[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

other ideas pending cost and payback:
solar water heater?
Solar heat?

In my opinion you should begin with the thought in mind that you want to do everything possible to prevent the heat you have from escaping. This begins with preventing infiltration. This should be a major effort to find every crack and leak... and to keep tracking and sealing and filling. Next comes finding and installing the very best insulation you can muster, and as much of it as you can possibly fit in.

This will also include improving windows, and you probably live in an area where triple glass windows will have a big pay-off. There have been some really good discussions on EcoRenovator regarding factory-made high performance windows, and home-made performance improvements to existing windows. I'm sure that if you read through these discussions, you'll find the option that best fits your needs.

Remember, insulation keeps working, day and night, summer and winter, 24 hours a day, and it never needs a service call.

If you look at insulation as a financial investment, it is ultra low risk, it definitely has a positive return (in terms of reduced expenses) which is more than you can say for the finance industry's offerings, and you can count on the fact that your returns will continue to improve in the future.

Only after you have tackled the heat-retention phase should you consider solar, or other energy efficient heating options. A big reason for this is that once you reduce your heat loss, your heating needs become far less... and the low heat-density (also cheaper) heating options become a possibility.

As you consider solar, bear in mind that large tree(s) planted on the sunny side of your house can save you $$$ in air conditioning costs.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

...
A. 7 of 11 windows are original signal pane. the other 4 are 5-15 yr old vinyl
B. ceiling only has R19 fiberglass batts
C. two year old 80% NG Forced air furnace.
D. Need to get a new washer/ dryer.- should I go gas or electric?
E. Craw space with marginal room to get into.
F. Leaky roof around non flashed chimney (high on the fix it list)
G. old electrical wires but new outlets (non grounded) and new service.
H. Lack of lighting in home- I was thinking of using the attic space to put in Can lights (short ceilings), I was thinking about going with LED's. Any ideas on good ones?
I. Block walls with limited insulation on the outside under aluminum siding.
J. Lack of roof venting

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

H. Lack of lighting in home- I was thinking of using the attic space to put in Can lights (short ceilings), I was thinking about going with LED's. Any ideas on good ones?

I would advise against using can lights, because unless you get air-tight cans (at extra cost) each one is a route for air and heat to leak out. Putting in can lights limits your flexibility as to how you want to live in your house and where the proper lighting should be. Recessed lighting was developed in the 30's, when it was cutting edge, but the can light look is getting 'dated' and in my opinion, it never really looked all that great, anyway. I have a buddy that is putting in scores of those things in his house, but this is the third wave of his never ending remodel. 'Never ending', because none of the remods have been well thought out.

I like the idea of a wall light near a room entry switch, but I think that room lighting should come from wall lamps or table lamps or an occasional hanging lamp. This gives you maximum flexibility at minimum cost, and easily allows for technical advancements in lighting... after all, LED ighting may not be the last chapter in lighting efficiency.

Plan for two kinds of lighting, fill lighting and task lighting. fill lighting could be a table or wall lamp that gives off diffused light to illuminate the extent of the room, it doesn't need to be so bright. This can be done with light bounced off the ceiling, or with wall lamps or hanging lamps, or table lamps all of which would have translucent shades. Right now, CFLs are the best for this. They are cheap, they come in a large variety of shapes and brightness, and they are, lumen for lumen, more energy efficient than LEDs. Then there are task lights, where you need to see what you are doing... they should be direct light, with high contrast and as bright as your eyes need them to be. So here, LEDs are good performers and also halogen lights, which have better color rendition, but are not good energy performers.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

I. Block walls with limited insulation on the outside under aluminum siding.

Block wall, huh? This is probably a real thermal leaker right now. I think that the previous post that suggested a rigid foam exterior house wrap is a very good idea. You'd want to use XPS because it is non-hydroscopic (doesn't absorb moisture).You have sufficient overhang to make it work.

If you did wrap and seal the house in foam, you'll certainly want to insulate the inside with densely packed cellulose, as a humidity moderating measure. Fiberglass doesn't have the same ability to moderate humidity.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

D. Need to get a new washer/ dryer.- should I go gas or electric?

I use a smallish Euro-sized front-loading washing machine. It is amazing how much clothing you can pack into something that small. The tumbling action doesn't beat up clothes as badly as an agitator type, and it uses much less water. A modest additional benefit is that much less washing products are required... mine uses uses about 1/4 what a top loader would use, and washes the same amount of clothes. Get one that has a really aggressive spin cycle, as has been mentioned before, the less wet your clothes, the less drying required.

I have used a gas dryer for a very long time, and it has been a consistently reliable and thrifty performer. However, my recent work with a CO2 sensor has taught me that you need to be very careful that your venting is excellent. I would suggest that if you go with gas (this includes your furnace), you make sure that the appliances have sufficient outside air feeding their combustion, and that preferably, the envelope that they are operating in is separate (sealed) from your living space. This has all been a big eye opener for me, because of my CO2 sensor work.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

J. Lack of roof venting

I'm going to disagree here with some previous advice... A proper venting arrangement from eve-to-ridge, will really help to dump heat in the summer time, and reduce your need for air conditioning, considerably.

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

G. old electrical wires but new outlets (non grounded) and new service.

Don't know if you have electrical skills, but you should have grounded outlets, for your safety.

So now you're talking about ripping off all the sheet rock, and rewiring. I think that more outlets are better than fewer, I go with one duplex every 4 feet. I have also discovered how useful it is to split the duplex plugs, so that one is controllable from a wall switch, and the other is always on. You don't need this on all duplexes, but a few are a real blessing.

Best,

-AC