On Thu, 27 Feb 2014 08:00:06 -0500, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:

"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
On Wed, 26 Feb 2014 11:38:45 -0500, "Jim Wilkins"
wrote:


Winter is the easiest time for me, no bugs, few outdoor chores,
cooking and boiling-hot water are free and raw vegetables keep in
the
garage. Laundry dries on the line nearly as quickly as in summer
because the humidity is low, 44% right now. My house will remain at
least 30F warmer than outdoors without a fire during a sunny day.

So at zero, you're at a toasty 30F? Wunnerful!

We drop to 0 at night but haven't had a day that stayed that cold. If
the house was at 60F in the morning and the day never rose above 15F
the house might lose 2-3 degrees during the day without a fire. It's
hard to measure accurately because I raise the thermometer about 1 to
1.5 degree from normal activity, making breakfast and running the
computer, and the basement holds and slowly releases a lot of wood
stove heat. My preliminary test runs revealed a few things to change
before making better measurements.

That's good!


I do know that a single 700W baseboard heater will hold the house well
above freezing without costing a lot. That was the important question.
The insurance company wanted to be sure I had automatic backup heat,
not just the stove.

I ripped out the 240v baseboard heaters and plopped down $6k for a
Carrier Infinity (96% efficient) heater and A/C unit shortly after I
moved into this 1966 era home. The single-glazed aluminum-framed
windows went and Low-E dual-paned vinyl windows really quieted things
down and warmed things up for me.


This is a standard housing-development electrically heated home from
1970 and about all I've done is reduce heat loss through the doors and
windows and add more attic insulation.

You're better insulated than I am. The last time the power was off in
Winter, I think I lost 1.5F per hour.

One of these days, I'll pull the top clapboards off, drill holes, and
pump the walls full of glass. I put R-38 under the house a few years
ago when I had it Visqueened and borated. And there's a meager 6" of
fluff in the attic. That will have to come up, too. I finally got up
there last week and got myself very sore, climbing around installing
12v wiring through the ceiling for the emergency solar lighting.

Tomorrow, I mean to go up and hook in the last line, from the
controller. My roof is 4:12, so there is only 4ish feet of headroom at
best. I don't know how many more attic trips the old bod is capable
of in the future, but it ain't many, I tell ya. sigh

--
Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before
which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air.
-- John Quincy Adams