Just showed up.

Ryland · 03-11-09, 12:25 AM

So I'm new at this exact spot, came over from ecomoder to check it out what you have going on.
my family lived off grid from 1981 to 1989 when we moved and it took a few years to get everything set up again but it is and it's in fine working order at my parents house where I lived until late in 2008 when I bought my very own house.
I spent 4 years building straw bale houses, I've installed solar hot water heat, along with the solar and wind systems at my parents house, I've taken solar and wind site assessment classes but have not yet completed the testing proses.
My current house is a 1920's 2300 sq foot wood frame square two story house that is currently set up as a duplex, I live in the upper half my co-home-owner gets the lower half although with the work that is being done we are living only in the upper along with a part time room mate there is an electric meter for each half, our total bill for Wisconsin winter topped out at $305 for heat and both electric meters (1/3 the average for a house this size according to our electric company) our electric bill for the living space averages $20 per month for 3 of us plus the other electric meter that has the furnace and hot water heater adds $35 per month for hot water and fan motors on the furnace.
plans include solar hot water with some of the extra heat going to space heat, maybe solar electric if we have room on the roof, new windows and better insulation in the attic, a small garden one or two fruit trees, an outside plug for the electric cars (I own two of them), already have the water heater on a timer and wrapped in a fiberglass blanket, furnace and ducts were cleaned about a month ago and that seemed to be worth while.
That is all that comes to mind right now.

Daox · 03-11-09, 07:18 AM

Welcome to ER Ryland, glad to see you come over.

Higgy · 03-11-09, 09:49 AM

Wow you have a lot of experience. We'll be picking your brain for sure. Welcome!

03-11-09, 12:25 AM	#1
Ryland Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Western Wisconsin. Posts: 913 Thanks: 127 Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts	Just showed up. So I'm new at this exact spot, came over from ecomoder to check it out what you have going on. my family lived off grid from 1981 to 1989 when we moved and it took a few years to get everything set up again but it is and it's in fine working order at my parents house where I lived until late in 2008 when I bought my very own house. I spent 4 years building straw bale houses, I've installed solar hot water heat, along with the solar and wind systems at my parents house, I've taken solar and wind site assessment classes but have not yet completed the testing proses. My current house is a 1920's 2300 sq foot wood frame square two story house that is currently set up as a duplex, I live in the upper half my co-home-owner gets the lower half although with the work that is being done we are living only in the upper along with a part time room mate there is an electric meter for each half, our total bill for Wisconsin winter topped out at $305 for heat and both electric meters (1/3 the average for a house this size according to our electric company) our electric bill for the living space averages $20 per month for 3 of us plus the other electric meter that has the furnace and hot water heater adds $35 per month for hot water and fan motors on the furnace. plans include solar hot water with some of the extra heat going to space heat, maybe solar electric if we have room on the roof, new windows and better insulation in the attic, a small garden one or two fruit trees, an outside plug for the electric cars (I own two of them), already have the water heater on a timer and wrapped in a fiberglass blanket, furnace and ducts were cleaned about a month ago and that seemed to be worth while. That is all that comes to mind right now. Last edited by Ryland; 03-11-09 at 05:59 PM..

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

03-11-09, 07:18 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 ER Ryland, glad to see you come over.

03-11-09, 09:49 AM	#3
Higgy The Gardener Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Manitoba - Canada Posts: 492 Thanks: 17 Thanked 8 Times in 7 Posts	Wow you have a lot of experience. We'll be picking your brain for sure. Welcome!