just like EM

Weather Spotter · 10-27-12, 02:11 PM

It seems we have a hang out for house modding as well....

whats the equivalent of my car mods here?

Daox · 10-27-12, 02:29 PM

Welcome to ER Weather Spotter. Good to have you here.

The ultimate goal IMO is a passive house. This is basically a house that needs pretty much no heating or cooling systems. Heating and cooling are by and far the largest users of energy in a household. After you get rid of them, your energy use is pretty minimal and a little conservation bring that down to practically nothing.

There are also zero energy homes that are just that, they produce as much energy (or more) than they use. They traditionally aren't quite as efficient as a passive house. They use solar PV panels and/or wind turbines to make up for their increased energy use. They're still quite a bit more efficient than a normal home.

Weather Spotter · 10-27-12, 02:34 PM

I thought that might be what the goal was. I have a degree in facilities management . thats what's a large chunk of that is, reducing costs of commercial buildings. Homes are not much different.

I still live at home, but I plan at some point to buy my own house so I guess now is the time to start thinking about what type I want to get. How does free renewable wood heat stack up in your guys mind?

Weather Spotter · 10-27-12, 02:34 PM

Do you guys have a wiki section yet?

Piwoslaw · 10-27-12, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Weather Spotter

whats the equivalent of my car mods here?

It would be a superinsulated house.

Aeromods are the equivalent of insulation - it reduces heat loss (drag) and allows you to "coast" longer.
Increasing the drivetrain's efficiency is like improving your boiler/furnace.
Hypermiling/adjusting the nut behind the wheel translates into getting anal with your thermostat.
Leaving your car at home and walking/riding your bike is like putting on a sweater instead of turning the temperature up.
Putting a sail on you roof is like solar assist

Welcome to ER, Weather

Weather Spotter · 10-27-12, 02:50 PM

I am surprised I never found this place before . Our house has 6" of cellulose insulation in the walls. All exterior switch and outlet boxes are boxed out to keep insulation. Ceiling has 18" of cellulose as well as 1" Styrofoam. We heat with trees from our own woods . Or from neighbors dead trees that they do not want. Free wood and it heats us twice. Once when cutting/splitting/ hauling and again when we burn it.

We have a propane furnace but its never used. Lots of south facing windows for free light and heat.

ecomodded · 10-27-12, 05:00 PM

Wood heat doesn't have to be low tech or wasteful.
I know someone who installed a special wood furnace central in his Straw-bale house. It is stone and steel about 5 ft high 4 ft around , you light a semi large fire in its main chamber, that fire ,smoke and heat flows in to a upper chamber where it starts heating the fireplaces mass. One morning fire throws heat all day, very efficient

10-27-12, 02:11 PM	#1
Weather Spotter I mod my world Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MI Posts: 32 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	just like EM It seems we have a hang out for house modding as well.... whats the equivalent of my car mods here? Last edited by Piwoslaw; 10-27-12 at 02:28 PM.. Reason: Added picture

10-27-12, 02:29 PM	#2
Daox Administrator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 5,525 Thanks: 1,162 Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts	Welcome to ER Weather Spotter. Good to have you here. The ultimate goal IMO is a passive house. This is basically a house that needs pretty much no heating or cooling systems. Heating and cooling are by and far the largest users of energy in a household. After you get rid of them, your energy use is pretty minimal and a little conservation bring that down to practically nothing. There are also zero energy homes that are just that, they produce as much energy (or more) than they use. They traditionally aren't quite as efficient as a passive house. They use solar PV panels and/or wind turbines to make up for their increased energy use. They're still quite a bit more efficient than a normal home. __________________ 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.

10-27-12, 02:34 PM	#3
Weather Spotter I mod my world Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MI Posts: 32 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I thought that might be what the goal was. I have a degree in facilities management . thats what's a large chunk of that is, reducing costs of commercial buildings. Homes are not much different. I still live at home, but I plan at some point to buy my own house so I guess now is the time to start thinking about what type I want to get. How does free renewable wood heat stack up in your guys mind?

10-27-12, 02:50 PM	#6
Weather Spotter I mod my world Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MI Posts: 32 Thanks: 5 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I am surprised I never found this place before . Our house has 6" of cellulose insulation in the walls. All exterior switch and outlet boxes are boxed out to keep insulation. Ceiling has 18" of cellulose as well as 1" Styrofoam. We heat with trees from our own woods . Or from neighbors dead trees that they do not want. Free wood and it heats us twice. Once when cutting/splitting/ hauling and again when we burn it. We have a propane furnace but its never used. Lots of south facing windows for free light and heat.

10-27-12, 05:00 PM	#7
ecomodded Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Vancouver Island,Canada. Posts: 1,037 Thanks: 116 Thanked 100 Times in 87 Posts	Wood heat doesn't have to be low tech or wasteful. I know someone who installed a special wood furnace central in his Straw-bale house. It is stone and steel about 5 ft high 4 ft around , you light a semi large fire in its main chamber, that fire ,smoke and heat flows in to a upper chamber where it starts heating the fireplaces mass. One morning fire throws heat all day, very efficient