you can get a copy of the sealed drawing (with a stamp for your state) few building inspectors would accept it.

FYI most of these out buildings won't hold up to Code design loads. A municipal client purchase a "Leonard Building" to cover their fueling station and then the County Codes Enforcement Officer would not approve the installation without an engineer's seal. They are a light gauge steel bent tube moment frame with a corrugated steel roof. Leonard couldn't do it since they had no engineer on staff (even though they sell thousands of these things every year) so the Village asked me to do it. I can't just seal someone's drawing in NC; I have to have one of my staff re-draw it then I do the math on it and if it works seal my firm's drawing. Or write a report on "repairs" to an existing installation. So I did the math and the thing was basically a kite ready to launch. It required not just large footings with tie downs but stiffeners at the ties and all of the bends, plus braces between the frames. The Village manager thought I was FOS of course because 'everyone has these in the back yards and they've been making them for years'. Leonard stopped taking his phone calls.
Click to expand...

I don't need a permit for anything up to and including 120 sq ft.
On top of that, they don't figure in the walls, so it's just the inside measurements that will be 11' x 9'
 
DamnYankee said:
LMAO. Nice box.
Click to expand...

Why the LMAO?

The chest is about 34" wide x 22" deep x 22" high, with the top being another 6" in height.
The top consists of 10 pieces all angle cut to fit smoothly together.
The top took me as long to make, as the rest of the chest did.

I put a box shelf inside that has rope handles and when you set inside the chest, you can let go and watch it slowly go down as the air is pushed out along the edges of the box shelf.

I clear lacquered the entire thing and then added some brass corners, at the bottom edges, and made a name plate with her name on it and in the bottom corner is a "manufacturers" plate.

It's over 20 years old and is starting to show it's "age" and I may need to talk to a local blacksmith to see if he can make me some "binding straps" for it.
 
Right said:
That's great stuff. You could probably sell those for $400, $500?
Click to expand...

I've seen ones that were flat top chests, put together with nails/screws, going for that much and more in Scottsdale.
Hand made with no nails/screws, I'll bet I could get close to $1000 for them.
 
In the right venue yes. I've been to Scottsdale, an island of green in the desert, pricey real estate and designer women...
 
Right said:
In the right venue yes. I've been to Scottsdale, an island of green in the desert, pricey real estate and designer women...
Click to expand...

There are new areas, that actually seem to be populated with normal people; but for the most part, you've got it right.

A friend of mine has a small business in Scottsdale, that he's run for over 40 years.
He runs it out of the family home, that his dad built.

A few years ago, a company wanted to buy the property next to him and his and build some condo's.
He was going to sell his property and move about a mile from me.
The deal fell through when some woman, from another part of Scottsdale, showed up at the open meeting and presented signatures of people who disagreed with the sale of his neighbors' property.
The sad part was none of those who signed the petition, even lived within 10 miles of where this was going to happen.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top