I am in the market for a house and came across a new PassiveHaus certified development in Belfast. They're using air source heat pumps for room heating and hot water, specifically "Nilan Compact P" model. I am totally new to ASHP and passive house methods, so I am a bit nervous. Based on some initial reading it sounds that while heat pumps may not be suitable for older buildings without proper insulation, it should work well in new buildings that are built with floor heating and modern insulation. But most of the material I read are from the estate agent's brochure or a heat pump manufacturer's marketing website, so I am not sure how reliable those are. Does anyone have first experience with passive house? Do you know if this Nilan Compact P would be able to provide adequate central heating to a 3 bed house in the peak winter? Temperature can go below zero in January and I am worried if we'd end up freezing.
Also, one of the main cons of heat pumps seems to be that it will take longer to heat up the rooms when it is really cold outside. If we find this ASHP based setup insufficient during peak winter, is it feasible to supplement it with an electric boiler only during those days? I know I will have to bear the costs of buying and installing the boiler, but do you know if the installation setup of ASHP even allows something like this?
Lastly, another disadvantage seems to be that the pumps can get noisy. I am not sure if this would be a major issue as the pump would be outside and the walls would be sealed. And all houses in this development would be passive house with similar heat pumps, so I am hoping neighbours would be understanding about this.
This might be a stupid question. I'm not from Chicago but am looking at moving. I've noticed that a lot of Chicago apartments have radiators, which are not super common where I live now where most everyone has central heating/ac from forced air. From what I understand, you can't adjust the temperature on radiators? (unless you open your window to let in colder air or something) Should I only look at apartments with forced air? I am very sensitive to internal temperature and cannot live somewhere where I cannot control the inside temperature. I would also want AC so that would probably be more likely with central as well.
My house is built in 1955 and so the insulation...sucks. Just looking for ways to keep my HVAC from having to work so hard I guess. We just got a new AC so I'd like to lessen the load on it and keep it going for as long as possible. But I'd also like to be able to store more stuff in our attic (I live in the south, it's fucking hot...it's still 95 degrees this week) We are planning to get new windows (I hope that will make the biggest difference, our windows are ORIGINAL...so they are terribly drafty) and we're going to try to seal up all the places where there are holes into the attic from below (like around electrical work and stuff).
I am finding mixed reviews on whether or not it is worthwhile to insulate your roof (like in between the rafters) in the attic. Our attic already has insulation on the floor. All I'm able to keep up there right now is holiday decorations, luggage, and some other random do-dads but I'd like to be able to store things like extra paint, camping gear, and ammo in there without worrying about how hot it gets in the summer in there. It's like walking into an oven. Would putting up the rolls of insulation on my roof help this situation in any significant way? Would insulating my roof make any difference for the rest of my home too?
thanks for the input
I live in North GA. We patched some holes in our air ducts when we moved in a couple of years ago. It’s done okay but this summer was brutally hot.
Our house is approximately 1600 square feet. The house is built into the side of a hill so crawl space varies from almost 6ft high to 3ft high.
Hiller came to look at my hot water heater and potentially replace it. They quoted me $3,100 for a replacement for a gas HWH and $5,500 for a Tankless. WTF! How are they coming up with these prices. The unit itself shouldn't be more than $5-700. Add another $2-300 for labor and that would make sense. Am I crazy?
Final Edit: I'm Thankful that u/happyhiller found this thread and reached out to me about the issue. So here's the update from them:
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I have a 75-gallon water heater in your garage, not a 40-gallon water heater (I was not aware). 75-gallon water heaters, while being more expensive in cost, also weigh about 300 pounds, requiring 2 technicians to install. Most standard water heater swap outs only require 1. A valve expansion kit, which would require purchase and installation is also included, again not a standard swap out charge.
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There is a sink and a shelf that have to be removed and then reinstalled.
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Finally, the vent is not up to date with current metro codes and would need to be corrected before we could finish the project, including complete vent replacement and installation. (Hiller installed my current unit in 2011, so I'm not sure how much the codes have changed since then)
Hiller is actually replacing the unit under their 10-year parts and labor warranty at no charge as we've discovered they installed the unit in 2011. I'm thankful to u/happyhiller for reaching out to clarify things that were not explained to my wife in the initial visit and breaking down the costs that were quoted to us. I know some people have not had a great experience with them, but they are actively trying to make good on their name and I appreciate that.
So my initial thought on what a HWH should cost was not far off, but apparently, I had a more complicated setup than I knew.
TL:DR - Hiller is turning an unhappy potential customer into a potentially happy customer.
That'd be cool
In Italy the vast majority of heating systems are composed of a boiler (condensing boilers in the most recent models) that heats both the heating and the sanitary water.
The boilers in Italy are almost all powered by methane gas and have a closed chamber with a forced draft. Nowadays boilers are usually installed externally, in a special niche on the wall and protrcted by a door with a key.
The heating water is passed through radiators in cast iron / aluminum or through pipes under the floor.
However, solutions such as fireplace and pellet stoves are widespread. Solar panels are also common.
Usually the maximum temperature at which a heating system can be set is 68/70 ° F, to contain carbon dioxide emissions. I'm some places, like islands, time limitations can also be introduced due to the possible lack of methane.
I personally have set the heating in my house at 68 ° F between 5 AM and 11 PM, 65 ° F during night hours.
As for air conditioning systems, in private homes, classic air conditioners with indoor and outdoor units are the most common. The newer houses (less than 10/15 years), have all the pipes, electric cable and condensate drain, already prepared inside the walls.
In many homes, dual split systems are installed, with only one outdoor unit and two internal units (often one per floor), so as to contain consumption and dimensions. Almost all the latest generation products are equipped with heat pump and inverter technology.
My AC units works at 77 ° F during day and at 82 ° F during night when needed. I always try to use them the least possible due to both power consumptions and not to have the same air inside the house for too many hours. Ventilating at least twice per day is a must for me.
Inspired by comments to a post I made on /r/thermodynamics [1] I am interested to know if there are many situations in which a customer should opt to install a geothermal heating and cooling system, rather than say a heat pump and regular air conditioning.
This 30 min infomercial that Ross Perot did in 1992 presidential campaign had 20 million viewers the first time it aired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl8SaNvcK7UPerot went through data of how the economy is fucked and media and politicians are distracting the people from the real problems.
Logistically, we can easily raise 3 or 4 million dollars from the hype alone during the week. We will finally get the chance to send our message of exactly what Yang is talking about, with data the way its supposed to be presented instead of soundbites in a reality tv show. We are right before the Iowa caucus and we can also blow up the internet with it. It will bring back the memories for Perot campaign voters who were 20% of the electorate who were primarily under 45 during the 1992 election (Based on NY times demographic assessment back then) which makes them one of our core target groups now and can connect the generations in our base. Perot had the most successful independent campaign in American history using those voters. We have the money, the data and the support to buy the infomercial and execute this and change the narrative.
About the numbers: 5 million is an overestimate. If we go by price of 30 second ad placements being about $15000 on Fox news and CNN (based on these sources Variety and Adweek), we could get a 30 min ad placement for 900k which we can raise in a day at our current pace.
Ross Perot’s campaign demographic analysis article on NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/05/us/1992-elections-disappointment-analysis-eccentric-but-no-joke-perot-s-strong.html
Just got a Philips XXL air fryer tonight so of course immediately used it to make dinner - covered some chicken tenderloins in pesto (350 and I think 8ish minutes?) and some roasted broccoli (a little olive oil, salt, garlic, crushed red pepper and parm - 375 for around ten with a shake in the middle?) and it was easy and DELISH.
Then I decided to make some apple chips - sliced them on the mandoline, light spray with oil, tapped on a little cinnamon and put them in. For the first batch I only did one layer so they wouldn't be soggy. Started smelling something burning, but didn't see anything weird on the shake. Put them back and more burning, so pulled them out and finally realized there were fewer slices in the basket than I put in. Peered in there and I see three of them plastered to the heating element, smoking. Did a second batch and dumped way more in to weigh them down a bit. Was fine at first and then as they dried out and lightened up, they started getting stuck in the element again.
Only thing I can think of is that they're too light? Air-nado is too strong? I read several recipes and watched a bunch of youtube videos and no one mentioned a problem like this. Maybe my mandoline cuts them too thin? Any ideas? //ETA: typo
Long story short my apartment complex has implemented news restrictions to the Eco-Bee thermostats that are in each apartment. The new restrictions make it so the air conditioning cannot lower the temperature below 69 degrees while the heat cannot increase the temperature above 74 degrees.
While this doesn’t sound terrible (especially the heat limit because 74 is already blistering) I have an extremely difficult time believing the complex that there are laws stating this must be the range we as tenants can have our apartments. For context this is in upstate NY.
Nothing in the lease says this was to be implemented and when I have asked about why this has happened the management stated there are NY laws saying apartments must be at 69 degrees. I cannot find such laws.
Does anyone have any information about this or suggestions? I pay a flat fee each month for utilities so I have a feeling this is just a way the complex can lower costs by limiting air con and heating use of each tenant.
I understand solar panels are conventionally too heavy for this application but in the spirit of r/crazyideas let's assume it utilizes solar panels that are light enough to measure up against the conventional weight of hot air balloon material.
My wife and I are looking at buying a house in California but the one we really love doesn’t have central air or heat. (There is a window air conditioner mounted in the wall and those large wall mounted heaters)
The house is 4bd/2ba and roughly 1300sq/ft
My questions are.
- how much is the ball park range for me to figure for having someone install central air?
- is there any risk of having someone install central air or anything else I need to consider such as wiring not being compatible, running water lines to the unit, needing them to poor a slab to mount the air unit too? Etc.
Thanks for any help/in site
What is the Difference?
In Italy the vast majority of heating systems are composed of a boiler (condensing boilers in the most recent models) that heats both the heating and the sanitary water.
The boilers in Italy are almost all powered by methane gas and have a closed chamber with a forced draft. Nowadays boilers are usually installed externally, in a special niche on the wall and protrcted by a door with a key.
The heating water is passed through radiators in cast iron / aluminum or through pipes under the floor.
However, solutions such as fireplace and pellet stoves are widespread. Solar panels are also common.
Usually the maximum temperature at which a heating system can be set is 20/21 ° C, to contain carbon dioxide emissions. I'm some places, like islands, time limitations can also be introduced due to the possible lack of methane.
I personally have set the heating in my house at 20 ° C between 5 and 23, 18 ° C during night hours.
As for air conditioning systems, in private homes, classic air conditioners with indoor and outdoor units are the most common. The newer houses (less than 10/15 years), have all the pipes, electric cable and condensate drain, already prepared inside the walls.
In many homes, dual split systems are installed, with only one outdoor unit and two internal units (often one per floor), so as to contain consumption and dimensions. Almost all the latest generation products are equipped with heat pump and inverter technology.
My AC units works at 25 ° C during day and at 28 ° C during night when needed. I always try to use them the least possible due to both power consumptions and not to have the same air inside the house for too many hours. Ventilating at least twice per day is a must for me.
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