Friday, December 19, 2008

New Book

The Green Book: the everyday guide to saving the planet one simple step at a time: is a great little reference guide that provides green information and consumer tips in your workplace and home and suggestions for green shopping alternatives. 333.72 R63--check it out!!

Friday, December 5, 2008

3rd Installment of the Home Energy Savings Program

These notes are courtesy of Mary Beth Thakar. We hope to have a future program on the federal programs available for energy savings upgrades to make our homes more energy efficient. Watch this space for more details.

Michael Merck’s presentation on Nov. 15th :

Windows: The best are wood or vinyl windows insulated with fiberglass. Look for U-value of .35 and check solar heat value. Make sure your contractor seals the windows properly.

Most of the time, replacing windows is not cost-effective. But if your old ones are steel-framed and single pane, it would be cost-effective to replace them.

Cost considerations: Try to go for modifications that will pay back in 10 years or less. Compare the difference between investing your money in a money market – to investing in your house: the savings and investment ratio. If the ratio is 1, then the two investments are equivalent. If more, then the modification is worth considering.

Replacing your incandescents with CFL’s generally pays back in one year.

Solar: Financially, it is a good time to think of solar. The federal incentives by January, 2009 will allow for a tax credit of 30 percent of your costs. (Photovoltaic and solar hot water installations are about $10 per satt). The state is supposed to match the federal incentives – but how you’d be paid back is uncertain: we’ll know by Jan. 2009. Solar is worth considering in Pittsburgh because we do get about four hours of “peak sun.” Solar hot water is not cost-effective, but worth considering because of the federal and state incentives. Furthermore, as energy costs go up, the payback for solar will be quicker.

Solar installations have to be tilted at 30 to 40 degrees in our region and face south. Michael uses a Solar Pathfinder to determine whether your site would be adequate for a solar installation. He says if you have any shade on the south-facing roof, it is unlikely that solar would work for you.

Roofing considerations: Consider if the roof is in good condition. If it will need to be replaced in 10 years or less, replace before adding solar. If you have a slate roof, you will need to replace the solar part of the roof with asphalt prior to applying solar panels. On flat roofs, panels will be angled at 30 to 40 degrees by raising them on angled supports. Solar installations can also be placed on the ground: these cost more money, but they can be moved and oriented to the sun.

Passive Solar: This entails using the sun without any mechanical means – such as adding windows on the south side of your house – or adding thermal mass to soak up heat – or opening blinds in order to get sun. (Tip: don’t put thermostat in sun warmed room or you will get false readings concerning the remainder of the house.)

Thermal (Hot Water) Solar: A solar hot water system will cost about $8000, including an additional hot water heater to kill “bugs”. (The stagnant water may get germs that are killed in the first hot water tank.)

Photovoltaic Solar: Ideally the homeowner should aim to get his electrical use down to 3000 kw annually before considering photovoltaic. The electricity from solar panels comes out in direct current, and must be converted by an inverter box to AC. Michael suggests buying a larger inverter box – in case you expand your photovoltaic system.

The photovoltaic system can be hooked up to the grid. This arrangements will cost about $10 per watt. The law says that the company must buy back any extra electricity that you make, at the same rate that you are charged by the electric company: this is known as net metering. By January, 2009, interconnection agreements may cost $500 to file: now they are free.

If your photovoltaic system is not hooked up to the grid, you will need to have a “battery room” in which to store your excess electricity. This arrangement will cost you about $40 per watt to install. Batteries are inefficient and require lots of maintenance and lots of money. The battery room must be kept at a controlled temperature.

Instantaneous and tankless Hot water systems: The payback for these systems is 8 to 9 years. It will accommodate both washing and showers at the same time. However, there is a 40 to 60 second delay before the water is heated up. Michael feels that gas tankless is more efficient than electric tankless. (He cited the fact that gas has little transportation losses, while electricity loses 30 % of its energy in transmission. However, electricity, once at your house is 70 % efficient, while gas is 70 percent efficient.)

He also mentioned that hot water heaters will finally get energy star labels – not just energy guide labels.

Geothermal: These can be installed vertically or horizontally in the ground – or can be placed in water (pond, for example). Horizontally, a ditch must be dug below the frostline – and a spiralling “Slinky”-like pipe is buried. For each 12,000 BTUs, you’ll need 100 feet of pipe. It’ll cost you $3000 to $5000 for 100 feet.

Wind Turbines: The tower for these has to be 30 feet high – and you can’t have this tower if your neighbors are within 20 to 30 feet. There are horizontal helix fans that won’t shake: they’re quieter and stable. (Michael thought that Soda Construction might install these fans.)

Radon: We have high radon in this mining area. Michael suggests you get a radon test kit – four sampling bottles altogether – and test your house with three of them, leaving the last one to test the lab. (If results come back for all four, then the tests are questionable, in other words.) If the basement has negative pressure, then it is doubtless pulling in radon: the solution it to airseal the basement.

Michael also suggested that borax be mixed with the cellulose to prevent termites.