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Old 12-17-14, 11:20 AM   #11
AC_Hacker
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Have you done a "blower door" test yet?

Air leaks are usually the biggest heat-leaker.

-AC

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Old 12-17-14, 12:59 PM   #12
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I haven't. I looked into renting a thermal imaging camera but didn't find anything. Found one company that will do thermal imaging report but it would be about $450 with mileage...
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Old 12-17-14, 05:53 PM   #13
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I haven't. I looked into renting a thermal imaging camera but didn't find anything. Found one company that will do thermal imaging report but it would be about $450 with mileage...
I don't know the particulars in your location, but I just googled "rent thermal imager", and I got THIS.

Give it a shot, there may be something like that in your area.

$450 with mileage is nuts.

-AC
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Old 12-17-14, 11:04 PM   #14
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I used mostly LEDs, I only used CFLs in places like closets where they get flicked on for a very short time
Logic is reversed, CFL's do best when left on for long periods of time.

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We keep the house at 20.5 - 22 deg C in the winter and 23 in the summer
There's the problem, I keep mine 15 - 17c in winter, 24c in summer.

You need more of a temperature spread.
A house should be cooler in winter, warmer in summer.

The closer the home's indoor temperature gets to the outdoors, the lower your energy bill.

In summer wear shorts and t-shirts in the house.
In winter, long sleeves, pants and sweater.

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Can't really do that as it gets down to -40c here
Especially with those temperatures, I would think you can tolerate cold.
But I understand now you can't turn the heat off because pipes would freeze.

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We do plan on installing a clothes line, in the meantime I built a filtered drier vent to vent the heat back to the basement during the winter
I use an indoor clothes dryer rack in winter.
Two, actually.
Granted it does take 2-3 days per load.
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Old 12-18-14, 01:57 AM   #15
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I like the recirculating pump on a switch.

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I haven't. I looked into renting a thermal imaging camera but didn't find anything. Found one company that will do thermal imaging report but it would be about $450 with mileage...
You could buy a Fluke or FLIR off ebay, use it for a few months then resell it and be out shipping plus $20 to $50.
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Old 12-18-14, 04:39 AM   #16
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The Seek thermal camera for android is shipping:

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/tools/...id-phones.html

The Flir One for Iphone is only 50 dollars more.

Both of these little gadgets are super cheap for the potential energy and money you could save yourself. The cool thing is that instead of paying the same price for an auditor to come out for a few hours, you can just keep the device and use it over and over at your leisure. After a couple of minutes of use, these devices become easy (and fun) to use.
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Old 12-18-14, 05:48 AM   #17
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I think Randens thoughts are going in the right direction. We don't know the HP size so this is just a guess but there seems to be enough pipe in the ground for a 2 ton unit (give or take) in your area.

I'm not sure from your screen shot of the HP but it looks like it is in 2nd stage all the time which I don't think it should be. It isn't usually an issue for it to have long run times as that is the nature of HPs. Some I know run almost constantly in the colder times.

Can you disable the second stage for a while and see if the unit keeps up?
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Old 12-18-14, 07:00 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by 8307c4 View Post
Logic is reversed, CFL's do best when left on for long periods of time.

There's the problem, I keep mine 15 - 17c in winter, 24c in summer.
I can definetly tolerate more, wife and baby wouldn't have it I don't think though.

I just thought an expensive LED would never pay for itself when it doesn't get used, the bulb expense was getting up there with the amount we have, can always change them out eventually I guess...
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Old 12-18-14, 07:01 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by jeff5may View Post
The Seek thermal camera for android is shipping:

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/tools/...id-phones.html

The Flir One for Iphone is only 50 dollars more.

Both of these little gadgets are super cheap for the potential energy and money you could save yourself. The cool thing is that instead of paying the same price for an auditor to come out for a few hours, you can just keep the device and use it over and over at your leisure. After a couple of minutes of use, these devices become easy (and fun) to use.
This sounds like a decent option, would be handy for work too!
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Old 12-18-14, 07:05 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by Mikesolar View Post
I think Randens thoughts are going in the right direction. We don't know the HP size so this is just a guess but there seems to be enough pipe in the ground for a 2 ton unit (give or take) in your area.

I'm not sure from your screen shot of the HP but it looks like it is in 2nd stage all the time which I don't think it should be. It isn't usually an issue for it to have long run times as that is the nature of HPs. Some I know run almost constantly in the colder times.

Can you disable the second stage for a while and see if the unit keeps up?
Here is the tag, I think it was a 6 ton? The second unit in the garage is a 2 ton

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