New Guy from Northern Canada

pseudoreality · 02-12-13, 01:10 PM

Hello, just found this site today. I live in Yellowknife, NT Canada. I have an 1960's bungalow that I have been slowly renovating over the last number of years. The house was traditionally heater with fuel oil (diesel), but I have since installed a wood pellet stove which does about 50% of the heating. Electricity is hydro, but expensive (~$0.27/kWh).

Right now the basement has been gutted and I'm replacing this mis-matched insulation with 1"1/2 XPS and 3.5" fibreglass plus spray foam in the header space. Also, I'm sealing up the ducting while it's accessible. In the summer I plan on strapping the exterior of house with 4" expanded foam board (energy wall system) and adding a solar water heater.

I'm big into gardening, greenhouses, and aquaponics. I also like to fish, hunt, and enjoy the outdoors. Hopefully I can learn lots here.

Thanks, Justin

Daox · 02-13-13, 11:52 AM

Welcome to the site Justin. It sounds like you've found the right forum for you.

Do you have any pictures or info about your basement project? Sounds interesting, and we'd love to see what you're doing.

Mikesolar · 02-15-13, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

Hello, just found this site today. I live in Yellowknife, NT Canada. I have an 1960's bungalow that I have been slowly renovating over the last number of years. The house was traditionally heater with fuel oil (diesel), but I have since installed a wood pellet stove which does about 50% of the heating. Electricity is hydro, but expensive (~$0.27/kWh).

Right now the basement has been gutted and I'm replacing this mis-matched insulation with 1"1/2 XPS and 3.5" fibreglass plus spray foam in the header space. Also, I'm sealing up the ducting while it's accessible. In the summer I plan on strapping the exterior of house with 4" expanded foam board (energy wall system) and adding a solar water heater.

I'm big into gardening, greenhouses, and aquaponics. I also like to fish, hunt, and enjoy the outdoors. Hopefully I can learn lots here.

Thanks, Justin

Welcome, Justin. Can you get natural gas there and if so, at what cost? Still, if the electricity is not fossil generated, it is the greenest type, barring solar.

pseudoreality · 02-15-13, 11:43 AM

Daox - Thanks for the welcome. I will create and thread with photos soon.

Mikesolar - Unfortunately there is no natural gas available to me. Some people use propane, but it can gel in the winter and I don't want to go there. Electricity is mostly hydro, but there is back-up and supplementary diesel generators that occasionally run. Our power costs are high because we subsidize the small diesel communities in the Territory. I understand the cost of living is high for them, but I'd rather just see a straight grant or something like that. Subsidizing fossil fuels is bad policy in my opinion.

Daox · 02-15-13, 12:15 PM

At that high of energy costs have you looked into generating your own electricity with solar panels or wind turbine(s)?

pseudoreality · 02-15-13, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daox

At that high of energy costs have you looked into generating your own electricity with solar panels or wind turbine(s)?

I have and I've gotten quotes for large roof top solar systems. Unfortunately, it looks like the payback would be more than 15 years. However, solar system costs are going down and electricity prices are going up. So the economics may be there in the not too distant future.

I've never seriously looked at wind. In general my location is not good for wind and just have a small downtown lot.

The best I can do, and will be doing, is solar hot water. Right now I have an electric solar hot water heater that costs me an arm and a leg. I'm looking to put it a DIY solar hot water system similar to the ones posted on builditsolar.com. I estimate a payback of that system to be less than 4 years!

Oh, the other thing I'm doing is putting in a drain heat recovery system. I just (like an hour ago) order a 60" power pipe system with a 53.7% rated efficiency. This should also have a pretty quick payback.

ELGo · 04-22-13, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseudoreality

The best I can do, and will be doing, is solar hot water. Right now I have an electric solar hot water heater that costs me an arm and a leg. I'm looking to put it a DIY solar hot water system similar to the ones posted on builditsolar.com. I estimate a payback of that system to be less than 4 years!

Oh, the other thing I'm doing is putting in a drain heat recovery system. I just (like an hour ago) order a 60" power pipe system with a 53.7% rated efficiency. This should also have a pretty quick payback.

Smart moves. Have you seen the larger build-out of solar thermal from the fellow in Montana who also warms up his house with this system ? So cool. Another choice you might consider is installing more window. It is a great $/green investment if you can install them yourself.

My only other simple advice if you have not already is to install low(er) flow shower heads. My wife gives our new ones two thumbs up, which is actually quite a compliment. She usually tolerates my mods, but does not exactly think they are more pleasant than what she had before.

Mikesolar · 04-22-13, 02:58 PM

Hmmm, somewhere I have seen a house built by a guy in Alaska which is the tightest ever recorded. He is heating it with a wood stove and ductless heat pump. It looks quite nice and I think it is on Green Building Advisor.

It is interesting that in many countries 15 years is a no brainer for a system unless you know that the cost of materials is going to come down substantially in the short term. Unfortunately, PV panels are as cheap as they are mostly because of dumping and a world wide glut. I wouldn't wait too long.

02-12-13, 01:10 PM	#1
pseudoreality Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Yellowknife, NT, Canada Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	New Guy from Northern Canada Hello, just found this site today. I live in Yellowknife, NT Canada. I have an 1960's bungalow that I have been slowly renovating over the last number of years. The house was traditionally heater with fuel oil (diesel), but I have since installed a wood pellet stove which does about 50% of the heating. Electricity is hydro, but expensive (~$0.27/kWh). Right now the basement has been gutted and I'm replacing this mis-matched insulation with 1"1/2 XPS and 3.5" fibreglass plus spray foam in the header space. Also, I'm sealing up the ducting while it's accessible. In the summer I plan on strapping the exterior of house with 4" expanded foam board (energy wall system) and adding a solar water heater. I'm big into gardening, greenhouses, and aquaponics. I also like to fish, hunt, and enjoy the outdoors. Hopefully I can learn lots here. Thanks, Justin

02-13-13, 11:52 AM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Welcome to the site Justin. It sounds like you've found the right forum for you. Do you have any pictures or info about your basement project? Sounds interesting, and we'd love to see what you're doing. __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-15-13, 12:15 PM	#5
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	At that high of energy costs have you looked into generating your own electricity with solar panels or wind turbine(s)? __________________ Current project - To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. & To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

02-15-13, 11:43 AM	#4
pseudoreality Lurking Renovator Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Yellowknife, NT, Canada Posts: 11 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Daox - Thanks for the welcome. I will create and thread with photos soon. Mikesolar - Unfortunately there is no natural gas available to me. Some people use propane, but it can gel in the winter and I don't want to go there. Electricity is mostly hydro, but there is back-up and supplementary diesel generators that occasionally run. Our power costs are high because we subsidize the small diesel communities in the Territory. I understand the cost of living is high for them, but I'd rather just see a straight grant or something like that. Subsidizing fossil fuels is bad policy in my opinion.

04-22-13, 02:58 PM	#8
Mikesolar Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 958 Thanks: 40 Thanked 158 Times in 150 Posts	Hmmm, somewhere I have seen a house built by a guy in Alaska which is the tightest ever recorded. He is heating it with a wood stove and ductless heat pump. It looks quite nice and I think it is on Green Building Advisor. It is interesting that in many countries 15 years is a no brainer for a system unless you know that the cost of materials is going to come down substantially in the short term. Unfortunately, PV panels are as cheap as they are mostly because of dumping and a world wide glut. I wouldn't wait too long.