Where is that Global Warming Al Gore? (Need help on house.)

It certainly stops at my house as I'm freezing my ass off for weeks now.
Whenever I turn the thermostat up a notch I know it'll cost me later by
digging deeper into my wallet.

I need some help as my house is so energy inefficient. The house is late
1970s and is located in the Bay Area. Except for the HW heater it has not
been updated, energy wise. It has concrete tile roof without plywood or OSB
sheeting under it (so attic fan is useless) such that it absorbs heat in the
Summer days and release it back into the house during nights - very hot
regarding the second floor bedrooms. Its a two story house with a split
HVAC, about 4" blown in insulation in the attic and single pane windows and
sliding patio doors. I don't have the cash reserve to do everything at once
so where should I start first to get the most efficient use of my money? I'm
looking at long term so I want to do it right. Do I start with replacing the
windows first, than insulation and lastly the HVAC and the front entry
double doors, or is it in a difference sequence? Maybe perhaps a new roof
too? I would like to incorporate some solar energy and/or some kind of heat
recovery system sometime in the future after the basic energy upgrades are
finished. I like to go for it if I could visualize payback within 20 years.

Posted by Malcolm Hoar on January 23, 2007, 1:24 pm

>It certainly stops at my house as I'm freezing my ass off for weeks now.

>Whenever I turn the thermostat up a notch I know it'll cost me later by

>digging deeper into my wallet.

>I need some help as my house is so energy inefficient. The house is late

>1970s and is located in the Bay Area. Except for the HW heater it has not

>been updated, energy wise. It has concrete tile roof without plywood or OSB

>sheeting under it (so attic fan is useless) such that it absorbs heat in the

>Summer days and release it back into the house during nights - very hot

>regarding the second floor bedrooms. Its a two story house with a split

>HVAC, about 4" blown in insulation in the attic and single pane windows and

>sliding patio doors. I don't have the cash reserve to do everything at once

>so where should I start first to get the most efficient use of my money? I'm

>looking at long term so I want to do it right. Do I start with replacing the

>windows first, than insulation and lastly the HVAC and the front entry

>double doors, or is it in a difference sequence? Maybe perhaps a new roof

>too? I would like to incorporate some solar energy and/or some kind of heat

>recovery system sometime in the future after the basic energy upgrades are

>finished. I like to go for it if I could visualize payback within 20 years.

In general:

1. Fix any simple/obvious problems first such as huge gaps
under/around doors and windows, HVAC issues like clogged
filters, duct work that has come apart etc. etc.

2. Next, insulation is likely to produce the best bang for
the buck, by a significant margin.

3. Energy efficient windows can help a lot but they're
also costly compared to items 1 and 2.

In other words, I'd do basic maintenance and insulation
before replacing the windows (unless they're in really
bad shape and need immediate attention).

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| malch@malch.com Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Posted by Todd H. on January 23, 2007, 1:49 pm

> It certainly stops at my house as I'm freezing my ass off for weeks now.

> Whenever I turn the thermostat up a notch I know it'll cost me later by

> digging deeper into my wallet.

> I need some help as my house is so energy inefficient. The house is late

> 1970s and is located in the Bay Area. Except for the HW heater it has not

> been updated, energy wise. It has concrete tile roof without plywood or OSB

> sheeting under it (so attic fan is useless) such that it absorbs heat in the

> Summer days and release it back into the house during nights - very hot

> regarding the second floor bedrooms. Its a two story house with a split

> HVAC, about 4" blown in insulation in the attic and single pane windows and

> sliding patio doors. I don't have the cash reserve to do everything at once

> so where should I start first to get the most efficient use of my money? I'm

> looking at long term so I want to do it right. Do I start with replacing the

> windows first, than insulation and lastly the HVAC and the front entry

> double doors, or is it in a difference sequence? Maybe perhaps a new roof

> too? I would like to incorporate some solar energy and/or some kind of heat

> recovery system sometime in the future after the basic energy upgrades are

> finished. I like to go for it if I could visualize payback within

> 20 years.

Windows are generally regarded to have among the longest payback
times, so they may not be the place to start.

More attic insulation is a huge bang for the buck though. I'd start
there.

Windows, however do provide a great deal of comfort in stopping drafts
and making things feel a lot better. If you don't have the reserve
now, consider plastic window film. The 3m window kits are actually
wonderful, and once treated with the blow dryer, they almost
disappear. For windows that spend most of the winter behind curtains
anyway, all the better. The 3m tape is where it's at--if you buy
bargain windows kits, you may regret it.

But if you can afford to do windows, do. They should payback in 20
years unless you go nuts with the top of the line windows.

Heating ... what do you have now?

--
Todd H.
http://toddh.net/

Posted by # Fred # on January 23, 2007, 2:21 pm

> Windows are generally regarded to have among the longest payback

> times, so they may not be the place to start.

> More attic insulation is a huge bang for the buck though. I'd start

> there.

> Windows, however do provide a great deal of comfort in stopping drafts

> and making things feel a lot better. If you don't have the reserve

> now, consider plastic window film. The 3m window kits are actually

> wonderful, and once treated with the blow dryer, they almost

> disappear. For windows that spend most of the winter behind curtains

> anyway, all the better. The 3m tape is where it's at--if you buy

> bargain windows kits, you may regret it.

> But if you can afford to do windows, do. They should payback in 20

> years unless you go nuts with the top of the line windows.

> Heating ... what do you have now?

HVAC is original late 1970 vintage, amazingly both air and heat still works
though not very efficiently. Heating is central natural gas fired units, one
for downstairs and one for upstairs. House about 3,000sf and I'm the only
one in it most of the time while wife out shopping so no need to fired up
the unit(s) just for one person.

> --

> Todd H.

> http://toddh.net/

Posted by Frank on January 23, 2007, 2:23 pm

Al's at a global warming conference in Denver ;)
Frank

Page 1 of 10 1 2 3 > last >>

Similar Threads	Posted
OT: Another viewpoint on global warming	May 14, 2008, 10:57 pm
Home Depot , Fox TV, and Global Warming	August 20, 2007, 12:33 pm
freezer cold, fridge warming up	July 16, 2006, 12:24 pm
Ceramica Global - International portal of the ceramic sector	November 29, 2006, 7:29 am
plaster wall problem- house 50 year old house- help- peeling paint-advice	November 25, 2007, 12:29 pm
connecting ceiling fan to older house- 70 year old house. need help with wiring colors	July 17, 2005, 9:17 am
? Whole-House fans for flat roof house?	October 6, 2007, 4:15 pm
house signs, house signs, house signs - by timpson.co.uk	August 26, 2006, 5:32 pm
Would You Buy This House?	March 16, 2006, 7:49 am
Whole House fan	June 20, 2006, 7:35 pm

XML Sitemap