It's been quite some time since I last wrote... my apologies! It's amazing how quickly the summer can come and go. Here we are - already on the cusp of fall!
With the onslaught of cooler weather, I've learned a couple of things about my new HVAC equipment.
The first... our new high-efficiency propane furnace is sooooo quiet! I remember having guests over during the holidays last winter and their look of alarm when the old furnace would fire up. It would rattle and shake the floors - it sounded like the house was trying to take flight! We decided to give the furnace a try on one of the chilly nights this week (I know... in August!!) - and loved it. I didn't have to turn the TV up - didn't have pictures rattling on the walls - what a treat!
The second... an instantaneous tankless hot water heater does not mean instant hot water out of your taps. (Hmmm, that sounds pretty straight forward now that I write it.... but I always thought otherwise!)
Tankless water heaters aren't for everyone - and we originally debated getting one for ourselves. In the end, we decided it would make sense for a household like ours. It was on a particularly cold morning when I was waiting for the water in the shower to get warm enough to hop in that I questioned the inner workings of our heater.
Now that I understand how it works - I'm not sure how I thought otherwise! Basically, an instantaneous tankless hot water heater means that as soon as you call upon hot water - it's instantly hot. Why you don't instantly feel that hot water from your taps is because it still needs to travel through the pipes to the tap. Once you have the hot water - it will stay that way indefinitely because you're not pulling the water from a storage tank (hence the tankless part). This is good news for some - bad news for others (i.e. parents of kids notorious for getting out of the shower only once they run out of hot water!)
While this information may not be news to most of you - it did make me realize that an important part of research is understanding! It's easy to become misguided when it comes to equipment we may not all understand - and that can lead to false expectations or disappointment.
Talk to a professional - ask questions - get informed!
Thanks Ben - you're a great teacher!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Some details...
Well, the basement has been cleaned - the walls are bare - we're ready to go!
Although I've mentioned it before - I haven't really given any details about the spray foam treatment we will be applying to our basement walls.
The product is called 'Heatlok Soya' - it's a closed-cell spray polyurethane foam made from recycled plastic and soya oil. According to the pamphlet, it uses recycled plastics and vegetable oils and claims to:
- have zero impact on the ozone layer,
- have one of (if not the) highest thermal value of any insulation product on the market, and
- increase the energy effeciency of the building.
An independent lab test confirms the long-term performance of the product's thermal properties and maintains that it does not support mold and mildew.
For you visual learners - here's their latest promotional video.
Isn't science great??
Although I've mentioned it before - I haven't really given any details about the spray foam treatment we will be applying to our basement walls.
The product is called 'Heatlok Soya' - it's a closed-cell spray polyurethane foam made from recycled plastic and soya oil. According to the pamphlet, it uses recycled plastics and vegetable oils and claims to:
- have zero impact on the ozone layer,
- have one of (if not the) highest thermal value of any insulation product on the market, and
- increase the energy effeciency of the building.
An independent lab test confirms the long-term performance of the product's thermal properties and maintains that it does not support mold and mildew.
For you visual learners - here's their latest promotional video.
Isn't science great??
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
And onto the next...
Well, as I've reported, our new 98% efficient propane furnace, instantaneous tankless hot water heater, and HRV have been installed by Sauve Heating Ltd and our propane has been delivered - so on the heating side, we're good to go!
Next on the agenda - basement insulation. We've been slowly cleaning our basement so the guys from Merkley Drywall and Insulation won't have any problems making their way around. I'm sure you can imagine how much fun cleaning the basement can be - especially during the summer - so you probably understand why this hasn't happened sooner. But - we're on it! Sometime next week, we should have a fully insulated basement!
Once that's done - we'll be on the home stretch. As outlined in our eco-audit report, updating our heating system and insulating our basement will be our biggest money-savers. To compliment these efforts, however - we'll have to re-insulate the exterior of our home, as well.
I'm actually looking forward to moving on to the exterior-insulation phase because it means I need to start looking at siding options. While I know I'll have to consider what type of siding we choose - right now, I'm can't help but focus on colour!
C'mon, you can relate ..... right??
Next on the agenda - basement insulation. We've been slowly cleaning our basement so the guys from Merkley Drywall and Insulation won't have any problems making their way around. I'm sure you can imagine how much fun cleaning the basement can be - especially during the summer - so you probably understand why this hasn't happened sooner. But - we're on it! Sometime next week, we should have a fully insulated basement!
Once that's done - we'll be on the home stretch. As outlined in our eco-audit report, updating our heating system and insulating our basement will be our biggest money-savers. To compliment these efforts, however - we'll have to re-insulate the exterior of our home, as well.
I'm actually looking forward to moving on to the exterior-insulation phase because it means I need to start looking at siding options. While I know I'll have to consider what type of siding we choose - right now, I'm can't help but focus on colour!
C'mon, you can relate ..... right??
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
House guests...
With the appearance of summer, and as we start planning our interior and exterior home insulation, we've also started thinking about how nice it will be to have our home mostly sealed from creepy-crawlers. In my husband's case - this means spiders and for me - earwigs! (ew)
But - it wasn't until just recently that I realized this is also true of some of the bigger critters, too.
I was out hanging clothes on the line when I noticed a pretty unsightly pile of droppings below a vent hole in an unused chimney on the side of our house. It didn't take much to determine they were bat droppings. A lot of bat droppings.
While I have nothing against bats - and am actually happy to have them around, I know they're not the best thing for a home! Some facts (from the Humane Wildlife Control website):
1 - Bats can eat up to 3,000 insects in one night! Yes, that includes mosquitoes. On the flip side, if they're roosting in your home, they can also cause odor, damage and contamination.
2- Bat colonies can range from one to several hundred. Judging from the pile of droppings we have accumulating - we're definitely looking at more than one!!
3 - Bat colonies double in size every year. Unless they're removed (and the home sealed), bats do tend to return to the same property each year.
4 - Bats can bite. Although the rumors of bats getting tangled in your hair or sucking your blood are false, they can bite and are the most common carriers of rabies.
5 - A bat can produce several times its weight in waste each month. If inhaled, the droppings can actually cause histoplasmosis (identified as having flu-like symptoms).
6 - A bat can fit in a hole the size of a dime. Experts say that sealing the hole isn't good enough as the decay can cause waste and damage. The most effective way to deal with a bat colony is to get rid of all the bats and completely seal the entire building from further entry.
So, looks like we'll have to address our bat problem before we start insulating. I'm hoping we can find a new home on the property for our bat friends - because without a screened-in porch, we'll need all the help we can get against the mosquitoes!
But - it wasn't until just recently that I realized this is also true of some of the bigger critters, too.
I was out hanging clothes on the line when I noticed a pretty unsightly pile of droppings below a vent hole in an unused chimney on the side of our house. It didn't take much to determine they were bat droppings. A lot of bat droppings.
While I have nothing against bats - and am actually happy to have them around, I know they're not the best thing for a home! Some facts (from the Humane Wildlife Control website):
1 - Bats can eat up to 3,000 insects in one night! Yes, that includes mosquitoes. On the flip side, if they're roosting in your home, they can also cause odor, damage and contamination.
2- Bat colonies can range from one to several hundred. Judging from the pile of droppings we have accumulating - we're definitely looking at more than one!!
3 - Bat colonies double in size every year. Unless they're removed (and the home sealed), bats do tend to return to the same property each year.
4 - Bats can bite. Although the rumors of bats getting tangled in your hair or sucking your blood are false, they can bite and are the most common carriers of rabies.
5 - A bat can produce several times its weight in waste each month. If inhaled, the droppings can actually cause histoplasmosis (identified as having flu-like symptoms).
6 - A bat can fit in a hole the size of a dime. Experts say that sealing the hole isn't good enough as the decay can cause waste and damage. The most effective way to deal with a bat colony is to get rid of all the bats and completely seal the entire building from further entry.
So, looks like we'll have to address our bat problem before we start insulating. I'm hoping we can find a new home on the property for our bat friends - because without a screened-in porch, we'll need all the help we can get against the mosquitoes!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Isn't it pretty?
Well, she's in! And I have to say - part of me even considered wishing it was colder so we could fire her up! I know! Crazy....
Don't worry, that thought-process didn't last too long!
Sauve Heating did a fantastic job installing the equipment - which involved taking out our old oil tank and switching everything over to propane!
I included the picture to the right to hopefully remind you that not only do these upgrades mean a more efficient (and less-expensive to operate) home - but they also mean even more money back in your pockets. In the case of our instantaneous hot water heater - $630!
If this year has shown us anything, it's that we all need play a part in protecting our environment - and the economy. How great to be able to do both at once!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Progress!!
I'm happy to report that the waiting game is over!
Just like our water heater, our furnace has recently decided that it's insulted with the idea of being replaced and has stopped working just to prove this point. Fortunately, it's been pretty warm, so this hasn't been a huge issue - but talk about timing!
Luckily - try as they may - their attempts are wasted. In just a few short days, I'll be the proud new owner of an instantaneous hot water heater, a high-efficiency propane furnace and HRV system. The many years my husband has spent trying to get me to appreciate the amazing qualities of these units must finally be rubbing off on me - I'm excited!
And, because a high-efficiency furnace installed in poorly insulated home will still result in hard-earned dollars leaking out the windows (and doors, and cracks in the basement, etc) - we have our basement-insulation appointment scheduled shortly after.
I appreciate the feedback I've received about whether or not an older home like ours should consider foam insulation - but after much consultation and research, we are confident this is the right choice for us! As always - be sure to do your own research to make sure you're doing what's right for your own home.
This is the exciting part - because once these upgrades are finished, we're one step closer to grant money in our pockets!!
Stay tuned!
Just like our water heater, our furnace has recently decided that it's insulted with the idea of being replaced and has stopped working just to prove this point. Fortunately, it's been pretty warm, so this hasn't been a huge issue - but talk about timing!
Luckily - try as they may - their attempts are wasted. In just a few short days, I'll be the proud new owner of an instantaneous hot water heater, a high-efficiency propane furnace and HRV system. The many years my husband has spent trying to get me to appreciate the amazing qualities of these units must finally be rubbing off on me - I'm excited!
And, because a high-efficiency furnace installed in poorly insulated home will still result in hard-earned dollars leaking out the windows (and doors, and cracks in the basement, etc) - we have our basement-insulation appointment scheduled shortly after.
I appreciate the feedback I've received about whether or not an older home like ours should consider foam insulation - but after much consultation and research, we are confident this is the right choice for us! As always - be sure to do your own research to make sure you're doing what's right for your own home.
This is the exciting part - because once these upgrades are finished, we're one step closer to grant money in our pockets!!
Stay tuned!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
We're in this together!!
Success! What a great story follower 'Phiddy' (Phyllis) took the time to share with me! I've posted it below. Yikes, with heating costs that high, I bet you own as many sweaters as I do!!
I like oil heat, but I'm looking forward to switching to propane - specifically - the 98% efficient furnace!!
Thanks again for the feedback - we really appreciate the support! Keep us posted on your progress!
To the rest of you, keep those stories coming - and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to try and get them answered!
"Hey there Kylee,We're just down the road from you in Jasper.
We went ahead and got our eco-audit done. Used the same guy you did... Derrick out of Kemptville. We too live in a not so new home. No records to prove when it was built but, everyone seems to think it's about 50 - 60 years old. We were rated at 41% energy efficient.... even less than your rating! Can you believe that? No wonder our heating (oil) bill was running about $100 to $125/week during our first winter here. We are going to be looking into the simple and most easily fixed things first. Insulating the attic and crawl space. The two areas we are losing most of our heat through.
Thanks for your blog. It sure has helped me on the way to making our home more energy efficient.
Phyllis
Oh and in the mail two days ago was the paperwork to fill out, send back in and then to receive our eco-audit rebate from the government.... sweet!"
I like oil heat, but I'm looking forward to switching to propane - specifically - the 98% efficient furnace!!
Thanks again for the feedback - we really appreciate the support! Keep us posted on your progress!
To the rest of you, keep those stories coming - and if you have any questions, I'll do my best to try and get them answered!
"Hey there Kylee,We're just down the road from you in Jasper.
We went ahead and got our eco-audit done. Used the same guy you did... Derrick out of Kemptville. We too live in a not so new home. No records to prove when it was built but, everyone seems to think it's about 50 - 60 years old. We were rated at 41% energy efficient.... even less than your rating! Can you believe that? No wonder our heating (oil) bill was running about $100 to $125/week during our first winter here. We are going to be looking into the simple and most easily fixed things first. Insulating the attic and crawl space. The two areas we are losing most of our heat through.
Thanks for your blog. It sure has helped me on the way to making our home more energy efficient.
Phyllis
Oh and in the mail two days ago was the paperwork to fill out, send back in and then to receive our eco-audit rebate from the government.... sweet!"
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